Flower Pins on Etsy

Visit my Etsy Shop before these are all sold. 25 Different flowers to choose from.

Add some spring to the winter ahead.

Fall Clean Up

Puffs

Clematis Puffs. Each year the flowers turn into these really cool looking puffs. Horton Hears a Who comes to mind again.

The garden is close to the end for the year. I'm cleaning it up this weekend and planting garlic for next spring. Maybe I'll pick up some spring bulbs - tulips or something to add color. 

Etsy Fence - on a Cake!

Look at My Fences!

Check out this Etsy Seller - She placed my fences on this really cool cake. THANK YOU for sharing.  Costal Cupcakes

Thanks to Etsy!

SOLD!

 

Going to Los Angeles! Thank you buyer.

I listed a few pair of different house shoes I created a while ago and two pair have sold. Etsy is a great site.

Rush Hour Driving

Farm Fields - Pecatonica, IL

My day job requires me to go to an office. This office used to be 2 minutes by car, 15 minutes by walking from my house. For the past 9 years, my commute was minimal. Well... that as all changed.

We now work in a high rise in a new-to-me suburb. The commute is now 45 minutes in the morning and one hour in the evening. The location of said new office has got to be in the most congested suburb I've ever been through. Every morning AND every evening, there is a fender-bender. I am not exaggerating. EVERYDAY!

Someone has either run into the back of someone, or turned into someone or crashed into something. A tow truck must stand by and watch because they sweep in, clean up the mess pretty quick. It blows my mind that there is a crash every single day during both rush hours. AND I probably only witness one of the 100's that happen. (Well, I don't witness them - just the aftermath).

It hasn't even started to snow yet. I can't imagine what will happen to this 13 mile stretch once the weather turns. I bet I'll see a lot more fender benders and maybe cars in the ditches. Slow and steady - that's my drive motto.

I listen to the radio as I get ready each morning and listen to the traffic update. This was never a concern in the past but now, I wait to hear if any of my routes are in trouble.

So - to combat my driving stresses, I listen to WXRT which thankfully has commercial free music each evening for the drive home and I in-vision the photo above.

It is what it is until I find the farm. I would love to see the above each day as my commute. One day - It will happen.

Thank you for reading.

Make Money on a Farm

Wisconsin Dairy Farm

Before we start a farm - we have to think "How will it make Money?"

I'd think that's pretty important. So - below is a list of things we can do and sell to make money.
It's in a random order as they have come to me over the years.

• Seeds 
• Photos and post cards of the farm and activities
• Tee Shirts
• Honey
• Dried Herbs
• Tours - bird watching, flower gardens, hiking trails
• Herbs in pots
• CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
• Milk, butter, yogurt, ice cream - oh so many avenues if you have a cow
• Chickens, eggs, baby chicks
• Grains - for animal feed or flour
•  Manure - if you have animals, you will have this. 
• Fish
• Weddings, birthday parties, showers, bridal or baby
• Cross Country ski trails
• Educational classes, preserving, baking, growing food, caring for livestock

This is just a start. I have a note book I keep close and as the ideas come to me, I just add them. It is endless and multi-faceted way to earn a living on the farm.

Thanks for reading and your support.

Learning the Farm Business

A  Farm in  Jo Daviess County

I thought I would share a list of what I've done these past years to prepare me for farming.  I just wanted to lay it out and to also show myself - Do I have what it takes to run a farm? 

I'll never stop learning or volunteering. 

Garden/Farm Ventures:

            Kautz Family Farm

            2014 – Present

Kautz Farm organic garden & kitchen.

Assisting in the Kautz vision of organically grown food and beverage breakout brand.

Managing and forming the structure of buyers from local restaurants. Spreading the word on naturally grown and supporting the feeding of the less fortunate.

Community Nursing Home

2009 – Present
Acre Garden Plot - Grow vegetables and flowers

Fundraising and obtain donations yearly

Farmers Market with excess - all proceeds go to the residents

             Downers Grove Park District           

             Instructor

 8 workshops                   Canning and Preserves

Naperville West Street Park District Community Garden

2004 – 2008

2006 - Winner - 2^nd Place Flower Division

Membership/Organizations

Member of CRAFT – (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) IL/WI Area
           Farms work/learn workshops

Member of MOSES – Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service

Member of The Livestock Conservancy

Member of Seed Savers

Food Education

College of DuPage

ServSafe Food Safety Manager Certificate

December 2014 – March 2015

The University of Illinois Extension Program

“Growing a New Generation of Illinois Fruit and Vegetable Farmers”

University of Illinois Extension Office, St. Charles, IL

December 2013 – November 2014

Class included this list and oh so much more! I wish I could take it over again!

•land acquisition and transfer                        
•cover crops and tillage
•business planning                                       
•variety evaluations
•legal issues                                                 
•pest and disease scouting
•insurance                                                    
•integrated pest management
•marketing                                                  
•pesticide application
•farm safety                                                
•pruning and thinning
•food safety                                                
•postharvest handling
•Farm to School                                         
•harvest practices
•equipment operation & safety                     
•visits to established produce farms
•conventional and organic production methods
•transplant production                                  
•irrigation
•high tunnel construction and operation         
•access to incubator plots
•discussions with experienced farmers           
•soils and soil testing 

Farm Events/Workshops/Share Labor 

Hoop Houses Installation                              
Farm Machinery

Beekeeping                                                  
Composting

Mint Creek Farm Tour/Dinner                       
Garlic Planting - Acres of it!

Celery Harvest and Preparation                    
Chicken Raising

Chicken Butchering and processing                
Draft Horse – No Tractors

Butcher Beef and processing         
Organic Grain

Goat Keeping                                               
Goat Milking
Cheese Making                                              
Organic Vegetables

USDA Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food, Know Your Food Bill

Some extra things I thought of that makes me think of my sustainable practices.

Grew and processed Rye grass – 14 pounds ground into flour used to bake Cinnamon rolls for Residents

Tomatoes – processed into Sauce, ketchup, salsa

Canned and preserved food -  pickles, pickled beets, pickled hot peppers, spaghetti sauce, whole tomatoes and various jellies, including a crab apple jelly.