Tuesday, September 11, 2012

WELCOME TO THE FARM . . . .

It was a Village Gardener event.  I was the co-chair of this event and we chose to have our first meeting of the year at the farm.  Trudi Temple's farm, Cherry Lane Farm to be exact.


It was a beautiful sunny day with not a cloud in the sky when Maria (my
co-chair) and I arrived before the members to make sure all was in place
and ready for our garden club's planned activities of the day.




Trudi greeted us with smiles and bouquets just picked from
her gardens as she helped create the fresh ambiance to her main
barn where we would have lunch.



What is it about a farm that is so nurturing to the soul?  It was quiet,
beautiful, simple and soul filled to be on this land again.  There was
something magical about this quiet venue.




Wide open spaces, gazebos, many, many gardens of various
proportions and ingredients, many barn buildings, stone benches,
picnic tables and places to sit, lounge and contemplate all that
is so comforting.  I must say, I am ready to be a farmer!!!





This is the most recently completed building and just like Trudi and what she
represents, all the building materials that were gathered were reclaimed.  All
of the windows are different and sometimes picked up curbside and stored
until there were enough windows to create this "workshop" for gardeners and
creative learning events.  Trudi calls this classroom Salvage Hall.



She learned about a log cabin that had been taken down and the owner
was going to chop up these logs for firewood.  HALT!  Could she have
them?  Sure, take them away!  That she did and had them installed
as her ceiling in Salvage Hall.  She then had them painted. . . .and the
look is GRAND!



This shiny copper pot held dried Annabelles that she had
recently arranged.






Collected quilts line the walls of Salvage Hall.





Lunchtime in the barn. . . . .







Antique armoires adorned with clippings from gardens
with a slight hint that Fall would not be far behind.






Trudi's main barn built in the 1800's



Jacquilan, our bread specialist for the day. . . . using only
organic wheat from a local farmer which results in a very
dense bread.  She provided the bread that was served
with lunch.





Amy Cox of the Urban Homestead provided a very tasty
lunch of fresh tomatoes, green beans from Trudi's farm, fresh herbs and greens,
sauteed yellow and red peppers which had been prepared with
a special vinaigrette made by Amy.  Organic and antibiotic free
chicken was an option with the salad.  Lunch began with cold gazpacho
that was to die for!!!  Dessert by Jacquilan, Carrot Cake that was all organic
made with applesauce and lots of carrots, very little sugar and topped off
with a warm organic honey mixture. 



SCENES IN AND AROUND THE BARN






A vintage wheel barrel








A symbol of the old schoolhouse.  As so many know, Trudi is the inventor
of Market Day in the schools.  She took her dream across the USA so she
could help schools make extra money.  The story goes.  .  .that one day her
daughter came home from school and said she needed to have her mother bake
for a school faire.  Trudi said, "I don't bake"  She eventually gave fresh vegetables
from her garden that were so well received,  they wanted more.  Frankly,
this is how Market Day actually began . . . . . and she began buying from farmers
directly and took her well received (on a small scale) vegetables and fruits to greater
heights.


Trudi provides so much aesthetically to so many.  A huge fire
pit with seating on all sides.  This would be an evening of
big skies, big stars and quiet soul searching to be sure.
A kind of "listen to the quiet" kind of night.




Trudi's gazebo . . . . looking up.




In the gazebo . . .a new find, the first MacDonald's furniture to
be used.



The Council Ring. . . the site for our wine box herbal plantings following
lunch in the barn.

















 A true European glass dome just outside of Trudi's home.



All that is natural just outside her back door.




Two poured cement ends with natural beams at front and back
and voila . . . . . a great herbal  container garden!!



Our big hands on project of the day. . . . these wine crates were
filled with mushroom compost and rich black dirt.  We then planted
parsley, rosemary, garlic chives and sage.  Great herbs for Fall
food recipes.




Fresh basil in old zinc containers, , , just outside
Trudi's back door.




Part of Trudi's extensive birdhouse collection




Book signing with Trudi




A planted wine box ready to take home




As we pulled away from this magical day I was reminded that
tomorrow (today) was the anniversary of 9/11.  God bless the
families of those who lost their lives.


AND

God bless Trudi for sharing her sustainable farm in rural Morengo.  She is
as unique as the farmland she lives on.   A very special and lady that I am
comforted to call my friend.



 

4 comments:

designchic said...

How charming and I love the beautiful flowers!!

Anonymous said...

Maryann,
It truly was a wonderful day. Thank you for inviting me.
Gloria D.

Don said...

I joined your BLOG after reading your latest post and viewing all the wonderful pictures. Referred here by Linda at "woke up, got out of bed," I seem to be drawn to these blogs that inspire creativity by RE-using old objects. May use some of these ideas around my own little place in the world. Would love to have you join me in my blog, "Living From The Heart."

Gatsbys Gardens said...

What a great day this was, lots of natural, creative ideas. I love the plantings in the wine crate.

Eileen