Friday Double Dose of Cute: A Baby Donkey Look Back

Snuggling Up to Mama



Daphne and 16-Day-Old Evie (taken 7/26/08)

Want a bigger dose of little Evie? She's fluffed up and growing into those ears!
7/10/08: It's Another Birthday Girl!
7/11/08: Newborn Evie Up & Running
9/13/08: Here a Nibble, There a Nibble
10/17/08: Baby Love?
11/2/08: Fashion Statement
2/2/09: Icy Looks
2/7/09: Being Watched
2/11/09: Are You Ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count?

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the donkey ridden foodie farm blog where it was too hard to decide which of these cute photos to post so instead we posted them both—and we can't figure out which seems more unbelievable: that Dolores and Daphne will probably each have another baby this summer (thanks to the quick moves of Dan the Donkey Doodle Daddy Man), or that we're supposed to get 3 to 4 inches of snow tomorrow.

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Are You My Baby?

Doll Face Looking for Her Lamb (taken 3/20/07—this year's lambs will start arriving in April)

Want to see more wool?
Sheep Photos
More Sheep Photos
And More Sheep Photos
Lambing Season 2006 Photos & Reports
Lambing Season 2007 Photos & Reports
Lambing Season 2008 Part 1
Lambing Season 2008 Part 2

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the wooly foodie farm blog where we may have accidentally disappointed some of you cuties out there (if a bread lover is a breadie, then a cute lover must be a cutie, right?). The cute photos (both current and from the past but never posted) will defnitely continue; they just won't be called 'daily' anymore, since unfortunately they never really were. Meanwhile, things aren't nearly as wooly around here as they were this morning, since we just finished shearing the sheep! Photos will hopefully be up soon.

Saturday Dose of Cute: I'm Writing a Cookbook!

Happy Dance












Happy Dance Recovery

I'm writing a cookbook! I already said that, didn't I? You'll have to forgive me. I don't think it's all completely sunk in yet, even though I've been working on it every day for the past couple of months (which have flown by way too quickly). I'm still getting used to the idea that I have an agent.

Anyway, the book is all about making the most of your seasonal bounty, whether it comes from your garden, a CSA subscription, the farmers' market, pick-your-own farms, or is dropped off on your doorstep by an undercover, overburdened neighbor when you're not at home. It's going to be published in spring 2010 and will cover canning, freezing, drying, and storing, along with my favorite ways to savor everything fresh—all using my Less Fuss, More Flavor methods and recipes. Of course there'll be plenty of growing tips and gardening talk, too.

It's exciting, it's fun, it's slightly terrifying, and it's big—which is why I'm hoping you'll help. Or, as my esteemed editor so eloquently put it, "Tell them you're writing this big-ass book and start soliciting input as soon as possible."

So what I'm going to do is start posting random questions, hopefully every day or two, over on my kitchen garden blog. They'll vary from wide open to quite specific, and will be for both gardeners and non-gardening foodies. Short replies, longwinded answers, and links to your own blog posts about the subject in question will all be welcome in the comments section of each post.

The first question is already up. I know many of you are gardeners (yay!), and I want to know more about your garden: How big is it, and how much food does it produce?

Thanks in advance for your help with this, and a huge thanks to all of you for the amazing support you've given me and Farmgirl Fare since I created it nearly four years ago. You've changed my life in so many ways and mean more to me than I can say. Thank you.

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the busy foodie farm blog where things are going to get even crazier around here what with looming book deadlines and all, and although I'll still be posting recipes and photos on a regular basis (Meyer Lemon Scones or Confetti Egg Salad, anyone?), I figured I'd better (at least for now) take the 'daily' out of the Daily Dose of Cute series. My original plan was to actually post a Daily Dose of Cute every day, but for now they'll have to continue to be as they have been, more like every few days—though it's not for a lack of cuteness around here! Oh, and in case you're wondering, that pretty green grass didn't suddenly sprout up in the middle of February—these photos were taken last spring, but I was saving them for a really happy moment. This one definitely qualifies.

Monday Daily Dose of Cute: Looking for Santa?

Mr. Midnight loves to prowl around on The Shack roof

Want to meet the rest of our crazy cats?
Sylvester
Topaz (aka 3T)
Patchy Cat
Smudge
Sarah Kit Kat Kate
J2
New Cat
Molly Doodlebug (aka The Doodle Monster)

© FarmgirlFare.com, the feline foodie farm blog where yesterday this curious cat spent all afternoon locked in the back 'closet' (it's actually a falling down, poorly walled-in covered porch) because every time you go in there he pulls open the door with his paw and then rushes in at top speed (often without being noticed) despite the fact that it's freezing cold, totally devoid of mice, and really, really boring.

Saturday Farm Photo: Heart Installation

Happy Valentine's Day!

