Wordless Wednesday: A Little Holiday Spirit on the Farm

Thank you to all the  customers, vendors, musicians, Ruth and Cadence who made our Holiday Fair a success! And to Rog, who successfully got HEAT in the  greenhouse!

Wordless Wednesday: First Snowfall

 

November Harvest

It is November 6th and we haven't had a hard frost yet - crazy. I went out to the garden to finally dig up my few sweet potatoes (I bought them at the end of the season for 25 cents and we filled in a harvested hole.) I was delighted to discover a bunch of raspberries! A row of the new canes we planted last spring  were not expected to bear until next summer, but they were loaded with perfect berries.

Enough raspberries to make a batch of jam...or a batch of mead...or should we just eat them?  And a big bowl of small sweet potatoes.

Still have quite a few red and green cabbages to devour. I have been making cole slaw for frequent  fish tacos.

The late-planted peas are loaded with blossoms If it stays  like this for another week maybe we will get peas.

Rows of  radishes, tatsoi, beets, carrots, and lettuce still going strong. Found a cute baby eggplant while pulling out that row. Oh, and lovely broccoli that I may save for Thanksgiving.

The radishes are ginormous, but still mild and tender, not woody. I have been putting radishes, radish greens, chard and kale in my morning green smoothie.

Amazingly there are even a few nice peppers still growing! Almost makes me wish I hadn't pulled out all the tomato plants weeks ago!

Not Your Normal November Morning in Minnesota

Weird weather, 70 degrees in November, but hey, we'll take it. Maybe we can actually almost be ready for winter when it hits this year!

Such a lovely morning,

A little bit of color left on the trees.

Garden still looking glorious!!!!

Happy ducks.

We are savoring every sunny moment.

Little Farm Library!

Ever since I first heard about this wonderful idea, I have wanted to install a little library on the farm. For years I have collected dozens of kids' books, many about farms, animals and nature, and have been constantly searching the ReStore and the thrift stores for some kind of cabinet that could be upcycled into a weatherproof little library.

Last year, the Leadership Greater Rochester group sponsored a community-wide Mini Library project with the  Rochester Public Library.  I applied for Squash Blossom Farm to be a site but only  in-town sites were eligible.

However,  this spring I got an invitation to re-apply because the Mini Library project was being expanded County-wide. And, happily, we were selected!  In August I joined the other new mini library hosts in a painting party. We were each given a darling, well-crafted (much sturdier than my carpentry try skills would have accomplished)  library. I painted mine in our farm theme colors and when I got it home, I adorned it with corrugated metal farm animals.

Lots of books have already found new homes, especially because we have had lots of children here the past couple weeks for a birthday party, our last pizza and music afternoon of the season, and the Cow Puja & Farm Fair this past weekend.

Today, Kingsley and her mom came to pick up their weekly CSA box and Kingsley picked out a book about animal tracks.

Then two young boys arrived and perused the library.

The younger chose "The Bear With Bees in his Hair"

and his big brother  selected "Mama's Little Duckling."

Kids with books make me so happy!  I plan to downsize my own overflowing library soon and add some good adult books, too.  The Public Library will also contribute regularly to the selection.

Thanks, Rochester Public Library, for helping us accomplish this great project!  Come check out the Squash Blossom Mini Library!

Wordless Wednesday: Hoof-Trimming Day