Happy 2010

Happy New Year from all of us at The Farm!

Merry Christmas

Thank You

Thanks to each and every one of you who come out to visit  with us at The Farm.  You made our 2009 season  awesome!   Be sure to follow the blog over the next few months.  We'll still be here, doing what all gardeners do over the winter--dreaming and planning for next spring!  By the way, today is the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year. . . So enjoy that extra minute of daylight that we'll be getting every day!

Last Week of the 09 Season!

Hard to believe this is our final week of the 2009 season.     Closinghouse is Saturday the 19th, with lots of clearance sales!   We'll be closed beginning December 20th, re-opening March 1st, 2010.  It's  been a busy busy time keeping the shop filled with beautiful things for your holiday shopping and we've loved every minute of it.  Stop by this week to pick up any last minute gifts and bargains.  We'd love to see you before we say good-bye for the winter! 

Openhouse Pictures

It was a great Openhouse last weekend.  Thanks to everybody who came out to see us!   Several of you asked about Closinghouse, our last day of the 2009 season, which is fast approaching--December 19th.  Until then, we're still open with lots of beautiful holiday items to help you finish up your shopping list!

Open House this Saturday!

The shop is filled these days with beautiful fresh evergreens, both inside and out!  Those darling Christmas trees we were telling you about are out front.  And inside, fresh cuts of holly, cedar, and pine are filling unique containers that we've collected especially for you. 

Here's a shot of one of the flower arrangers by Rich Zimmer, our local potter.  We've loved having these just inside the front door--over the summer they were filled with zinnias and sprigs of herbs.   Now they're festive for the holidays with greenery, pine cones, and holly berries.

This Saturday is Openhouse, so we're looking forward to seeing you!

Fresh Trees

  Here's a little preview of the beautiful trees that will be arriving at The Farm this week.  Gorgeous, freshly-harvested balsam fir trees straight from a Wisconsin logger.   We love the look--they're actually the tips of large trees that have been  logged for lumber. 

The original vision for The Farm was a Christmas tree farm, so having these beauties at the front door is an extra special holiday treat!    Whether you're into a natural-with-just-a-few-lights tree or one that's decorated over-the-top, we think you'll find that one of these will be a perfect tree for your home this holiday season.  See you soon!

Extended Hours this Weekend

Just a reminder that we'll be open tomorrow, Sunday afternoon, from 1-5.  Hope everybody got to enjoy this beautiful  weather today--can't ask for any better than 60 degrees with sunny skies in November!   

Nostalgia-Framed

Made with Love by Megan

Christmas has arrived in the country!

If you’re looking for something different, longing for a slower pace, or just need a friendly greeting, come see us! We’ll be enjoying Thanksgiving with family on Thursday, and then the shop is ready for you on Friday, Saturday, and extended Sunday hours from 1-4 on Nov 29.

And just a reminder:
Christmas Openhouse: Sat, Dec 5, 10-5 and Sun Dec 6, 1-4
Closinghouse: Sat, Dec 19, 10-5 (last-day-for-the-season clearance!)

Holiday blessings to you!
Gail

A little peek. . .

. . . into the children's area.  Aren't these cute?

Getting Closer. . .

   Even while we're planning for turkey day, Christmas is in the air!   The shop is rapidly being transformed into it's annual winter finery.  (Want a little hint at what's coming next?  Evergreen cuttings!)

Hard to believe Thanksgiving is this Thursday!  So much to do during this week-- grocery shopping, cooking, coordinating plans, making our lists. . .  Be sure to take good care of yourselves and have a great week!

Introducing. . .

Spot!  Isn't he a cutie?  He just showed up one morning, said hi to Gail, and moved right into the greenhouse.  We think he'll earn his keep--both by melting our hearts and by defending the garden from all sorts of critters.     So next time you're in the garden, peek into the greenhouse and say hello to The Farm's newest addition. 

Holiday Marketplace

Well, who could choose between Thanksgiving and Christmas?  We can't, and we don't expect you to either!   So this weekend at The Farm's Holiday Marketplace, you'll find plenty to fit into both holiday worlds.