Need a little more love?
6/13/05: First Heart Rocks To Appear On Farmgirl Fare
8/22/05: Heart Rocks By The Barn
11/10/05: Hearts & Cats For Clare & Kiri
2/14/06: Happy Valentine's Day
3/27/06: Happy Birthday To My Sweetheart, Joe
4/12/06: Hearts & Rocks & Numbers & Thoughts
6/17/06: I Heart Homegrown Garlic
7/22/06: Heart Rock Embedded In The Front Step
9/20/06: Heart Rocks, Morning Sun
10/18/06: My Little Girl Is Growing Up
12/2/06: Snowstorms & Snowfall
1/17/07: My Heart Is Embedded In This Place
6/12/07: Hold Life In Your Hand & Keep It In Your Heart
1/9/08: Adding To My Heart Rock Collection
2/8/08: Handful Of Heart Rocks All Found At Once
2/14/08: Happy Valentine's Day
3/8/08: My Hearts Overfloweth
3/27/08: Little Hearts, Big Love
5/13/08: Still Collecting Heart Rocks
11/1/08: Winged Heart?

© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the loving foodie farm blog where glasses of champagne and grilled homegrown steaks are on the menu for tonight—just as soon as the 76 other critters around here get fed. Okay, busted. We might have already started on the champagne. Meanwhile, I've put up my funniest found heart yet over on my kitchen garden blog.

Wednesday Daily Dose of Cute:Are You Ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count?

One. . . Two. . . Three. . .

It starts on Friday! Bird and nature fans throughout North America are invited to join tens of thousands of bird watchers for the 12th annual Great Backyard Bird Count which will take place February 13-16, 2009.

A joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, this free event is an opportunity for families, students, and people of all ages to discover the wonders of nature in backyards, schoolyards, and local parks, and, at the same time, make an important contribution to conservation.

“Anyone who can identify even a few species can contribute to the body of knowledge that is used to inform conservation efforts to protect birds and biodiversity,” said Audubon Education Vice-President, Judy Braus.

Volunteers take part by counting birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the event and reporting their sightings online at birdcount.org. The data help researchers understand bird population trends across the continent, information that is critical for effective conservation. In 2008, participants submitted more than 85,000 checklists, a new record. How cool is that?

Check out the Great Backyard Bird Count website for lots more info about this neat event. And to learn more about birds in general, visit All About Birds.

Want to count some chickens?
2/14/06: 5pm and Looking for Love
7/21/06: And Sheeeeeeee's SAFE!

6/1/07: Whitey Gets Her Wish
6/5/07: I'm Just Wai-tin' On A Friend
6/17/07: Whitey and her Baby Chicks
6/19/07: Caution—Foodie Forming
8/2/07: Curious Chickie
8/3/07: Baby's First Perch
8/4/07: Baby's First Dust Bath
8/5/07: Mother As Landing Pad
8/9/07: Cock-a-doodle-doo!
8/26/07: Capturing a Quiet Moment
11/22/07: Enjoying A Feast

1/26/08: Faithful Chicken Guard?
3/6/08: Do Chickens Ever Smile?
4/5/08: Chicken Dance
4/9/08: Rooster Two-Step
4/20/08: 2008 Chick Days Are Here!
4/22/08: Who Needs Ducks?
4/24/08: Country Classifieds
5/6/08: Baby Cary Checks Out the Chickens
6/3/08: Chicken Snacks (Not a Recipe)
10/2/08: Gossip Central
10/11/08: Farm Fresh Eggs, They're What's For Breakfast

1/28/09: Snowed In! (scroll down for chickens)
3/7/09: Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!
4/13/09: Chick Days Are Here Again!
10/25/09: Egg Layers, the Next Generation
6/12/09: Last One Born's a Rotten Egg!
6/14/09: Another Chick Pic
6/15/09: Pizza Party
10/25/09: Egg Layers, the Next Generation
12/31/09: Cheers to You on New Year's!

1/6/10: Easiest Guard Job Ever
1/18/10: Somebody's Laying Green Eggs

© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the fine feathered foodie farm blog where, even though we know that technically they're birds (and in the backyard), we're pretty sure that chickens don't get to be part of the Great Backyard Bird Count. But please don't tell them, okay? You know how Whitey can be.

Tuesday Daily Dose of Cute: So Long Snow

It Was Nice to Have You Here

But After Two Weeks of Sliding Around on the Ice, We're Glad to See You Go

Want to make it snow again? Here's a recap:
1/28/09: Snowed In!
1/29/09: Lone But Not Alone
1/31/09: A Cold Breakfast Will Be Served in the South Pen
2/1/09: Moping Marta?
2/2/09: Icy Looks
2/4/09: Still Snowed In
2/4/09: Three Dog Sight
2/5/09: Daisy Off Duty
2/7/09: Being Watched
2/9/09: When Eating and Sleeping Schedules Collide

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the soggy foodie farm blog where a heatwave weekend followed by two back to back storms (one of which is crashing thunder and battering down rain on our old tin roof as I type this) have ensured that all the fashionably dressed farmgirls in the area will be sporting their favorite rubber muck boots for many days to come.

Monday Daily Dose of Cute:When Eating & Sleeping Schedules Collide

Try Not to Step on the Dog

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the finally defrosted foodie farm blog where the flurry of snow photos will be stopping soon, right after we share a couple more of the favorites that have piled up—and then it's on to some new Less Fuss, More Flavor recipes. In the meantime, it sure was nice to spend the afternoon out and about after 14 days of being iced in—but after 15 stops in the pouring rain while driving the battered old farm truck (because the battery was dead as a doornail on the newer truck), it was even nicer to be safely back home on the farm.

