A French Tradition...Joyeux Noel!

Joyeux Noel!

Merry Christmas to each and every one!  (My country French kitchen would not be the same without a silver magnolia wreath!)
...may the company of family and friends leave you well loved this holiday season.

Joyeux Noel mes amis...!
Suzanne

The last farmer's market on Saturday, Nov 17th

Saturday is the last market of the season.  It's sad in a way. I have missed having fresh blueberries to offer.  (Never thought I'd say I missed picking blueberries!)  Now, I only have grapevine wreaths and magnolia wreaths. Not everyone embraces getting ready for the holidays early, but I sure do...I have grapevine wreaths on all my doors and my front iron gate.  My barn has a gigantic one on the door...it makes it look even more country French and rustic.

I will take the next few months to get ready to sprout seeds, getting an early spring garden of radishes, spinach, lettuce, carrots in to have something at the first market in April.  My blueberries are early and will have some by May, for sure. 

How will you spend the winter?   I love making soup, reading seed catalogs and planning my gardens and goals for the new year.  I am a planner...I make lists and put my goals to paper.  This coming year I will be looking for a farm truck to take to the markets.  I want a cool sign made for the truck.  I plan on adding 8 new raised beds.  (They make it so much easier to weed and control pests). I have a long term goal to be farming fulltime by 2017.  Planning for the future is exciting and keeps me in check. 

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving next week.  I have a few days off to put a new floor in my kitchen and laundry room, just in time for Christmas guests! Oh, and I am cooking a turkey, pecan stuffing and a pear tart with fresh whipped cream.  The smells filling the house and the joy of cooking is magical at Thanksgiving.  I hope you enjoy the day and all the days preparing for it.

Farm updates...fall is here!

Here are a few updated pictures...all shutters are now teal.  What a job; 22 in all and all taller than me.  Glad it is done.  Hmmm...I'll probably think of another project that I can't resist!
Morning here is particularly beautiful so I had to post a few pictures of the sun streaming through the branches.  These are the last few grapes on the vine framing the field of cotton in the distance.  And lastly, this is a magnolia wreath that is heading to the Pecan festival with me this weekend!

It is Muscadine time in SC!

Beautifully ripe Muscadines fresh for the market.  I am not really sure how many varieties I have...my best guess is 7 or 8 but am reading that there are many, many more out there.  These are so sweet it's hard to stop eating them right off the vine!

The colors of figs

Until I moved to SC, I had only ever eaten a fig dried at Christmas.  Now that I have my farm, I have 5 fig trees and am learning the art of picking and eating them fresh.  One thing is for sure, they are highly prized at the local farmer's market I sell at every Saturday!  I noticed that there were some fig trees for sale last week for $5 each so, I acquired a few more, making a total of 11.  I tried to plant them where I can offer irrigation on the east side of my farm, slightly protected by other trees.  That was some advice I was given so I hope I can keep them growing.  I'd love to have enough to dry so Christmastime next year will be a little more special.  If you have never bought fresh figs, you really need to.  They are worth it!

My farm. A real ol' southern beauty...c.1869

A thing of beauty should be shared.  The architecture of my little southern palace is remarkable and I am told it resembles "Little River" style.  Not sure what that means other than the long and wide central foyer has all the rooms coming off it.  You can get a running start at the far end and be at full speed by the time you reach the front door.  It's true!  See for yourself!  Note: when painting 12" tall walls, get extra paint. 
My fall project... to paint ALL the shutters teal blue.  My least favorite thing to do, but gives the most drastic change, ever!

Magnolia wreaths for all...

November 3rd is the Pecan Festival in Florence, SC.  I will be there with my pecans, I hope!  This is my first year here and I have 6-8 producing pecan trees that should start dropping them Oct-Nov.  But, most importantly, I will be there with my magnolia wreaths, and grapevine wreaths, both of which I have more than enough to supply the whole town!  I love to plan and scheme and plan some more, and can't wait to think of some simple, yet elegant designs. 
More to come later!