you might have seen julia rothman’s latest work,  farm anatomy bouncing around the web, but i only thought it appropriate to share it here as well. in fact, she could have titled it ‘for going home to roost’ and it would have felt just right! julia is one of my long time favorite illustrators, and to see the curious parts and pieces of country life illustrated by her gets me so excited!

as you can see, in 224 pages she’s covered just about everything! you’ll learn the difference between a weanling and a yearling and a farrow and a barrow. she covers everything from tractors to pigs and fences to farm tools. you’ll see the different varieties of squash and all the parts of a goat; learn about how a barn is constructed to what makes up a beehive. all beautifully illustrated by julia rothman- yes, please!

wrap up: {country} {farm} {farm anatomy} {illustrated} {julia rothman} {living}

happy pigs are tastier

jen from starshaped press recently wrote to tell me about their favorite local farm and how badly they are struggling to keep their small family pig farm afloat amidst large corporate farms with healthy government subsidies. even though i don’t eat meat, i will always support the local, sustainable farm! they are our biggest hope for the future. in efforts to help, jen has created this cute pig poster as a way to raise money for the farm and to help them stay in business. all $10 from the sale of this print will go directly to the farm! (and i’m sure they will accept donations as well!)

a little more about c & d farm:

c & d family farms is a small animal welfare approved family farm dedicated to raising hogs in their natural environment. their happy hogs are raised on pasture and in wooded areas where they can root and play and be hogs. they graze on pasture designed for them or eat leaves, weeds, berries and acorns from their large wooded pens. hogs are very social animals and are kept in droves so they can socialize and prosper.

wrap up: {farm} {fundraiser} {help} {hog} {letterpress} {local} {pig} {sustainable}

early we rose yesterday and to the ‘you pick organic farm’ we went. after an embarrassing amount of sugar, 4 trips to the grocery store and one lost wallet, we managed to can over 70 jars of raspberry jam. feet = exhausted. tummy = very happy.

wrap up: {canning} {farm} {jars} {organic gardening} {preserve} {raspberry jam} {you pick}

first csa box of august! local organic veggies and a yellow fleshed watermelon – yum.

wrap up: {august break} {box} {csa} {farm} {food} {organic gardening} {photo} {picture} {vegetables}

{lavender by abbytrysagain}

it seems as though since i’ve moved to the valley, lavender has become abundant in my life. i find myself drinking lavender lemonade nearly everyday, i cut bouquets of it from my yard and add it to my baked purple potatoes. to top it off, we have a lavender farm just around the corner. lined with olive trees from the 1800′s, it’s a beautiful place to visit and they offer lavender infused goodies from chap stick to puppy shampoo. today, i thought i would share with you some of the very many uses of lavender oil, right from their website.

some uses of lavender are:

- rub lavender oil on the feet for a calming effect on the body.
- put two to three drops on minor burns to decrease pain and promote healing.
- put a drop of oil on a cut to stop bleeding.
- place on dry or chapped skin.
- rub some oil into the scalp to reduce dandruff.
- apply 2-3 drops in the armpit for use as a deodorant.
- use essential oil to help heal cold sores.
- place oil on a cotton ball and place in closets or drawers to add fragrance to linens and also to repel insects.
- place a few drops of oil on a damp cloth and place in the dryer to deodorize and freshen laundry.
- rub several drops on the palms of hands and inhale deeply to alleviate hay fever symptoms.
- massage lavender oil into areas of scarring to minimize scars.
- place a drop of essential lavender oil in water fountains to add fragrance and reduce time between cleanings.
- use lavender oil as an antiseptic.
- place two drops of oil on temples to reduce headaches.
- place two drops on pillows to promote relaxation and sleep.
- apply lavender oil to rashes and insect bites to reduce irritation.
- rub a drop of oil on the bridge of the nose to unblock tear ducts.
- to alleviate motion sickness, place a drop on the end of the tongue, behind the ears or around the navel.

do you have any other favorite ways to use lavender or lavender oil? please share with us in the comment section!

wrap up: {essential oil} {farm} {lavender} {lavender oil} {uses}

hello, lovelies! as promised, i have more pictures for you! this time, they are just from around the santa ynez valley. you’ll see photos from both solvang and santa ynez, ca- as they are both teeny weeny towns just 3 miles apart. you can click on the photos above to see them larger.

pictures #1 & 2: this is farm land. with everything from cows to horses to alpacas and ostriches, there’s no shortage of beautiful rolling hills and grazing happy animals.

#3: this very well could become my new favorite spot. bloom yoga, the sign hardly readable from the blossoming wisteria all around.

#4: solvang boasts green open spaces around every corner. this is a public space where you’ll find people reading, napping or playing with their dogs right downtown.

#5: the valley hard wear store. they have already-fruiting orange, lemon and grapefruit trees for only $25. i’ve got my eye on several.

#6-8: the mission. it’s peaceful, serene and full of old charm.

#9-10: solvang is known as the “danish capital of america” as it was founded by a group of danes who traveled west to establish a danish colony far from the midwestern winters. the city is home to a number of bakeries, restaurants, and merchants all offering a taste of denmark and most of the architecture reflects traditional danish style.

#11: the lavender farm in santa ynez. yes, a lavender farm! a little market sits at the end of the drive with bulk lavender and infused goodies of all sorts for sale. we were greeted with olives bouncing off the hood of our car, as the trees that you see lining the property are olive trees that were planted in 1831.

#12: poppies and flowers of all sorts are scattered all over the town. color is around every corner and the whole city seems to be in bloom.

wrap up: {california} {danish} {farm} {flowers} {moving} {santa ynez} {solvang}

 
you know i have an affinity for farm animals, so when i ran across heavenly creatures art this week i was in… well, hog heaven! i love the deep texture of her paintings and the intricate detail of their fur and feathers. her shop is also having a great special right now, just click over to find out the details!

wrap up: {animals} {art} {farm} {hamj} {heavenly creatures} {paintings} {pig} {rabbit} {sheep}

we got a new chicken coop!  believe it or not, even though we moved almost 6 months ago, my girls just made the big move yesterday!  i had been going back and forth from our last place to take care of them (just up the hill).  it wasn’t without resistance, (ever tried to catch a chicken?), but i assured them the move was for their own good.  now, look how happy they are!

squawk!

wrap up: {chickens} {coop} {farm} {gladening} {hens} {homestead}