I love farm animals. So, you won’t be surprised to learn that I also appreciate artwork that features these sweet creatures. Over the years, I’ve collected a number of beautiful, whimsical, and funky pieces from local artists. These lovely works of art never fail to bring cheer and a smile every time I see them. I hope they’ll make you […]
“Gratitude bestows reverence, changing forever how we experience life and the world.” ~John Milton
Hamish and Ivy, our two piggiest sheep. There’s nothing our sheep love more than grain. One sheep in particular thinks about it All. The. Time. That, of course, would be Hamish—our Scottish Blackface sheep with the white face. Because Hamish was bottle-fed as a lamb, he’s very comfortable interacting with us. He especially enjoys baaahing loudly whenever he […]
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! 🙂
One of the greatest joys of Green Hill Farm is observing and interacting with the animals who live here. There’s nothing I love more than sitting on the porch in the evenings and watching the chickens running around chasing bugs or the sheep grazing in the pasture. It’s simply the most satisfying and peaceful feeling. Here are a few pictures […]
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. […]
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 […]
Our woollies have been getting a little warm lately, especially since we’ve had a few days around 80 degrees F.–which is fairly hot for late-April. So, after re-scheduling with our shearer twice due to rain, we finally sheared, trimmed hooves, and de-wormed all of our lovely sheep last Tuesday. Now, they’re ready for warmer weather! Clover, Heather, and Ivy […]
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.
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 