About
Welcome! 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.
My great-grandparents purchased Green Hill Farm in 1912, and over the past 100 years, the farm has been operated as a dairy, small grain, fruit orchard, and hobby farm. In 2003, my husband, Scott and I were gifted my family’s homeplace and 20 acres. We completed restoration of the home in 2004. Over the past ten years, we have also restored a 250-year-old cottage that is located on the property as well as a number of barns and sheds. The cottage serves as guest quarters as well as an occasional bed and breakfast. We live next door to my parents who also live on the farm.
After participating in a class called Shepherd’s Weekend in 2007, we acquired three rare breed Scottish Blackface sheep. In 2008, we added seven more Blackface sheep to our little flock. Although these sheep are rare in the United States, they are very common in northern England and Scotland. Blackface sheep are exceptionally wooly and are sheared twice yearly. Their wool is coarse as they don’t produce much lanolin and are mainly considered a meat sheep; however, their wool is used in making Harris Tweed clothing and rugs in the United Kingdom. We have used their wool in comforters, pillows, and roving.
In 2010, we added heirloom chickens to our farm menagerie of sheep, cats, and dogs, starting with 15 chicks from a friend. The next year, we ordered more hens bringing our flock size to 25. Soon we began selling our fresh, multi-colored, heirloom eggs to a restaurant and bed and breakfast in our area.
We also enjoy flower and vegetable gardening. We have a small kitchen garden where we grow heirloom vegetables which we share with our chickens. Taking a natural, organic approach to gardening as well as managing our livestock and pets is a priority to us. We use non-GMO seeds in our vegetable garden and natural products in managing the welfare of our animals.
Scott and I support local farmers and restaurants who source local, organic, non-GMO food. We also recently completed the level 1 sommelier certification through the International Wine Guild in March 2014. The completion of this course has greatly increased our understanding and appreciation of wines. Not only do we apreciate good food and wine, but we enjoy traveling and discovering new places as well.
I hope you enjoy the eclectic offerings of this fourth generation farmgirl!
On this blog, I plan to share the following:
– -Reflections on farm life
— Chicken and Sheep-Keeping posts
— Gardening Tips
— Recipes
— Wine education & food pairing tips
— Travel destinations
— and much more.
Hi Tonya, I’ve closed my old blog down, and I’m starting over here:
https://forfriendswithoutborders.wordpress.com/2016/02/20/a-new-beginning/
Thanks,
Rob
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Hi, I’d like to nominate you for the Versatile Blogger Award. My apologies if you’ve already been nominated or don’t accept nominations, I think your blog is awesome all the same 🙂 All the Best, Shannon
https://adventuresinthirtysomething.com/2016/08/27/the-versatile-blogger-award/
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Thank you, Shannon. That is so kind! 😊
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I am extremely pleased to have found you through the wonders of this blogging thing via Robin who you nominated and has nominated me on for a Miranda Sings Award. I’m happy. I’m english by birth and of Scottish heritage in part and Harris Tweed is the Rolls Royce of tweeds so your blackfaces are very much in demand for their coats in high circles (doubtless her Maj wears Harris). I’m going to follow you and see more unfold – I am certain to not be disappointed. Yours is exactly what I am looking for in this blogasphere 🙂
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Hello there! Thank you for following my blog and leaving such a lovely comment. Welcome! I’m so happy to meet you! I’m heading over to visit your blog now. 🙂
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De rien as we say in France. I’m delighted to have found you 🙂
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Thank you. Likewise! 🙂
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Your blog is a virtual farmland of its own.Within my first minute of visit, the images, the title, the words, as I skimmed through, brought me to your world of greenery, hills, tractors, farm animals and the feeling of peace that goes along with it! I was enthralled hearing of the legacy which you are now carrying forward and was pleased to know you returned back to the farms after having been away from it in between! I already have checked out all the various headings you are writing under and I know I will be an avid reader of your posts!I love the way you write! Peace, Love & Happiness! 🙂 (& Wine)
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What a lovely thing to say! Thank you for your very kind and generous comment. Welcome!! 😊
I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed reading some of my posts. I look forward to talking with you!
Best wishes! 🙂
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What a great blog. I think it is simply amazing that you are a 4th generation farmer. There are fewer and fewer these days, especially here in France. Love that you are becoming a sommelier as well.
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Thank you so much. I’m happy you enjoyed the blog! Many thanks for visiting. 🙂
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Thank you for sharing!
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Hello! 🙂 I’ve nominated you for the Creative Blogger Award! No pressure at all, but if you’d like to participate, here is the link: https://lifebellissima.com/2016/04/16/the-creative-blogger-award/ Have a wonderful weekend!