Just inside the shop, you'll enter into a gorgeous array of  fall colors and Thanksgiving decor for this holiday we love so well.

And then,  just steps away on the other side of the shop, you'll find  a Christmas wonderland--complete with glitter,  lights,  and gleaming ornaments mixing with holiday floral designs and  unique gifts for those you love.

 We'd love to see you, so come on out!

Off The Wall

We've been thinking about wreaths lately.  You know we love to dress up our walls and doors with wreaths, right?  Hmmm . . maybe we could dress up our pumpkin with a wreath. . .

Wouldn't that be great for the Thanksgiving table?!  And here's a berry wreath with a primitive  bowl of pinecones. 

So next time a wreath catches your eye, remember that it can be more than just a pretty wallflower!

November

Hope your Halloween was all treats and no tricks :-)   And now it's November!  Here at The Farm, we're still enjoying this great fall season while we're also getting ready for. . . gulp. . . Christmas!

Shop Update

Come scare away the chills with a visit to Morningstar Tea Room in Salisbury and then our cozy shop, where you’ll find these treats:

~ 40% off everything in the Halloween area!
~ Storewide “Nuts About You” sale: Everything with an acorn sticker on the tag,
30% off!
~ Holiday Marketplace: Friday, the 13th of Nov: your lucky day! 
The ‘Elves’ asked us to shut off ½ the shop for them to do their work. Then, Nov 13 & 14, we will open the doors & usher in the Christmas season, along with Petersburg-area shops.
~ We still love to celebrate Thanksgiving though, so don’t worry if you need
something for your table or a hostess gift!

Keep dry!
Gail

More From Last Week's Hayride

Once you've eaten your fill at the bonfire and had a ride on the wagon, be sure to browse in the shop for a while.   Thanks to Darrell and his group for sharing their hayride experience on the blog!

Field Trip

This group had perfect evening weather for their bonfire and hayride.  Mild temps, no wind, clear sky, with just a sliver of moon. 

Saturday Night at The Farm

The Menu

Darrell Watson has been organizing an annual bonfire for his friends at Parkway and Lakeside Churches of Christ for the last TEN years!   Wow!  It was great to welcome them back again this year.

Darrell shared his recipe for spiced apple cider with us--

1/2 gallon of apple juice and 1/2 gallon of apple cider

1/2 c brown sugar

1 sliced orange and 1 sliced lemon

A scoop each of whole allspice, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and cloves  (He gets all his spices from The Farm's pantry, of course!) 

Everything went into an enamel pitcher that was placed in the bonfire to steep. The smell was heavenly!

Also on the menu--hot dogs with chili (which was also simmering away in the fire) and of course, s'mores!

Hayride Season

This hayride season has been especially busy.  Since we didn't like saying, "sorry, we're booked",  Eric built a second fire ring just outside the back gardens.  Now we can say yes twice as often!     It's a beautiful place to gather around the fire and spend some time with the people in your life. . .  Stay tuned for more bonfire pictures this week!

Make it a Farm Day!

You know what goes really well with a visit to The Farm?  The Morningstar Tea Room!  That good broccoli salad they make, soup of the day. . . Try to save room for their yummy carrot cake too, or take some home

to enjoy later :-) 

Aren't the leaves beautiful this year?  A drive out into the country for sightseeing, shopping and dining  is a great way to spend an afternoon.   We hope to see you soon!

More Rain on the Way

Okay, so the sunshine didn't stick around very long.  But inside, it's nice and cozy!

The Sun is Shining!

After all these dreary rainy days, it's so nice to have the sunshine back.  Hope everybody gets a chance to get outside and enjoy it this week!  Here's a shot of the burning bush that's in the Bible garden.  It's magnificent this year. . .

From The Kitchen

One of The Farm's favorites soups, perfect for a chilly fall day!

Taco Soup by Liz's Friend

--1 pound ground beef, browned

--1 can black beans, including liquid

--1 can corn, drained

--1 can diced tomatoes

--1 pkg taco seasoning (dry mix)

--1 pkg hidden valley ranch dip (dry mix)

--3 cans water

Mix all together and heat throughly.  Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese and taco chips (we like scoopers the best). 

