2011

Happy New Year from The Farm!

Guest House Opening 2011

A New Year already . . .  Seed catalogs in the mailbox. . . An extra minute or two of daylight every week. . . We're hoping that spring comes as quickly as the old year flew by.  Wishing all our visitors blessings and happiness for  2011!

  

And a New Greeting

Merry Merry  from all of us at The Farm.  

May your Christmas be filled with love and blessings.

Vintage Greeting

This vintage postcard, found in one of our local antique malls,  says Merry Christmas even after all these years.  It's dated 1923.  Does anybody know of a  Miss Bertha McElroy of Hillsboro?

The message reads:  "We are all well.  Hoping you are the same.  Did you get my last letter?  Why don't you write?  Have been looking everyday for a letter.  Wish I could be at your house for Xmas dinner.  Minnie D"  Don't you know Minnie would have  LoVeD  facebook?!?

ClosingHouse!

 

Lots of deals & steals today as we close down the shop and take a break for the winter.  Thanks so much to each of you--our visitors, our friends--who have helped make this 2010 season one of the best ever.  As Gail said in the television interview, we look forward to going to work everyday :)

Have a great weekend-before-Christmas!

The Farm on TV!

Have ya seen Channel 20's Sunrise On The Farm series?  It's a regular Friday feature, spotlighting a local ag-related business.  And this week, they came out to visit us at The Farm! 

We have to admit, we're not usually glued to the television at 5:45 am on Friday mornings, but we will be tomorrow! 

Pretty exciting when  TV people show up with their cameras and want to know more about The Farm.  Thanks, Channel 20!  Come back anytime :)

Progressive Sale

Countdown to ClosingHouse:

Each day, a new category is added!

Dec 8  all wreaths, swags, arrangements 25% off

Dec 9  :all cookbooks 25% off

Dec 10  all candles 25% off

Dec 11 all ornaments 50% off

Dec 14 all Santas & snowmen 50% off

Dec 15 all bundles & stems 50% off

Dec 16 all scented & fireplace pinecones 50% off

Dec 17 all cooking herbs & Halladay's mixes 50% off

Dec 18 all remaining Christmas items 50% off

OpenHouse Report

Thanks so much to all of you who stopped by to see us Saturday!  We hope you had as much fun as we did.   One of the big hits was the cinnamon pretzels.  Here's the recipe:

1 lb bag mini pretzel twists, 2/3 cup veg oil, 

1/2 cup sugar, and 2 tsp. cinnamon.  

Combine well & spread in a large roasting pan.  

Bake 300 degrees for 30 min, stirring 1/2 way through.  

Spread on wax paper to cool. 

Another big hit was the Instant Snow.  Every demonstration was met with squeals of delight!   It's a great new, non-toxic, reusable product that looks and feels just like snow.  Just add water, it grows like magic, and you can have newly-fallen snow to sprinkle and drift over your holiday decorations.

 And check out this super-nice review of The Farm at Grace Uncensored.  Grace recently visited The Farm for the first time and she even came back to see us a second time last week!  Thanks so much, Grace--it was great to see you.  Come back anytime! 

Grace and Kynda

If you didn't get out to see us last weekend, stop by soon to say hello.  We're open for the next couple of weeks, with our annual ClosingHouse (deals & steals!) on Dec 18th.  We still have Instant Snow and fresh greens and oh, all sorts of things that can help you finish your shopping and dress up  your home for the holiday!

Merry Merry Christmas from all of us at The Farm

New Pottery

The clearance closet got another make-over and it's now featuring a new line of pottery.   Love those wall vases.  They can sit on a shelf or hang from the wall. 

Children's Corner

Are you looking for something a little different for the kids on your list?  We're featuring several great lines in the children's corner--Laughing Elephant books, plush animals, award-winning Folkmanis puppets . . .

Farm Calendar

We can't believe the 2010 season is coming to a close so soon!   The Farm had a healthy year, plans are underway for next year’s growth, and we are SO very grateful to all of you.  But the success of business pales next to the sweet folks we get to be friends with over time.  You are a delight!

