Tag: farms

#AtoZChallenge | H is for Hiking with goats another tail tale from the trail.

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There was a moment when I was focused on the trail ahead but sensed that there was someone close behind. Seconds later one of goats sprinted past, fully engaged on exploring the wooded countryside, far less interested in us than we were in them.

This past September, on a mild fall day, we found ourselves enjoying an educational and relaxing hike with a sweet, well-mannered tribe of Alpine dairy goats at Ten Apple Farm.

The day of our hike started off with a light rain, so our hosts flipped the schedule and we started off in the barn where we learned about the farm and the goats. It was hard to stay focused, even though the information was interesting.

As the farmer told us his stories, one of the smaller goats in the pen behind him kept repeatedly jumping straight up while bleating and crying as she desperately tried to see over the top of the pen. She’d get a fleeting glimpse of us and then disappear only to return seconds later to peek again. It was clear that our hiking companions would have some energy.

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#AtoZChallenge | G is for Goats and an Adorable Way to Recycle Our Christmas Trees

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I put up five Christmas trees each year. One stands in front of the window in our mudroom and is covered in ornaments that I’ve collected from my travels over the years. You can see it from the road as soon as you come over the hill leading up to our house.

The second is a slightly bigger one in our living room that I insist on putting colored lights on even though the rest of my family prefers white ones. The colored lights are nostalgic and remind me of my childhood. The lower third is where all the non-breakable ornaments hang, an attempt to dog proof it. It’s also tied to the ceiling for reinforcement since it has some irreplaceable ornaments on it including a glass elephant my grandmother gave me.

A third table top tree in our breakfast area showcases my Superwholock obsession although in actuality it is covered only in Doctor Who ornaments and one determined mini-bust of Dean Winchester that I converted into something that I could hang in the tree out of desperation at not being able to find any other Supernatural ornaments. I’ve yet to locate a Sherlock one that I like either.

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Seven reasons why you should join a CSA.

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Kohlrabi is not a vegetable that I would have even been able to identify let alone know how to prepare a year ago but that has all changed. This past summer we enjoyed fresh, local vegetables as part of our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share at Frith Farm.

Joining a CSA had been on my bucket list for many years, but I kept missing the signup period which generally happens in the winter. I usually don’t start thinking about summer vegetables until the weather turns warmer but the shares are typically sold out by that time.

I’m happy that we finally planned ahead and signed up for a share this past year. I loved getting our vegetables each week even if I wasn’t always sure how to prepare them. As for that kohlrabi, we tried a few fun ways to eat it over the summer from leaving it raw in salads, to roasting it with other vegetables. It was all good!

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Ten things I learned on my first trip to the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity Maine.

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Normally, I am an exceptionally prepared person but when I decided to head up to Unity for the last day of the Common Ground Country Fair I jumped into the car on a whim and with no supplies. We had just celebrated the first day of fall but the temperatures were rebelling and heading up towards the 90s. A few basics like sunscreen and water would have been helpful, but fortunately it didn’t ruin my first experience at the Common Ground Country Fair.

The Common Ground Country Fair is a sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and celebrates organic agriculture and rural life. This scouting trip gave me a basic overview of the event and will help me be better prepared next time I head back for hopefully a longer visit.

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Apple Picking at Apple Acres Farm in Hiram, Maine

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Fall brings with it many rituals. Apple picking is one of those activities so when the weather starts to get crisp, and the leaves begin to change, you’ll find me headed to an apple orchard. Things have been a little hectic this year, so I was a little later than usual in venturing to an orchard, but fortunately it’s a fairly long season in Maine and there were still many varieties of applies ripe for picking.

After a hearty breakfast at Krista’s Restaurant in Cornish where I enjoyed a meat lover’s omelet overflowing with filling, my friend and I headed to nearby Apple Acres Farm. As we approached the farm, the neat even rows of apple trees could be seen on each side of the road. The weather was perfect for apple picking and the countryside was starting to show a colorful fall palette making everything especially picturesque.

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