Peripatetic philomaths…focusing on what's really important, eating ethically and cleanly, fermenting, foraging/wildcrafting, practicing herbalism, and being responsible stewards of our land. Sharing our photos, musings, and learnings. Still seeking our tribe.
I see some of the most striking images when simply doing the morning farm chores. The day has just dawned, and the land feels like it’s just awakening – all I have to do is keep my eyes open and beauty manifests. On this particular day, I decided to visit a volunteer sunflower for a quick sampling of the fragrance and something caught my eye.
Continue reading “Haiku: Sunflower’s Secret”
As summer draws – reluctantly, it seems – to a close, butterflies and moths are still frolicking among the wildflowers in the pastures. Though I’ll be happy to see the heat and humidity go as we transition to fall, I’ll miss these lovely, carefree creatures. Come along with me as we take a closer look at some of these beautiful specimens!
Continue reading “Around The Farm: Late-Summer Lepidoptera”
Just short post today, but what I think is an interesting one, nonetheless. Always enjoying new discoveries, I happened upon something I’d not seen to date here: what looked like a clump of soap bubbles at the base of one of our maple trees. Have you seen this before?
Continue reading “Around The Farm: Arboreal Soap Art”
Have you seen the documentary “ReWilding Kernwood“? If you haven’t, it’s worth watching, especially if you love wild spaces and believe in the “leave no trace” philosophy. Here, we’ve been doing a bit of rewilding of our own property, for multiple reasons. It may look unkempt and unappealing to some, but the pollinators and animals that call our land home are big fans.
Continue reading “Musings: Rewilding The Farm (AKA The “Transitional” Property)”
Butterflies may get most of the adulation, but I maintain that moths are marvel-worthy, too. We have so many different kinds around the farm that it’s mind-boggling; here are just a few that showcase the incredible camouflage skills that moths possess.
Continue reading “Around The Farm: The Mimicry Of Moths”
As someone who currently lives in a humid subtropical region, I expect some heat and humidity in the summer. I do. But what I don’t expect is days-long stretches of heat and humidity that reach 110F with the heat index and nighttime temperatures in the 80s – heat waves that necessitate “excessive heat warnings” from the weather service that basically advise rational people to stay indoors. How, exactly, does a farmer do that?
Continue reading “Reality Check: The Melted Farmer”
It’s been 11 days since I started the Mugolio and it’s been a fascinating process to watch the maceration occur: fermentation really is like magic!
Continue reading “Wildcrafted Update: Making Mugolio (Fermented Pine Cone Syrup)”
Summer is nearly upon us, and it’s already very hot here. The sun coming into our home’s older windows creates a greenhouse effect, which raises the temperature significantly in rooms and makes the heat pump work harder to cool them. And that means big power bills. But using an item you may already have around can keep that heat out and save money on cooling: emergency blankets.
Continue reading “Home Hacks: Keeping The Heat Out”
We’ve been suffering the effects of a “heat dome” here for about the past week. Temperatures have been in the 90s during the day (reaching 105F+ with the heat index), and it doesn’t cool off much at night. This makes for dangerously hot weather, for people and animals. We’ve learned some tricks over the years that helps keep our flocks healthy and resilient, and are employing them now.
Continue reading “Farm Fowl: Weathering The Heat”
As we near the official start of summer here in the northern hemisphere, baby birds are fledging, flowers are blooming, and the pine treees are putting forth beautiful cones. I’m always looking for ways to utilize the bounty of the land, so when I discovered a wildcrafted syrup called Mugolio, I knew I’d be making some!
Continue reading “Wildcrafted: Making Mugolio (Fermented Pine Cone Syrup)”