Wednesday, September 16, 2009









Chefs and Growers Feast and Hoedown at Manakintown Specialty Growers


A wonderful evening of fresh local food created and shared with Manakintown Specialty Growers "groupies"

It was so nice to slow down and saver what we grow and cook with others who enjoy growing and creating good for you food too.


Thanks Jo & Robbie for mentoring & networking so many people in the local growers and creative food business in Virginia.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

A Pearl View of Labor Day












Pearl says, "After directing the planting of the Fall vegetable garden, chasing squirrels off the farm, and herding up the turkeys for my family I need to find some where I can chill-out. Hey... Dad... how do feel about filling this wash-tub? I need a drink .... please....pretty please...the hose is right here....









Ahhh a Mud Bath...a great way to make the best of what I have on fur.



A perfect fit for "Pearly-Locks" to cool off after a hard day of farming."

First rays of Autmn

This Honey Bee is shimmering in the twilight of a Autumn evening on the rays of this copper sunflower. Autumn's new light patterns and reflection give a beautiful patina to all the colors in the garden. I feel I must rush outside as soon as I can each day to soak up all that I can of this pink and amber light of Autumn, as I know it passes so quickly, this season of patchwork mountainsides and confetti forest I love so much.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009



Honey comb frames... so perfect, so organized, so sweet, a work of art in liquid gold. While the honey houses filled with bees are beautiful, clean, well organized homes...mine is kaos during July...The long daylight hours of summer turn my kitchen into a bounty of harvest to sort, divide, cook, freeze, bottle, can, package,... the harvest then creeps out into the dinning room, sprawls across the dinningroom table and benches ...and it comes to the point I have to get away for a few hours so I run upstairs to sew and quilt...and that room turns into a frenzy of fabric and thread. If I only had a system like those worker bees...but would I have as much summer time fun, would the creativity flow like honey?


I think it's time to make a honey cake....





Monday, July 13, 2009



Sunshine floating in a milkglass bowl on the kitchen table...a beautiful bit of inspiration to enjoy while managing some of the day's duties in the kitchen.

Saturday July 11th Hickory Green Farm donated a bouquet of 15 sunflowers to the Center for Rural Culture's raffle. When the Market official drew the winning number a squeal of delight rang out through the crowd....as I looked around to see who the lucky woman was a darling little girl was skipping up to the Market official with the winning ticket. With a handsome smile the Market official's young son gave her the huge vase of sunflowers. Hugging the vase with all her heart the winner posed for the perfect picture of a beautiful sunny day at the Goochland Farmer's Market. Turning around after taking the winner's photo I noticed the whole crowd was smiling with the winner as though they had won too...sharing the joy...sometimes I think the sunflower should be the olive branch. Hummm....flower for thought...

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

"bee" a sunflower at the Goochland Farmer's Market

Visit us at the Goochland Farmer's Market in Virginia on Saturday mornings til noon where you can shop for delicious foods, scented flowers, beautiful art, and you can become a radiant sunflower. This is my Sister in law Kate who is ever so clever and fun.

"A deer" point of view from across the pasture....

"A deer" point of view from the dry creek bottom...sneaking up to the squash, gourds and cucumbers....but really looking for those delicious sunflowers....


The brazing "deer point" of view just outside the tunnel of deer netting and real close to the orchard....



Yea Pearl! Keep the deer out of the garden...Good girl Pearl! Thanks to deer netting tunnels and Pearl's vigilance the garden continues to grow and bloom for "a dear" view from my porch rocking chair.



Ahhh My favorite week of the year has the longest day of sunlight. The sunflowers reflect the beautiful summer sun late into the night this time of year to give way to the beautiful twilight where the lighting bugs sparkle into the clear warm starry nights. Ahhh summer, love it, love it, love it. Let the summer sun rain down on me.


Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Tis the season at your local farmer's Market...


Spring garden peas


Shop your local farmer's market to find produce that is truly ripe for the season. This week in central Virginia you should be able to find freshly harvested and ready to prepare for meals; chard, sweet peas, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, radish, turnips, all kinds of onions, mushrooms, carrots, sprouts, micro greens, mint, chives, oregano, parsley, lavender, sage, arugula, beets...go and visit your local farmer's market to discover the best produce at it's best in season and delicious.


Hollyhocks


When you visit your local Farmer's Market here in central Virginia you will discover all the products that are in season picked or harvested at the peek of perfection. If you want flowers you will find gorgeous specimens that are in bloom naturally this time of year in Virginia. Fresh cut and long lasting with beautiful aromas.

Visit Goochland Virginia's Farmer's Market and discover local wines, produce, bison, farm raised trout, goat cheeses, Cow cheese, local beef, local pork, fresh cut flowers, Vegetable plants and herbs, locally grown orchids, compost, fresh chicken, eggs, sorbet, all locally grown and produced.
Wonderful artist also participate at the Goochland Farmer's Market selling their handwork and craftsmanship in an array of different mediums.

