Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 161 & My Tiny Harvest

 

 Welcome back farmgirl friends and happy Farmgirl Friday. I'm so glad you are here to share what's doin' on your family farms and homesteads. June is an exciting time for us farmgirls isn't it?

Things are finally starting to bloom and most of our seeds and seedlings are in! This week one of my peonies came into bloom and the fragrance is just intoxicating. I've got three bouquet's in my kitchen/dining room area and I'm in heaven with the shear beauty and scent of these lovely old fashioned blooms. As I cut a bucket full to make bouquets I couldn't help but feel over joyed at the beauty of these blooms. After all, they are only here for such a short time!

Just like the ripe strawberries I picked from the garden too! Heck, I didn't even plant these little puppies. I'm pretty the previous owners planted them in a little bed at one time. When we expanded that same garden area I just left them there to see what would happen. They continue to spread and thrive. I wish I knew what variety they are.

Last year we got one tiny bowl of berries and the birds got the rest. This year the bounty was a little bigger and I think we'll get one more bowl full before our strawberry harvest season is over.

These didn't last long. I washed them and we at them as soon as I brought them in. No cooking, canning, or storing with such a tiny harvest. Just mouthwatering pleasure and instant farmgirl gratification! It's not the size of your plot or pot that makes your homestead " successful". When you appreciate every little growing thing you plant and care for you'll be blessed with bountiful rewards with the tiniest of harvests. 

Lastly, I got my herbs and veggies planted in my raised beds yesterday under a very cloudy sky. Today, it's raining down on them! 

It's hard to believe in a few short weeks it will look like this again! 

What are you feeling especially happy about on your homesteads this June? Are you having success and trying new things? How about any challenges?

Link up and share your gardens, home remedies, recipes, and homesteading wisdom with your favorite farmgirls! And be sure to stop by and see my co-hostess Debbie at Farmgirl Unleashed .
She's Busy as a Bee with her new bee hives! 

 Let's hope she's been able to get back to work on her Indiana farm, Big Sky Acres!

As always, we thank you for your participation in the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop! 

 You don't have to live on a farm to join this hop!

 Farmgirl is a Condition of the Heart~ MaryJaneButters

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 158 and Memorial Day Weekend!

 

Happy Farmgirl Friday! Welcome back! I bet everyone is gearing up for the long weekend.

We harvested our first batch of rhubarb this morning . I see a rhubarb pie in our future! 

Plus, our little cottage is going to be featured in a local magazine called South Shore Living in August so I'm sprucing things up at the cottage over the next couple of days to get ready for the photo shoot on Monday! 

I promise to share my sewing projects and some sneak peak behind the scenes next week!

Debbie of Farmgirl Unleashed  ( my co- hostess and farmgirl in crime ) and I are anxious to see what you've all been up to this week!

We wish you all a safe and relaxing weekend as we all honor the brave men and women who have served and do serve our great country so we can be FREE!

You don't have to live on a farm to join this hop!

 Farmgirl is a Condition of the Heart~ MaryJaneButters 

Brag a little ( or a lot ) about your farmgirl talents! Include lots of photos of your farm, crafts, animals, quilts, home decor projects and thrifty make overs, your backyard garden, chicken coop, recipes, studio or workshop. You get the idea! Please include the Farmgirl Friday button ( or link back here ) in your post and remember to share this hop with all of your blogging friends! 

As always, we thank you for your participation in the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop!

 Enter up to three entries per hop! 

Wishing you beauty, joy and love. 
Love, Deb 

Milk Cow Kitchen GIVEAWAY WINNER!

 

Thank you to all who entered my Mother's Day Giveaway for MaryJane Butters newest book,

Milk Cow Kitchen!

 

I asked our son to choose a winner from our entries and he chose # 10 Cj Armstrong!

Congratulations Cj!  I know you'll enjoy adding this wonderful book to your collection of MaryJanes' Books. They are like bibles for us farmgirls! 

Go here to see all of MaryJane's fabulous farmgirl books and gifts!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Mother's Day Giveaway~ Milk Cow Kitchen by MaryJane Butters

 I know!I know! Mother's Day is this weekend and maybe you were hoping for a chance to win a gift card to your nearest spa or a nice gift basket filled with your favorite tea's and a pretty tea cup to sip from. But I know you better than that! I know that deep down in your heart of farmgirl hearts what you REALLY wish for is a backyard milk cow of your very own so you can make your own cheese, churn your own butter and stare into those big brown eyes of hers! Yep, a good old " cow" girl romance is what you're after!

 But, where do you start? How do you begin to find the right breed, learn how much space your new little one will need, or if it's even okay to keep a cow in your neighborhood. Like all good mother's you want to do everything right for your new addition and I've got the perfect gift for you! 

MaryJane Butters has done it again. She's always thinking about her farmgirl fellowship and how she can help them along in making their farmgirl dreams come true. 

In her latest book Milk Cow Kitchen she does just that and more! 

You'll learn the ins and outs of backyard cow keeping from what breeds to buy all the way to making your own cheese once you've gotten your new "cow" girl  all settled in.

Mary Jane is giving away a signed copy of Milk Cow Kitchen to one of my lucky readers!

TO ENTER:

Simply leave a comment on this post saying you would like to enter and tell us why you want a milk cow of your very own!

And, if you just can't wait to see if you are the winner, you can pre-order a copy here!

Are you seriously thinking about getting a backyard milk cow? 

