Strawberries for dinner… and breakfast

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

It turns out that one thing that can cause a traffic jam on a country road faster than a slow-moving tractor or a run-away cow is the start of strawberry season.

Ruby red strawberries just waiting to be picked.

Friday afternoon, a farm near us opened for business.

A lot of people had the same reaction that I did. “That sign said strawberries!” Hard brake, sharp turn, park the car immediately. “I have to pick my own? No problem. No, don’t worry about my pretty office shoes. Shall I just pick them into my purse, or can you sell me a basket?”

Mmmm… strawberries for dinner.

Yesterday morning, I decided to stop in before work. This time I was a little more prepared. I wore my rubber boots and brought my own baskets.

What a nice way to start the morning

The scent in the air is amazing–pure strawberry sweetness.

In no time at all I had a full basket to share with people at the office. Yum!

Have you ever gone strawberry picking? What’s your favourite way to enjoy strawberries? Any good recipes to share?

Farm flora

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

I’ve been having fun watching all of the flowers coming up around the farm this spring. It’s been a process of discovery as I figure out what that green shoot is and what’s planted over there.

I believe this is Solomon’s Seal

Orange lilies behind the house

Snow on the mountain. This plant grows like crazy at my in-laws’ place, but I couldn’t get it to take at our old house. It turns out that the farm is home to a very robust crop.

Red Japanese maple and bright green ferns at the corner of the house

Beautiful lily of the valley. Another plant that I couldn’t get to grow at the old house.

Forget me nots (and maybe a some strawberry blossoms at the top)

Purple iris at the south side of the house

Our most common flower at the farm: the dandelion

What’s your favourite spring flower? Anyone else have a successful dandelion plantation?

Apple blossom time

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

This beautiful big old apple tree sits in the middle of the west meadow, just between the house and the pond.

I’ve been watching and waiting all spring for it to blossom. And it finally has.

As I was taking the pictures, I realized that the air was full of the sound of bees as they buzzed from blossom to blossom, pollinating the blooms.

One was kind enough to oblige me by pausing long enough for a photo, although I could not convince him to pose nicely.

My grandparents owned an apple orchard and farmed it for many years. My grandmother would often talk about driving the loads of apples to the market, and Dad still tells stories of working in the orchard with my grandfather.

Someday, I’d like to have a small orchard, just for ourselves. I’d grow apples, of course, and also peaches, pears, cherries, plums and maybe even some grapes.

For now, this tree will do just fine.

Forsythia

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Forsythia bushes at the side of the drive shed.

One thing about buying a property in January is that you don’t know exactly what you bought until the property reveals itself in the spring.

It’s been fun watching the new shoots poke up out of the ground and the buds sprout on the bare branches as the plants come back to life.

These forsythia bushes revealed themselves at the side of the drive shed. There is some old lattice tangled in them that needs some attention, but they’re a pretty addition to the property, and the cheerful blooms are a sure sign of spring.

Forsythia always reminds me of my youngest sister. She has gorgeous blond hair that’s bright like the yellow flowers, and her name is Cynthia.

Cynthia lives far away now, so this blog is a way that she can be part of the farm, even though she can’t be here in person. Seeing the forsythia come into bloom this spring has been a nice reminder of her.

I always think of forsythia as “for-Cynthia.”