Here is our schedule for December ~ hope we get to see ya at some point.  Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Christmas Openhouse:  Saturday, Dec 4, 10-5   Treats & treasures

“Closinghouse”   Saturday, Dec 18, 10-5   Deals & steals

“Re-opening Day”   Tue, Mar 1, 2011   Let’s do it again!  

You're Invited

Christmas Openhouse is this Saturday, Dec 4th, 10-5.  Stop by, we'll have refreshments and all sorts of finds for your holiday shopping!

Candle Care & Handling

 

 

Clove, Cranberry Nut Bread, 

Candied Ginger Apple, Welcome Home. . .

 

We're loving these Wickman candle wick trimmers and dippers that give our candles longer life and  make extinguishing so much cleaner. And don't forget Cheryl & Gail's how to light your candle suggestion!

Jewelry Trees

The Farm gals have decorated a couple of small trees with the jewelry selection just inside the front door.

Most all of us could enjoy a little jewelry tree for the holiday, don't you think?   Maybe one for the dresser or the table in the hall--decked out with   bracelets, necklaces, and earrings from the jewelry box. . .  That sounds like a fun decorating project :)  If you make one, be sure to let us know how it turned out!

It's A Tie

Thanks to everybody who "voted" for their favorite holiday!  Okay, so maybe it wasn't the most official of elections here at The Farm, but it was a really close vote.  And you know we can't favor one holiday over the other, so we're just going to declare it a tie and celebrate both at the same time!

Thanksgiving is two weeks from this Thursday.  Two weeks!   Wanna know how many shopping days til Christmas? Forty six.  But who's counting?   There's still plenty of time, so enjoy this dual-season :)

Election Day at The Farm

We, the gals at The Farm, have elected to exercise our freedom to celebrate more than one season at a time.  Due to popular demand, by the people, we hereby announce that the newcomer, Christmas, will appear in our humble shop, along side the incumbent, Thanksgiving!    

We campaign for your participation beginning Tue, November 2.  Whether you go right or left when you enter the door, you will be dazzled, and no doubt find much within your budget (especially with the cuts we’ve made).  You spoke, and we heard you, and we love you!

Thursday Night Forecast 30 Degrees

 

 

How To Make Spiced Apple Cider

If you've ever been to a Fall Open House at The Farm, you've probably tasted our tried-and-true cider recipe.  Lots of people have asked for it, and we're happy to share it below.  But if you want a convenient, everything-you-need  kit, we've got those made up for you!  How easy could that be?   Just add apple juice and simmer on the stove. 

If you want to make your own, here's what you need to do:
Combine in  a large stockpot:
2 tsp. whole cloves and 2 tsp. whole allspice (in a tea ball or simmer bag)
1/3 cup brown sugar
One gallon of apple juice or cider (no difference according to our taste tests)
2 or 3 cinnamon sticks and 2 or 3 orange slices
Simmer together for a half hour.  Yum. . . .and your house is gonna smell great too!

Halloween Closet

Our clearance closet got a makeover for  Halloween!  Leave it to Cheryl and Gail to get some inspiration from a ruffle of black tulle :)

Pumpkin Parade

Thanks to everyone who visited with us for Open House, making it our second largest ever!   Everything's coming up pumpkins these days:)

Open House

 

Glorious Fall has officially arrived at The Farm!   

Come on over for Open House on October 2nd, 10am-5pm & October 3rd, 1 to 4 pm. See you then!

More Vining

Morning glories shading impatients on the mailbox.

 

And pumpkins!

Don't forget Harvest Fest in Petersburg this weekend!

Late Summer/Early Fall Vines

People have been asking about the malabar spinach that's growing on the head board out back.   It is edible, although we grew it cause it's pretty.  It was a little slow to start, but once the heat came on, it really took off.  Beautiful deep green leaves, shiny red stems, and now  little pink/white blooms.  Put this one on  your plant-one-of-these-next-year list.  
















And here's cypress vine, one of our favorites, with the little red trumpet blooms that the hummingbirds (and the bluebirds) love.  Lots of other vining going on in the garden too--snail vine, morning glories, sweet autumn . . .

We found malabar spinach thanks to Peggy's recommendation.     What's your favorite vine?   Let us know, cause we'll want to put it on our plant-one-of-these-next-year list  too!