I’m truly grateful for this place…Green Hill Farm. And, what I’ve come to realize is that no matter the challenges of living here, my love for this farm is constant and irreplaceable. I love it for its enduring ability to lift my spirits, fill my heart, and give my life direction. The very thought of it…is joyful. I hope these photos of Green Hill Farm bring a bit of joy to your day. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Dash and Bizou There is no shortage of rabbits on Green Hill Farm this summer. 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 […]
I’ve shared the Green Hill Farm Retrospective Posts a number of times: A Retrospective, Retrospective #2, and Retrospective #3. So, if you’ve followed Fourth Generation Farmgirl for a while, you may have already read them. But, for my newer readers, this may be your first time seeing them. I like to re-visit these posts every year, because they give me an opportunity to remember and feel grateful. These posts are beloved to me for a number of reasons. They’re an expression of my thoughts and feelings about something important to me as well as my first attempts at creative writing since I was an undergraduate. Most of my writing in recent years consisted of speech and language evaluation reports and IEPs (Individual Education Plans). These Green Hill Farm Retrospectives reminded me of how much I enjoyed writing and were the catalyst for starting this blog. Finally, these posts define my priorities and my path. But, mainly, they sum up who I am as a person. Whether you’ve already read the Green Hill Farm Retrospectives or if they’re new to you, I hope you’ll take the time to read them and enjoy the lessons in love, patience, perseverance, faith, hope….and a whole lot of tenacity. Thank you. 🙂 There’s a sign that hangs in our vestibule or small covered porch that says “PERSEVERANCE,” and it’s been our mantra since moving to Green Hill Farm. My husband and I […]
We have a large window over our stairwell that looks onto the garden and fields. One evening last week as I hurried down the stairs, I happened to glance out the window. This was my view. I started to walk on, because I had a bunch of things to do, but something encouraged me to pause and take another look. […]
I love to travel: experiencing different cultures, learning interesting things, and making new friends. However, after being away for awhile, I begin to look forward to spending time at home again. I long to see our sweet animals, and I miss the routine of Green Hill Farm. Amidst the busyness and stress of our daily lives, the beauty before us is sometimes overlooked. Travel offers a break—it’s fun, it’s stimulating, and it opens our minds to different perspectives. But, perhaps the loveliest thing about it is its ability to re-focus our eyes, so we may once again, see and appreciate the simple things. And, feel a deep gratitude and love for home. Have a wonderful week!
Farmguy and I had just gotten home from Sunday brunch a couple of weeks ago, when I noticed Clover, one of my favorite sheep, seemed to be limping. So, I immediately walked into the pasture to check on him. While I was trying to figure out which leg/foot may be injured, Farmguy snapped these pictures. Since I don’t usually dress-up […]
“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.” ~ Eleanora Duse
Green Hill Farm is wonderful this time of year. I truly love living here in the springtime. It’s as if the whole place just comes alive: trees budding out, pastures greening up, and bits of lavender, yellow, and pink from blooming flowers and trees dotting the landscape. It’s just so uplifting. We’ve had gorgeous weather, and today, I noticed my asparagus is coming up. It’s really exciting to have something nutritious and delicious just show up in the kitchen garden every spring. It’s such a treat! Of course, there was a lot of work initially to establish the asparagus, but that’s another story plus an asparagus recipe you may want to read about here. Anyway, we’ve enjoyed some beautiful days and serene evenings on the farm this week. Here’s a little of what we saw.
Growing up on a farm as a child afforded many wonderful experiences. Meaningful experiences that shaped my values and inspired me. I remember when I was about 6 or 7 years old, Dad decided that it would be nice to have fresh milk and eggs. So, he bought a Holstein cow named Bessie and ordered chicks. I remember sitting in our living room early in the morning before school with an old towel on my lap, carefully cradling a warm, fuzzy chick in my hands–marveling at its tiny body and feet as well as the soft, little sounds it made. Every morning over the next 2-3 weeks, I would hurriedly get dressed and eat breakfast so I could hold one for a few minutes before the school bus came. I loved those little chicks! As the chicks grew into hens, they free-ranged all through the pastures and even around the house; but, for some reason, though, they didn’t like to lay their eggs in the coop. Much to my surprise and joy, while walking along outdoors, I would just FIND an egg laying in the yard or under a bush. It was like an Easter egg hunt! After making the discovery that the hens were laying eggs all over the place, I remember enthusiastically running into the house and searching for my Easter basket. “This is going to be fun!” I thought. And it was. The hens free-ranged and laid their […]
“Meet me in the country for a day. We’ll be happy. And we’ll dance. Oh, we’re gonna dance our blues away…” ~Tom Johnston
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 