First Hod of the Officially Full Fall!

We got back from the Common Ground Country Fair on Sunday so late that I never made it to the garden. I hustled down last night in face of the pending rain to grab all the tomatoes I could. There was so much I could have done out there but it started to rain in earnest.

















Its kind of sad knowing that the garden is on it's last legs. A frost could it at any time and frankly I am so luck it hasn't happened already. My husk cherries and basil are definitely showing that some colder temps took a nip at them over the weekend. We are planning on 5 solid says of rain through Sunday so I guess its time to button up the firewood project under some tarps until next weekend. 5 to 8 inches are expected!!!! Stay dry everyone!

Common Ground Country Fair

We were at the fair this weekend.
Here's a photo essay of some of my special finds.

Fresh Maine Blueberries (which I had missed earlier in the season)













This Feta cheese from Long Fellow's Creamery was fabulous in my Chicken Feta Wonder





















And last but not least... meet Broodus.
He is my first angora bunny and will be my stud.
I got him from Beth at Akers Angora's

Sewall's Orchard

This post hold's a special place in my heart. My brother's first name Sewall and I have spent a lot of the past two years working closely with him. In September, on a cold and rainy weekend at the Common Ground Fair, I went in search of a mulled cider and what did I find but this! We are all related! Sewall's Orchard is in Lincolnville, Maine - and I am wondering if my dear friend Yvonne learned her apple pruning skills at this orchard! I will have to try and remember to ask her when I see her next, but that might be at the next fair!
The Sewall's Philosophy, "

Our philosophy is based on an elemental idea of organics: Healthy soil produces healthy plants that create healthy people. Our farm is a place that welcomes all living organisms. Therefore, we use no substances that are toxic or that kill. Pest control is achieved via the use of bio-dynamic techniques. We also hand-remove pests when possible and practice good husbandry by pruning and mowing.Our next step is to work with the microorganisms in our soil in a more conscientious and direct way using soil amendments. Our desire is to have a complete and healthy biosphere."

For Christmas this year, I bought everyone in my family some of their apple cider vinegar! Well I just emailed them to get the ball rolling to see how we might be related. Their products are awesome and hope to stock them in my store when it opens! :D

Crows Rise Farm and my favorite Angora Lady!

Karen, of Crows Rise Farm, is one of my favorite Angora breeders/growers/knitters in the state.

I visited her at the Common Ground Fair and then again at the Fryeburg Fair.

I adore her, her work, her calm peaceful nature, and her patience with me when I am bubbling over with questions and and prodding her to help me learn more.

Thank you Karen!

I recently bought an infant hat









from her for the birth of Jade, our good friends first child.
I am having one of Karen's felted hats made for my sister for Christmas. I will not tell you anything about it in case she actually sat down to read my blog, but it should look something like one of these fun creations:






















The best thing about Karen are her rabbits! They are English Angoras, and I am 98% sure these are the bunnies I want.







I recently bought some of Karen's yarn, and was pleasantly surprised that it is not all that slippery to knit with.

So now I know I CAN knit angora! SP just talked to the yarn lady in town and discovered that she is offering spinning classes. I think that's is my next and final step. If I can learn to spin, I can spin angora; if I can spin angora, I can have me some bunnies! YEA!!!!

Getting to know Goats

I need to know more about goats, and if anyone can help me, I need all the help I can get. It has been a life long dream to be a goat owner. It actually started out as a family joke, when Mom wanted a goat so badly because of her own memories of her grandparents farm and the goats they had. Thanks to Mom's love of goats, I always promised that I would be the child who would get her goats. Unfortunately, Mom passed away before I could make the dream come true, but I promise, the dream will come true. One of my favorite errands to run with Mom as a child was to take our weekly trip to "The Cheese Shop" - yup that is what it was named and we LOVED it! Unlike the other members of our family, Mom and I loved goat cheese. I may name the first goat HiHo, after Mom, but if that's too emotional I will take my sister Mush's advice and name the first goat Feta! If I do name the first one HiHo, I will then name the rest of the flock, decided by temperament, after each of the 7 dwarfs!

As for what kinds of goats I want, I know I want Nigerian Dairy goats. I fell in love with these goats last fall at The Common Ground Fair when I went to a milking demonstration put on by the woman who runs Painted Pepper Farm. Nigerians are small and manageable - perfect for a family farm.

Books I am interested in for researching are the following.