I AM Excited about THIS Sunday's Domestic Arts Workshop - The Art of Making Vinegars

Every morning Michael makes this little apple cider vinegar concoction for both of us drink. Now we're addicts and the day just isn't so happy without it.

Well, this Sunday, we want to inspire you to:
 #1 understand the benefits of apple cider vinegar and
#2 start making your own and
#3 have fun playing with all sorts of herb and flavor combination for salad dressings and more.....
#4 start thinking about your gift giving now....Who doesn't LOVE a home made gift of vinegar - often too expense from the store and definitely not as flavorable.

The workshop description is HERE.

The workshop fee is $30 (hands on and you'll take home the starts of your OWN vinegar)

Register HERE.

Inspiration for YOU This Week: Herbs, Refreshing Your Garden and What to Plant and How to Raise Chickens and The Art of Homemade Vinegar

It can't get much better than an all around amazing week full of inspiration! 

4 workshops - Your Garden, Your Farm and Your Home!

Register for a workshop by clicking the CLICK

Thursday 9 am - Growing Herbs - CLICK 

Thursday 10:15 am - Refreshing Your Garden and What to Plant - CLICK

Sunday 1:15 pm - How To Raise Back Yard Chickens - CLICK

Sunday 3:30 pm - The Art of Home Made Vinegars - CLICK

To read a workshop description CLICK 

Indian Food and How To Prepare It Workshop - New Price Point - $25

photo courtesy of www.newsgd.com

When Vicki Mayo comes to shop our market, she's always describing the ways she's going to prepare what it is she's buying.  If that's not enough to make you stop and listen - she THEN she talks about the spices and the herbs and a bit of this and a bit of that and how beneficial those spices and those herbs are.

So, one day, I came to my culinary senses and said, "Vicki - would you please consider teaching a workshop on India cooking/food/spices, etc."

Being the gracious woman that she is - said yes and the added spice to this is that HER MOM is teaching with her.

Simple Inspiration 

Taking The Mystery Out of Indian Style Cooking

Sunday, October 6th, 2-4 pm
The workshop fee is $25.  

See workshop description HERE

Register HERE.

Hands. Her Hands.

My mother - in - love had a stroke a week or so ago and her children and some of her grandchildren (are taking turns spending time with her around her bedside - loving her, being a presence, praying for her, singing to her, comforting her.

Her life is in the balance and we don't know what the next moment holds - really - for any of us.

I've been allowing my mind and heart to ponder her - her life well-lived and of the many mental pictures I have of this remarkable woman - are her hands.

I think I'd say - she lived to love and she loved through her hands. She has lived to serve - whether it's washing your dishes, folding your laundry or re-organizing your seeds.

Mom would come to the farm to visit. Her presence was always a gift.  She liked our goats milk.

One day, while putzing around the farm, she asked if there was something she could do for me. When your husband's vision is to work and grow a self-sustaining urban farm there's always something someone can do.

I'd been organizing my seeds (I'm always organizing seeds) and what was left were the herbs and flowers, so my dear mother in love took to the task.

As I sat across from her at my little vintage table, I observed her hands.

I thought to myself, "They are beautiful hands."

I told her so, to which she replied, "No, they are 80 year old hands."

I said, "They are beautiful." I then proceeded to ask her permission to take some pictures of her, her beautiful hands and then asked if I could write about them and blog it with the pictures. She smiled and said, "Yes."

UPDATED Workshop and Class Schedule for The Fall

UPDATED September, October and November Inspiration Workshops and Classes

All of our workshops and classes are held at The Simple Farm - 9080 E. Cactus Rd in Scottsdale. Most are held at our Inspiration Patio, some in the farm library,

others at the farm arbor or some in and amongst any garden area.

When arriving for your workshop - please park in the general market parking.

Walk toward the farm house and meet at the Inspiration Patio.


                                        

                                          Links below are to register for the workshop or class. 

For Garden Workshop descriptions go HERE.

For Domestic Arts Workshop descriptions go HERE. 

For Back Yard Livestock Workshop descriptions go HERE.

September - Workshops and Classes
September 15 - 3 pm - Lasagne Gardening Register HERE
September 19 - 9 am - Growing Herbs - Register HERE
September 19 - 10:15 am - Refreshing Your Garden AND What to Plant Now - Register HERE
September 22nd - 1:15 pm - Raising Backyard Chickens - Register HERE  
** This is the only class we will have baby chicks for sale - hens. 
September 22nd - 3:30 pm - The Art of Homemade Vinegar  - Register HERE
September 26th - 9 am - Beginning Gardening - Register HERE
September 26th -10:15 am - Growing Herbs - Register HERE

October Workshops and Classes 
October 3 - 9 am-  Container Gardening - HERE
October 3 - 10:15 - Sprouting - How To and Why You Should - HERE
October 6 - 2 pm - Taking the Mystery Out of Indian Cooking - HERE
October 6 - 1:15 pm - Raising Back Yard Chickens - HERE
October 10 - 9 am - Growing Herbs - Register HERE
October 10 - 10:15 - Gardening in Difficult Areas - Register HERE.
October 13 - 3 pm - Basic Cheese -Making - HERE
October 17 - 9 am - Composting - HERE
October 17 - 9 am - How to Feed (Fertilize) Your Garden HERE
October 20 - 1:15 pm - Preserving The Harvest - HERE
October 24 - 9 am - Seeds or Starts? HERE
October 24 - 9 am - Natural Pest Control HERE
October 27 - 3 pm - Basic Cheese-Making - HERE

November Workshops and Classes - More Workshops TBA for Thursdays
November 3 - 2 pm - How To Make Milk Kefir - HERE
November 3 - 3 - 4 - The Art of Homemade Vinegar  - Register HERE
November 10 - 3 pm - Advanced Cheese-Making - HERE
November 17 - 2 pm - Easy Steps to Making Yummy Bread - HERE
November 17 - 2 pm - Solar Cooking - HERE


Workshops and Classes To Be Scheduled
The Art of Fermenting
Gathering Around The Meal Table
Nourishing Butters - Making Meals Amazing
How To Make Kombucha
4-5 Ingredient Main Dishes
Shopping The Market
Basic Goat Raising
Jam Making

Sprouting and Why It's Good For You and Your Animals

photo courtesy of web logos baltimore sun

We started sprouting a few years ago and know the benefits are incredible. About a year ago, I'd seen some blogs that showed farmers sprouting for their livestock. That got my attention - again - about the value of sprouting.

We have another amazing workshop for you - 

Sprouting and Why It's for You You and Your Animals and How To Do It.

This workshop is 1.5 hours and 

will be held on Thursday morning, October 3rd at 10:15. 

The fee is $20.

The workshop description is HERE.

Register HERE for this workshop.

Cooking With The Sun

I started using a solar oven about four years ago and have to say cooking with the sun made some of the most moist chicken ever!

With a solar oven I can:
#1 Save Money - You use no electricity!
#2 Have A Back Up If Electricity Is Not Available




The workshop description is HERE.
This workshop is scheduled for Sunday, November 17th at 3 pm.
The workshop is 1.5 hours and the fee is $25

Register for this workshop HERE.