Farm Gals

Here's a couple of shots taken during our fall openhouse.  We had a great time and were so glad to see everybody who came out to visit us.            Sue, Cheryl, and Gail

                          and here's Barb!

Freeze Warning

Look at this beautiful crop of globe amaranth!  It was harvested today since we'll be getting that big freeze tonight.   And we hear that Gail has  been climbing  on top of the chicken coop to get the very best cuttings of bittersweet.  Now where was the camera when she was doing that?!?

We Have A Winner!

For those who switched from snail mail to e-mail this past weekend, we had a drawing for a $20 gift certificate.

Congratulations to Pat Heetel of Petersburg! 

We're very grateful  when you go 'green' & change to e-mail.   It helps the environment by saving resources and saves on postage too!  Your info is kept private--we don't share it with anyone.  And e-folks get occasional 'kudos' not offered elsewhere!

Be sure to let us know if your address changes.  We don't want you to miss out on the latest news from The Farm! 

Fall Openhouse Scenes

 Lots of fun food to sample, absolutely beautiful decorated pumpkins, and such nice  folks all at The Farm on this great fall day.  Thanks to everybody for coming out to see us!  And just in case  you weren't able to make it today, you've still got another chance to enjoy the celebration as the openhouse continues on  Sunday afternoon.

Our Thanks to You!

You are an amazing group of folks, to be sure!  In this, our 16th year, you have blessed us again with your faithful visits.  You inspire us to just keep making things better!  We've had a great harvest, so the shop is packed and lots of wonderful new items are arriving weekly.

Put us on your calendar for these important dates:

The Farm's Fall Openhouse

Food, fab fall necessities, etc

Sat, Oct 3: 10-5 & Sun, Oct 4: 1-4

Petersburg-Area Holiday Marketplace

The official start of holiday happenings

Sat Nov 14: 10-5

The Farm's Christmas Openhouse

A delightful, unique shopping experience

Sat, Dec 5: 10-5

2009 "Closinghouse"

Last day for the season:  Clearance!!!

Sat, Dec 19th: 10-5

Come see us before the year's over!

Gail, Sue, Barbara, Cheryl, & Kynda

September Saturday

Looks like another beautiful day at The Farm. These mums are starring today, along with great pumpkins that set everything off just right.    Inside the shop, we're in a flurry of activity, getting ready for Open House next weekend! 

Nope, Not For Sale

Many of you have noticed the  sign at the end of the driveway and have worriedly asked "Is The Farm for sale??"   Well, we're happy to report The Farm is NOT for sale!      The confusion  is understandable given the placement of the sign.  The property  listed is a house and a couple of acres located just past the giftshop.   So if you're in the market for a new home and want to be neighbors with The Farm, check it out.  In the meantime, The Farm is decked out in all its fall splendor, so stop by to see us soon!

The Pumpkins Are Here!

One of our favorite traditions at The Farm--the decorated pie pumpkin!  Each one is  a little work of art.

Garden Note

Don’t you just love the rich colors of late summer & early fall? The shop is filling up with a bumper crop of flowers, and in the next few days, the colors & shapes of pumpkins, gourds & squash will be nestled in among them. Of course, we will be creating our floral decorated pie pumpkins that so many of you love. Complete with a bleach bath to last from now till past Thanksgiving! Gorgeous!
~ To really get in the Fall mood – we have a few dates open for hayrides
~ We have changed our email address (again) because it was causing confusion with our website. It is now: farmmail@dishmail.net . (sorry!)
~ Hope you plan on coming out for Petersburg’s Harvestfest on Saturday, Sept 19. This is small town hospitality folks! Parade, food, entertainment – and The Farm will be ready for your visit too!
~ And mark your calendar for Fall Openhouse: Sat, Oct 3, 10-5 and Sun, Oct 4, 1-4.

From the garden ~ Gail

What Did We Get in the Mail?

  

Bulb catalogs!  If you didn't get yours, check these out here and here.