Rappahannock Cook & Kitchen Gardener

100 feet to clear of snow to the chicken coop cum compound…

… or 1/4 mile up an unplowed dirt road and then 1/4 up the hill - plowing as you go, and don’t forget the gates - to bring hay to the cattle?

Makes you appreciate all the hard physical labor, planning, resourcefulness & ingenuity [...]

Posted in Farms, Nature Comments(2)

who? what? when? how? why?

Posted in Farms, Nature Comments(7)

Belle Meade Farm - October 2009

Posted in Farms Comments(1)

I’ve got to say, I am tired but I am wired.

Our first Rappahannock County Farm Tour is coming up this week-end - all volunteers organized and we are getting good pre-event coverage: check it out here on Fox News (Fox News!!!) - be sure to play both clips at the bottom, it’s a total of [...]

Posted in Farms Comments(1)

One of my favorite farms, The Farm at Sunnyside near Washington, VA, was at the new farmers’ market that opened today next to the White House. The First Lady delivered the opening speech… right in front of Sunnyside’s truck and its colorful logo.
Sunnyside is a beautiful farm in a beautiful location and they produce truly [...]

Posted in Farms Comments(1)

I am zonked. Elated, but zonked.
The Summer Solstice Farm Dinner worked beyond our expectations.
There is absolutely something magical that happen when you gather people around a long table (or in this case 3 long tables of 50 people each), in the fieldd, in a gorgeous farm and natural setting with local seasonal food prepared by [...]

Posted in Farms, locavore log Comments(5)

An all local seasonal menu to celebrate the summer solstice:
Canapés
Rappahannock Cellars Seyval Blanc 2008
Gadino Cellars Pinot Grigio 2008
Blueberry Wasmund’s Rye Cocktail
Blueberries from Roy’s Orchard in Sperryville, VA
Rye from Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville VA

Posted in Farms, locavore log Comments(7)

First a quick update from Cherries-on-Top: in April, Garrick reported a black bear visited, knocking down the two hives that were there for increased pollination.They now have lots of little green cherries on the trees - growing!!! (the photo was taken by Garrick in early May). Not all of the blooms have resulted in cherries [...]

Posted in Farms, Harvest, Kitchen Garden Comments(4)

I treasure local seasonal produce, local farms, local farmers, local chefs and dinner parties that get us around the table for food, friends, conversation and laughter. You know that. So it should come as no surprise to anybody that I am helping to put together a fabulous dinner party for 150. It is to [...]

Posted in Farms, Fruit recipe, locavore log Comments(6)

Cherry blossoms in early April are incredibly lovely, aren’t they? and incredibly fragile. They open their snowy petals for pollinators to do their jobs when the chance of freeze or frost is still real and so one wonders: is this too early? will a frost come and wipe out this year’s crop? or will they [...]

Posted in Farms, food discovery Comments(4)