Double rainbow on Green Hill Farm “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Enjoy your day!
Farmgirl with lambs, Truffle and Tino Green Hill Farm June 2018 Evening cocktails…or attitude adjustment hour with the woollies is our favorite way to end a long week. đ Enjoy your weekend!
Dash and Bizou There is no shortage of rabbits on Green Hill Farm this spring. I’m not kidding! We are Plum. Covered. Up. There are big rabbits, little rabbits, and even teeny-tiny rabbits. They’re everywhere: running across the driveway, darting into bushes, chasing each other around the vegetable garden, sunning themselves on the lawn, hanging out in the sheep pasture, munching on clover in the back garden, and sitting under the window in the dogs’ play room—tormenting poor Bizou. We simply have too many rabbits! Don’t get me wrong. I love all critters, especially cute, furry bunnies. But, lately, they’ve been making our lives somewhat stressful. These wascaly wabbits are driving Bizou and Dash to distraction, and me right along with them. Bizou is completely obsessed. Once in a while, I’ll hear a groan and a moan and then a whimper. This melodic trio quickly escalates into many high-pitched whimpers, followed by lots of frantic whining and running around the room. And, of course, jumping up on window sills—all in a vain attempt to glimpse rabbits. Understandably, this behavior isn’t good for Bizou, the window sills, or my nerves for that matter. So, whenever the rabbits decide to hang out under the windows, I usually encourage Bizou to leave the room, and I shut the door. The other day, Bizou was so wound-up, running in circles and launching himself at the window to get the rabbit that no amount […]
(Left to right) Tino (lying down), Butter Bean, Sweetpea, and Truffle Farmguy and I recently welcomed four Scottish Blackface lambs to our flock of eight sheep. Sadly, we had to say goodbye in December and February to our gentle woollies, Violet and Fern. While we will greatly miss as well as remember the original members of the flock fondly, […]
Farmgirl and new lamb, Tino *Tino–short for Vermentino, an Italian white wine grape đ Green Hill Farm June 2018 Have a wonderful day!
Sweet Clover basking in the sun. After days and days of gray weather and rain, we all took a moment last weekend to soak up a little sunshine and enjoy beautiful blue skies. Â And, it was wonderful! Enjoy your day!
From the restoration of our 1790s home, 1775 cottage where my dad was born, and 200 hundred-year-old barn to the many hours of landscaping and gardening as well as nurturing and caring for our beloved sheep, chickens, dogs, and cats….and deciding to share all of this through my blog, Fourth Generation Farmgirl—it’s been a journey. Â Thank you so much for […]
*This post originally appeared in September 2014. Â It is the last post in a trilogy titled, Green Hill Farm: A Retrospective. Â I posted the second part of our journey last week as Farmguy and I are celebrating the completion of the restoration of our home and fourteen years of living on Green Hill Farm this month. Â A kind thank you to everyone who took the time to read or re-read Retrospective #2 last week. In looking back on the experience of saving my familyâs homeplace, Iâve realized that not only was it a gesture of love, but more importantly, it was an act of faith. Faith, or wearing my rose-colored glasses as I like to say, sustained us through difficult times and propelled us forward. I donât know where we would have been without it. At the beginning of this journey, shortly after my parents offered us the homeplace, my mom and I took a walk through the house. I remember walking through the dark, dimly lit downstairs hallway, the musty smell of rooms left undisturbed for too long, and cobwebs carefully covering yesterdayâs treasures. I remember slowly climbing the stairs, counting each one as I went up. It made me think of Granddaddy. He once shared a story of the time his Grandmother Rieley visited when he was just a boy; She asked, âJohn, how many steps are there?â He quickly replied, âSixteen!â He told me that […]
*This post originally appeared in September 2014.  Farmguy and I were celebrating ten years of living on Green Hill Farm after the restoration of my family’s homeplace, and it seemed like a good way to start my blog, Fourth Generation Farmgirl.  Every May, I like to re-publish this post for new readers.  It’s an introduction to this blog, but even more, it’s a nice reminder for me of the importance of continuity.  For those of you who may have already read this post, I apologize for its repetition; however, if you choose to read it again, you have my thanks. đ There’s a sign that hangs in our vestibule or small covered porch that reads “PERSEVERANCE,” and it’s been our mantra since moving to Green Hill Farm. My husband and I were in our early 30s when we decided to take on this project. Sometimes when we look back at pictures we say, “WHAT in the world were we thinking? Were we INSANE?!!” Whatever the answer, it was the path taken. This path has lead us on a journey that has been difficult and challenging at times but rewarding and enriching, too. Anyway, we all know that anything worthwhile isn’t easy. Which brings me to the next piece of our story. The first day we visited the house after construction had started was surreal. It was a hot, humid day in June, and the grass was starting to need cutting. […]
Our hen, Barbara Green Hill Farm May 2018 I just love this photo of Barbara. Â The expression on her face really expresses her sweet and curious personality. “Gratitude bestows reverence, changing forever how we experience life and the world.” ~John Milton (1608-1674) Have a wonderful day!
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 masterâs 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 