Enjoy each season at the Farmer's Market.










Yellow clover is in full bloom at Hickory Green Farm and waving with the weight of honeybees collecting nectar. The field of yellow clover is humming with bees working very diligently to collect all that the cover has to offer each day. It is an amazing little environment to experience. Pearl even notices the field and approaches it with interest and observation, as if she realizes it is a work zone that she should not disturb. In all it's golden beauty the field may simply and quickly be enjoyed for its radiant color...but if you slow down and really enjoy the field for all it has to offer... you will smell the sweetness, feel the swaying waves of amber, hear the hum of the honey bees, if you take the time to really understand what the buzzzzzz is all about.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

So Many Shades of Green

Beets, Turnips, Cabbage, Broccoli, what beautiful green "eye candy." Soon these crops will be part of delicious meals to share with families and friends.
Green energy for the body and soul.

The vine

This beautiful Clematis vine and the Bittersweet vine are rampid with growth this time of year and Ross & I were admiring the architecture of the vines ....When I thought, "My that top vine section is mighty thick." Oh my goodness that's a Black Snake...darn I bet he's gotten those baby wrens in that bird house... darn darn darn...let me look in the bottle bird house.... oooooooooooooh darn...do you see what I see..."




Yea,... A Black Snake in the bird house bottle and a Black Snake on the bird house bottle ... well I guess the mouse population will be in check this season. Note to self: Pay attention when pruning these vines back, getting eggs out of the chicken coop, weeding, cutting the grass, etc. Thank goodness Black Snakes are not poisonous...
The next day I saw my barn cat, "Frederick," carrying a dead Black Snake across the side yard. Nature takes its coarse..."Let it be," and pay attention.





Monday, May 11, 2009

Visit the Goochland Farmer's Market


This is the Hickory Green Farm booth at the Goochland Farmer's Market. This time of the year we are featuring; gourds for making bird houses and crafts, Bearded Iris tubers to plant in your gardens, Garden Gate wreaths made from eleagnus branches with pockets of potted live plants. "Meadow Bouquets" of fresh cut flowers and herbs, Fresh cut Iris blooms to arrange, "Pussy Willow" branches, and unique garden pillows that are beautiful botanical accents for any gardener. To see the weekly features of the Goochland Farmer's Market click on our side bar link. Each week the market vendors keep it fresh and local.




Meadow Bouquets

From the fields of Hickory Green Farm we are harvesting meadow flowers. Apple mint, spearmint, chive blossoms, mustard blooms, arugula blooms, allium blooms, saliva, crimson clover, hosta foliage, and orchard grass are gathered for a mildly spring scented arrangement. "Blooming Joy in a Mason Jar."

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Lucky Peppers

Mini environment:
Pepper plants grown in a bed of crimson clover and covered with deer netting.
We are using the crimson clover as a green mulch and soil conditioner for the pepper plants while reducing the opportunity for weeds to grow. The deer netting is a must to reduce damage by grazing deer.
A 4 leaf clover crop is growing in the pepper garden...We are so Lucky.

Seeds, seeds, seeds

This is our kitchen counter....or the seed sorting desk. 8 feet of counter under the cover of seed packets and jars of saved seeds with notes and dates sprawled 24/7 for the last 2 weeks. I try to contain the bounty of seeds in the wooden bowl in the left portion of the picture, but we are always regrouping and organizing and planning. A temporary collage of seeds for our counter...beautiful.
Fresh spring greens. We use to gather these "field greens"or "salad greens" for a inexpensive accompaniment to poached eggs of any sort, duck, turkey, or chicken, when we were first independent young adults trying to stretch our pennies. A great dinner would be steamed "field greens" and wild onions with a poached turkey egg and maybe a piece of bread with wild blackberry jam. Now these tasty nutritious greens are cultivated and sold at farmer's markets and grocery stores. You can discover more about "salad greens" in this month's, "Virginia Living," magazine featuring our favorite farmer of "salad greens" Manakintown Specialty Growers. Field Cress, wild onion, and dandelion greens are pictured here on my Grama's china.
Mmmmm delicious, nutritious,
fresh...and now gourmet.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Apple Blossom Time

We are grateful that last week's frost did not damage the Apple Blossoms. The bees are enjoying the nectar of these beautiful trees, and we hope to enjoy the fruit this fall. It will be Pearl's job to keep the squires out of the orchard until harvest time.
A walk through the orchard this time of year is great place to capture photos of family and friends.



Rhythm

The rhythm of our daily lives is beautifully reveled all around the farm these days. Outside and inside.


Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Did you know....?


Red Bud blossoms are yummy for people and bees. We eat them on our salad.
Lately we stroll the fields and woodlands for our daily exercise....however the pace has slowed quite a bit....Ross needs to take note of every plant that may bloom, is in bloom, or has bloomed and will it taste good as honey? In other words there is little exercise and a lot of exploration. Ross notes if there is pollen on the bees and how much, and where the is bee going, where has the bee been? Observation of what most people take for granted is amazing in the case of honey bees.

My Gramps use to dig dandelions up and out of his manicured lawn. Gramp's most hated "weed" next to wild onions was dandelions. Ross, he is thrilled with dandelions...food for bees and good for honey production. One man's weed is another man's gold. (me) LOL


Sunday, April 5, 2009

Pink & Green

The Dogwoods of Hickory Green Farm
were emerging from tightly formed buds in a
pastel pallet of rose, soft green, and amber on Saturday
when my mama came to visit us.
Serendipitous as her favorite flower is the Dogwood blossom.

Pink and green are my mom and daughter's
"signature colors."
Even on a very casual Saturday stroll around the farm my girl's are
" fashionistas" coordinating with the spring blooms in their beautiful
"signature pink and green."


Of coarse we shared good food and giggles while enjoying the sunshine, blue sky, rolling green fields, and blossoms.


Wednesday, April 1, 2009

One Spring Day...








Last Saturday I saw: hope, anticipation, encouragement, compassion, excitement, determination, shear guts, humor, friendship, strength, community spirit, kindness, positive energy, exuberance…


Guess where …

It starts at 4:45 am, I prepared for year, I pray, I see: Elvis, Divas, cows, people from several nations, architecture and landscape from a 100+ years to present day, famous works of art more than a hundred years old, contemporary works of art, cobblestone alleys and brick walks, dogs of many sizes, bananas, bagels, granola, lots and lots of cups and bottles, signs and banners, Flags, band aids, & bands, dancers and cheer leaders, Parrot-heads, dancing dragons, readers, buffets, brunch, fried peppers & onions with hotdogs, birthday cards & birthday balloons, coaches, grandmothers & grandfathers, sisters & brothers, daughters & sons, aunties & uncles, friends and teams, fraternities and sororities, officers, priest, juice and water, hats of every color and style, Easter wreaths and eggs, balcony parties, sidewalk picnics, cameras, reporters, a college campus, mossy tree trunks, cranes, canes, places of worship, historic landmarks, tents, port-a- potties, philosophy, poetry, posters, flags, plus 66,000 sneakers.

Yea you guessed it…

I was lucky enough to participate in the Ukrops 10k Monument Avenue Race in Richmond, Virginia. That evening we met several friends at the White Hawk CafĂ© in Goochland County for sandwiches and some great Bluegrass music by “Maidens Crossing.” A beautiful Spring day in the heart of Virginia shared with friends old and new. A very fine day to remember.
“Zippity-do-daw !”




Hope to post a video of the 6.1 mile route soon. Stay tuned.
P.S. Seeds are sprouting! The weeding begins.


Monday, March 23, 2009

Cool season crops

Hat, gloves, mud-boots, seeds, well tuned tiller, basic garden plan, hoe, rake, shovels, garden hose, string, marker, stakes, watering can, straw, bone meal, compost,...and "we'rrrrre off!" Spring gardening has begun. yeh!

" Inch by Inch row by row we're going to make this garden grow" and enjoy a day together outside. Tonight it will be aspirin for aching muscles. As the garden shapes up so does the body...I hope...LOL.
I do believe gardening is good exercise for the brain, body and soul. Gardening seemed to work well in all of these aspects for Thomas Jefferson, maybe it will do well by us too.
We are taking a different path this year with house garden.

"Busy Bees"


The Honey Bees are finding every little blossom at Hickory Green Farm. All of the boxwood were humming on Saturday and when we took a closer look we could hardly "beelieve" how many bees were on each boxwood bush.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009


"Highland Pearl of Hickory Green Farm"
explores the pasture for moles, squirrels, rabbits, deer....
Her job is to announce any intruders (human or critter) by barking loudly and
to protect plant material from other creatures (deer & moles)
Ohhhh there are just so many great smells for Pearl to hunt now that the earth is warming up!



Sharing the joy of spring.


Signs of the time...

Through the brown blanket of leaf mulch ...

From earth and log new life is rising up.

Golden crowns are radiant in the glorious sunshine.
and the woodlands are carpeted in blue.
The Lenten Rose is swaying in the breeze.
Quince brightly beckons
the honeybees to collect pollen and nectar.
All of these beautiful signs
indicate that seed planting at Hickory Green Farm is immanent.
Yes! These are the signs I have been waiting to read all month.