Saturday Daily Dose of Cute: Being Watched

But just who is watching whom?

© FarmgirlFare.com, the slowly melting foodie farm blog where these innocent looking (and totally defrosted) donkey girls were plotting to break into the farmyard so they could have their way with the hay.

Plans foiled—thanks to me and mighty Marta, the dog who refuses to be contained unless she's in an electric fence (and even if the 'containment' is in a 16-acre field), but as soon as we realized she wasn't escaping in order to run off (which she had done in the past) we quickly came to love that aspect of her personality.

Thursday Daily Dose of Cute: Daisy Off Duty

In a Big Way

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the restful foodie farm blog where the sun was shining, the temperature was up, the scenery was beautiful, and hardly any of the frozen stuff seemed to be melting. At least the animals aren't caked in ice anymore. This is Snowed In Day 10.

Wednesday Daily Dose of Cute: Three Dog Sight

Can You Pick Out the Puppy in this Picture?

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the still frozen foodie farm blog where we don't know what's harder to believe—that Lucky Buddy Bear is already seven, that little Robin is already twelve (!!!), or that goofy one-year-old Marta can crack us up so many times a day and yet still be such a ferocious guard dog.

Wednesday Farm Photo: Still Snowed In

But Slowly Defrosting

A year of Farm Photos ago:
1/26/08: Donkey on Chicken Duty?
1/27/08: Fence as Farm Art
1/29/08: Farmyard Kitty
1/31/08: Breakfast Blend
2/2/08: The Return of Chucky (Happy Groundhog Day!)
2/3/08: Handyman Special

Two years ago:
1/25/07: It's Just Not the Same Without Her
1/28/07: At Least I Have Chickens to Cheer Me Up
1/31/07: You Won't Be Seeing This in 2007
2/3/07: Stock Dog Extraordinaire (and snowed in then, too!)

Three years ago:
1/25/06: Dusk from a Different View
1/26/06: Can't Look Over Something? Try To Look Through It
1/27/06: Stumped for a Clever Caption
1/28/06: And Posh About to Dig In
1/28/06: Cat Blogging—Molly Doodlebug (aka The Doodle Monster)
1/29/06: The Latest Addition to My Bird Nest Collection
1/29/06: Robin Knows Every Warm Spot on the Farm
1/30/06: So Do You Think Martha is Pregnant? (yes, she certainly was!)
1/31/06: Being Adorable is Thirsty Work
2/1/06: Reflecting
2/2/06: New Purpose—Visual Pleasure
2/3/06: New Digs

And out of the kitchen came:
Savory Feta Cheese and Scallion Scones

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the frozen foodie farm blog where every year we dream of all the extra time we'll have in winter to do things like plow through the tempting, two-foot-high stacks of books and magazines teetering everywhere, but then the snow and ice arrive and reality sets in—I actually spend more time outside in weather like this because it takes several extra hours each day just to take care of the basic farm chores. So the tempting piles inside simply continue to pile up even higher instead! (I do lead a very cluttered existence.)

Monday Daily Dose of Cute: Icy Looks

Dolores, Daphne, and Evie




Seemingly Eyeless Evie and Esmeralda

Need a bigger (and warmer) dose of cute?:
Baby Donkey Photos
The First Daily Doses of Cute
Daily Doses of Cute Part 2
Daily Doses of Cute Part 3
Daily Doses of Cute Part 4
Daily Doses of Cute Part 5
Daily Doses of Cute Part 6

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the still frozen and snowed in foodie farm blog where these donkey girls were so caked with icicles the other day that they rattled whenever they moved, and little Evie's eyes were indeed completely blocked out (though she didn't appear to mind). There was no way I could yank the icicles off (I tried), but fortunately not long after I took these photos, the sun came out and magically melted everything away.

Sunday Daily Dose of Cute: Moping Marta?

She's Definitely More of a Sheep Dog (or a Sleep Dog) than a Sleet Dog

We won! Marta may not be smiling, but the rest of us are jumping for joy because Farmgirl Fare was voted Best Rural Food Blog in the 2008 Food Blog Awards! Many thanks to the judges, the Well Fed Network, and to all of you who voted for us. And a big congratulations to the other four finalists in the rural category: Chez Lou Lou, Whiteley Creek, (not so) Urban Hennery, and Lucullian Delights.

You'll find links to all the 2008 Food Blog Award winners here, and if you haven't already, be sure to check out the finalists in each category, too. Some of my favorite blogs were finalists but didn't win, including Karina's Kitchen, Organic to Be, Food Blogga, Simply Recipes, The Perfect Pantry, and Andrea's Recipes, which is home to Grow Your Own, the twice-a-month food blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves.'

Thanks again for taking the time to vote—we couldn't have done it without you.

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning foodie farm blog where this photo of Marta just cracks me up. And for those of you who have been so kindly asking how Cary is doing, that's her standing just behind Marta—and looking almost as thrilled about the weather.