Wooden Door Table - The History and Alfresco Musings

Beautiful. Exquisite. Lovely. History. Incredible. All words that roamed through my mind when I first saw this beautiful door/table.

One day, not to long ago - a daughter of my heart - called - and offered it to me. Thank you sweet DOMH for this gift. 

Within a few hours this lovely piece came back to our farm.  Initially, it found a spot at our farm patio (where we hold Simple Inspiration classes all about back yard farming/gardening/growing food/raising hens and goats/cheese making/ 4-5 ingredient dinner meals/gathering folks around the food at your table. . . etc . . . etc.

Yesterday, this table found it's resting spot - where the history of the door - can be part of our alfresco times of musing with the company of family, farm guests and friends.

Simple Inspiration Workshop - How To Start and Tend A BackYard Orchard of Your Own

Santa Rose Plums from Jill's Orchard.

How To Start and Tend A BackYard Orchard of Your Own

Sunday - August 25th

5:30 - 6:30 pm

Planting a fruit tree is one of the easiest and most practical ways to start your own edible garden.  We've updated and expanded the hands on fruit tree pruning to show you 

How can you fit a fruit tree in your backyard . . .

How to choose a variety that is right for the Phoenix area and . . .

Why summer pruning is important.

Gonna be a great hands on inspirational workshop with Jill Green of Sweet Life Garden says to bring your pruners and learn how to start an orchard of your own! Limited size - REGISTER HERE.

Last seasons tree trimming time at Jill's Sweet Life Garden.

Jill says, "Keeping your backyard fruit trees small and manageable is important for your home garden. Summer pruning allows you to control the vigorous growth that makes it more difficult to thing, net and harvest your fruit in the coming season."

What will you learn? When, why and where to trim without fear!

Date: August 25th

Time: 5:30 - 6:30 pm

Where: The Simple Farm

Cost: $10 and Register Here

Fall is In The Air! Well...Fall Vegetable Garden Plant Baby Plant Sale

I know. I'm posting a lot lately - mostly about gardens, planting, classes, plants, etc. But it's the season and so many TSF people are wanting gardens, have gardens, need help with their gardens and/or don't know where to go for really good transplants.

Sonoran Seasons Plant Market is our our farm to make it a bit easier for you. And, they're having a sale for your FALL Vegetables THIS Thursday and SUNDAY at our farm.

Sonoran Seasons Photo

These hardy seedlings are sold to you in tiny, bare-soil "plugs" instead of traditional nursery pots.

You'll find them to be healthy, happy, and ready for immediate transplant into your fall garden, containers or grow systems.

The preferred plant starts of farmers and hydroponic enthusiasts alike, plugs are a fantastic solution for all types of gardens - traditional in-ground beds, container and raised beds, or hydroponic / aquaponic systems (see inventory list below of plants appropriate for soilless grow systems).

Sonoran Seasons be offering plugs for sale in the following locations over the next week: Thursday, August 21st at The Simple Farm from 8:30am to 11:30am and Sunday, August 25the from 8 - 9:30 am

Plant Plugs suitable for Tower Gardens @ $.50 each 
Basil, Large Leaf Italian Lettuce, Red Salad Bowl Mint, Peppermint Mint, Spearmint Oregano, Greek Pansy, Delta Pure Color Mix - Edible Salad Flower Parsley, Curled Parsley, Plain Italian Swiss Chard, Bright Lights Thyme, English

Plant Plugs suitable for Traditional Gardens @ $.50 each
Broccoli, Green Comet Brussels Sprouts, Jade Cross E Cabbage, Chinese Joi Choi (Pak Choy) Cabbage, Copenhagen Market Cauliflower, Snow Crown

Plant Plugs suitable for both Tower and Traditional Gardens for $1.00 each 
Lavender, French Rosemary, Upright Sage, Berggarten

Come check out our great selection of tiny starts to help you take the earliest and best advantage of our amazing Arizona autumn growing season, in whatever form you garden!

Some Like It Raw - Raw Goat's Milk - Crow's Dairy Rocks

When Michael and I decided to add dairy goats to our little farm, Rhonda was one of the first women I'd talked to. I remember getting an education about buying healthy goats. I took notes and still have that notebook.

There's lots more to the story of our relationship with Wendell and Rhonda - but I'll just say - we are so so happy to be on the list of those who get to carry the goat dairy products from Crow's Dairy. . . especially the amazing raw milk!

OUR GOAT STORY

I blogged about our goat story here.

A BIT ABOUT GOAT'S MILK

If you have kids - and they get a cold - typically you need to stop giving them milk to drink - it adds to the mucous. My understanding is 'not so' with goats milk because it does not cause phlegm like cow's milk does. Check out this read on the Dairy Goat Journal.  Goat milk has 13% more calciums, 25% more B6, 47% more vitamin A and 27% more selenium. It produces more silicon and fluorine than any other dairy animal. Silicon and fluorine can help prevent diabetes.

GOAT MILK MAGIC

I blogged about this now hard to find book...Goat Milk Magic here.