Visit the Heritage Jersey Organization to learn how to find the perfect cow for you and your backyard farmstead! 

GOOD LUCK FARMGIRLS!

* this giveaway will be open until Sunday, May 11th at midnight! 

I'll announce the winner on Monday, May 12th! 

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 140

Happy Farmgirl Friday! Welcome back to your favorite hop of the week! 

It's time to get the kettle whistling, find your comfy chair with your laptop or i pad and call on your farmgirl ( and boy ) friends from far and wide!  

Last weeks hop ran the gamete! There were many top ten posts for 2013. It's always good practice to take some time to review and celebrate last years accomplishments. I'll be sharing more  fun and creative ways to do this in a future post, but for now let's just give ourselves a pat on the back for all we accomplished and shared in 2013! 

With a new year also comes new farm babies! Congratulations is in order for the new baby goats that were born or are on the way! 

And, we can always count on seeing homesteading goals for the coming year! Planning anything new is always so exciting isn't it? Speaking of planning, I took a fabulous virtual workshop this week  with Laura West Center for Joyful Business and I learned a brand new CREATIVE way of planning out my year! I'll have a full post on Monday and tell you all about it with pictures and everything! 

I don't want to keep you another minute! It's time to link up for your weekly dose of farmgirl soul-food!

Your Farmgirl Friday Hostess

Heidi of My Simple Country Living 
and White Wolf Summit Farmgirl Blog
Dolly of Hibiscus House and Dolly is Cooking
Debbie of Farmgirl Unleashed 
and me of course!

1.) Write a post about your farmgirl lifestyle and brag a little about your farmgirl talents while your at it! Share what being a farmgirl means to you. Include lots of photos of your farm, crafts, animals,  quilts, home decor projects and thrifty make overs, your backyard garden, chicken coop, recipes, studio or workshop. You get the idea!

2). Leave your entry in the  Linky tools space to your  Farmgirl Friday post.

3). Please include the Farmgirl Friday button ( or link back here ) in your post and remember to share this hop with all of your blogging friends!

4.) Enter up to three entries per hop! 

 DON'T BE SHY~  

Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 

As always, thank you for your continued participation! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! See you on the hop! 

Frosted Over

Dear friends,
Happy December and all things holidayish! 
Brr............... It's cold here in the Northeast this morning...! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. We enjoyed lots of good food, time with family and friends and some much needed down time, hence my absence in the blogisphere for the last several days! Are you gearing up for Christmas? I'll admit, I'm feeling festive this year already! I've been busy gathering ( and up-cycling ) vintage goodies for an OPEN HOUSE at  Burlap and Bling ( my brick and mortar shop ) this weekend PLUS stocking my online  Shop ( My Vintage Homestead ) which is getting me in the mood to decorate and celebrate! I've got some wonderfully FUN ( and inventive ) things to show you but you'll have to wait as I'm not quite finished elving!
In the meantime enjoy this little photo journey of the garden frosted over!

 While the garden sleeps under a blanket of frozen leaves, mulch and twigs dreams of next years bounty dance in my head...

 But, for now, it's back to pricing items, taking photos and at some point today I must get to the grocery store. The Thanksgiving leftovers are all gone and the teens are hungry!

I'll see you on Friday when we resume our weekly Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop!

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 126 and Garden Marker Giveaway

 Welcome back to the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop now it our 126th week! Aren't these hand painted garden markers adorable? I was recently contacted by the very talented and generous freelance illustrator and designer Catherine LaPointe about doing a giveaway for you and I couldn't resist  sharing her FARM FRESH hand painted garden markers with you!  Any one of these ( or one of each ) would look adorable poking out the top of your favorite gardener's Christmas stocking or tucked into your garden tote at the ready for next years garden.
The giveaway begins tonight ( September 19th at midnight ) !
Go HERE to enter this giveaway on Catherine's Facebook page ( LIKE HER PAGE ) then come right back to enter this weeks hop! Her giveaway starts today and runs through October 4th! The winner will be chosen automatically by Rafflecopter and announced on October 5th.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

~Your Farmgirl Friday Hostesses~  

 Everyone who plays in the dirt, craft room, kitchen or farmyard are welcome! FARM-BOYS WELCOME!
 Now, you know what time it is? YUP! Time to link up for your weekly dose of farmgirl soul food! 

 Your Farmgirl Friday Hostesses~  

Heidi of My Simple Country Living 
and White Wolf Summit Farmgirl Blog
Dolly of Hibiscus House and Dolly is Cooking
Debbie of Farmgirl Unleashed 
and me of course!

 Here are the rules for the Farmgirl/GUY Blog Hop!

1.) Write a post about your farmgirl lifestyle and brag a little about your farmgirl talents while your at it! Share what being a farmgirl means to you. Include lots of photos of your farm, crafts, animals,  quilts, home decor projects and thrifty make overs, your backyard garden, chicken coop, recipes, studio or workshop. You get the idea!

2). Leave your entry in the  Linky tools space to your  Farmgirl Friday post.

3). Please include the Farmgirl Friday button ( or link back here ) in your post and remember to share this hop with all of your blogging friends!

4.) Enter up to three entries per hop! 


 DON'T BE SHY~  

Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 

As always, thank you for your continued participation and welcome new friends and followers! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! See you on the hop! 

PS. This is a blog hop, so please share it with your friends by copying the code at the bottom of this post and including it into your weekly entry!