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Hi Anna! You are very kind! Thank you so much for thinking of me. How lovely! I will participate as soon as I can. Many thanks! 💛
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My pleasure, Tonya! 🙂
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🙂
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Your life sounds wonderful! I am excited to learn about all of the interesting things that you do!
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Nice to meet you! I just found your lovely blog here & I am off exploring it! 🙂
Greetings from a gardening foodie from Belgium!
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Hello Sophie! It’s lovely to meet you as well. Welcome!! Thank you for visiting and your kind comment. I’ll visit your blog soon! 🙂
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oki doki! 🙂 x
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Beautiful blog! Its amazing to know how large your farms in the US are. Many good wishes to enjoy the excitement of growing. Will come again. Cheers.
Dilip
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You are very kind! Thank you. Welcome! 😊
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Hello, I just found your blog. Wonderful posts. I am looking forward to reading more from you. I also grew up on a farm. So from one farm girl to another. Howdy.
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Howdy to you and welcome!! I’m so glad you’re here! Many thanks! 😊💛
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Your welcome.
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Hi Tonya.. You have been tagged!!!
http://www.edwinasepisodes.com/the-happiness-tag/
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Thank you for the nomination, Judy. 😊 xo
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a very nice farm girl!! 🙂
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Thank you. 🙂
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It’s not common to come across people who are passionate about farming! There’s so much about you! You have a great blog here!
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That is such a kind thing to say. Many thanks!! I’m so glad you visited. 🙂
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My pleasure
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Wow! loved the photos and the blog 🙂 Keep blogging 🙂
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Thank you for your lovely and generous comment. I’m so glad you visited! 🙂
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Hi,
I would like to get your Blog thru email if possible.
Thanks,
Nancy
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Hi Nancy,
Thank you for visiting. If you go to my website, and scroll to the bottom, there should be a place to sign up for my blog. Many thanks. 🙂
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Thank you for visiting. Just go to my blog and scroll to the bottom of the page. There is a place to sign up for email notifications. Many thanks. 🙂
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Congratulations on being highlighted in WordPress Discover! While I have little experience with farming, gardening, and wine education (and more), this is one of the things I love so much about reading (and writing) blogs. It gives us a chance to expand our world in a real and interactive format.
Looking forward to following!
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Thank you for your kind and thoughtful comment. You make a wonderful point about blogging offering us an opportunity to expand our world! I’m so glad you stopped by my blog. I’ll look forward to our visits in the future! Many thanks. 🙂
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I continue to be amazed by the interesting virtual relationships I’ve forged in such a brief blogging period. Won’t it be fun to see what the future holds for us!
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I agree! Looking forward to it!
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Hello tonya. My husband is a 4th generation farmer as well based in Florida. He also does farming on the Virginia shore. You have a very interesting blog bc I’m moving to the farm in a few months and looking from ur perspective is helpful. I’m new to blogging and would enjoy if you visited my blog as well!
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Thank you for visiting. Best wishes!
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I absolutely love your blog! my husband and I hope to have farm one day (when we have children) 🙂 seeing this blog makes me very happy!
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That’s very kind! Thank you so much! 🙂
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Nice Blog… Best Wishes Always 🙂
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Thank you for visiting. 🙂
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My Pleasure 🙂
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you have such amazing page, valuable presentation and elegance.
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What a lovely and kind comment! A heartfelt thank you. 🙂🌻
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Your blog is amazing with full of my interesting project of farming! I don’t have much to say just to thank you for sharing your experience with others.
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How very kind of you! Many thanks and welcome!! 🙂
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You’re welcome, you deserve an appreciation because of the beautiful work you are doing. Thank you for being kind too!
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A heartfelt thank you. I’m happy you visited! 🙂
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I,m so glad to meet you!!!
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How very kind and thoughtful. Thank you so much for the lovely nomination. It’s much appreciated! 🙂
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Dear Tonya
Firstly, I wish to take this opportunity to thank you in person for connection with me via EsmeSalon.
This is a personal invitation to come and join us next week and every coming Monday through to Friday and share a post link here with us at Senior Salon. Thanks for your visit/s to my blog and looking forward to reading your posts
Also, if you wish to participate in an Interview or Guest Post, please do not hesitate to contact me, as I will be happy to showcase you and your blog.
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That is kind. Thank you.
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Hi
I stopped & I read your blog. So beautiful write up your family, your biography and so good share you, your family doing wrok. Iam so happy. I like
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