It was such a beautiful day today on Green Hill Farm—blue skies and 60 something degree temperatures. I took every opportunity to be outdoors, spending extra time in the garden while Dash and Bizou ran around and played. And, I even decided to give the sheep and chickens extra treats…just so I could spend time with them on this blissfully […]
“If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow Don’t be alarmed now It’s just a spring clean for the May queen Yes, there are two paths you can go by But in the long run There’s still time to change the road you’re on.” ~Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” “You can start out with nothing, and out of nothing, and out of no way, a way WILL be made.” ~Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith Happy Tuesday!
Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
This recipe for homemade dressing or stuffing has been passed down through the generations of my family: Great-grandmother Rieley, Great Aunt Florence, Grandma Rieley, Mom, and me. My family’s recipe for dressing has been modified minimally over the years and continues to be a favorite part of our Thanksgiving dinner. It’s even better on the second day due to the flavors melding together. The dressing re-heats easily, or just eat it cold–right out of the refrigerator. That’s how I enjoy it best! The Best-Ever Thanksgiving Dressing *Use organic ingredients whenever possible Ingredients: 1 loaf white bread (I use gluten-free) 1 stick salted butter 2 cups finely diced celery 2 cups finely diced yellow onion 3/4 bag of best quality seasoned stuffing mix (Mom uses Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing; I use Rudi’s Gluten-Free Savory Herb Stuffing) 2 cups of broth (vegetable, turkey or chicken) Method: Tear bread into small pieces and leave out overnight on a baking sheet, loosely covered with foil. Next, broil breadcrumbs for approximately 10-15 minutes, keeping a close check so as not to burn them. Finely dice celery and onion. Place stick of butter in skillet and sauté celery and onion at 300 degrees F. for five minutes; don’t overcook celery and onion, leaving a bit crunchy as they will continue to cook when baked. Add broiled bread crumbs, two cups each of sautéed celery and onion, 3/4 bag of seasoned herb stuffing mix […]
Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, 1486 Uffizi Gallery Florence, Italy Liberty of Poetry by Pio Fedi, 1870 Santa Croce Florence, Italy Atop playwright Giovanni Battista Niccolini’s tomb in the basilica of Santa Croce is a statue remarkably similar to New York’s Statue of Liberty. Both depict a woman in neoclassical robes with a crown of […]
Green Hill Farm “Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour.” ~Walt Whitman
With temperatures finally cooling down around here—24 degrees F. tonight. It’s a good time to stay warm and cozy with loved ones. Wishing you all a very happy weekend! 🙂
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake *Use organic ingredients when possible. Serves 8-10 Ingredients: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon orange zest 2 cups cooked, pureed pumpkin 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 […]
A friend recently asked me to post a black and white photo for seven days on social media. A few of the photos here were contenders, but didn’t make the final cut. Anyway, since I took the time to participate, I thought I would share my collection plus a few extras here as well.
Meadows of Dan, Virginia “Brushing the clouds away from my eyes, I see clarity in the raindrop and beauty in the first ray of morning sun… Life is strange and wondrous… ~Virgina Alison
My name is Tonya, and I grew up on a 300-acre farm in rural Virginia that has been in my family for over 100 years. After graduating from college, receiving my master’s degree in speech and language pathology, and living and working in a small city for six years, I decided to return to the place of my childhood. Here, in this rural area, on this patch of green, where for four generations my family has farmed, gardened, and lived, I, too wanted to be a part of this continuity. As a fourth generation farmgirl, I have many interests that not only include, but also go beyond the basics of farming, gardening, sheep and chicken-keeping. It is all of this and more that I plan on sharing in this blog.
fourth generation farmgirl 