Crown Hill Farm

08/15/2026

It’s a beautiful day, come visit me and all the farmers and fun Erie County Fair ! You can find me in The Ag-Grange Building with my farm yarns, garlic, and farm gifts while sharing about the sheep to sweater process. See you soon ❤️

08/11/2026

Spend a day or two on the farm in the next couple of weeks. Message me if interested.

08/10/2026

One of the things I write, talk, and teach about is the process of observing, then getting curious, then being resourceful.

This awareness and the value of it becomes very clear in instances where I’m growing something new that I don’t know much about. For example, these giant beans.

I have been observing them grow since I put them in the ground. The vines are large and all over the place, the red flowers are beautiful and the hummingbirds seem to love them. And I’ve slowly seen pods form and the lumps of beans inside.

So, it was time to crack one open and look at what’s inside. Are the beans fully grown? Do they still have more to go? What does it look like from the outside at this stage? How might I know when they are actually ready to harvest? Should I let them go all the way to dry beans on the vine? Or harvest them fresh and freeze them? All of these questions, observations, and curiosities help me learn how best to grow these and went to harvest them as well as how to store them.

I’ve grown other beans and I know that the pods usually need to look quite full and almost ready to burst if I want to harvest them fresh. I also remember that these beans were pink and black mottled together when I planted the original ones. These are only just showing the pink so far. That leads me to believe these are not quite ready yet, and I will let them go further.

I’m pretty self-taught here on this farm along with many resources like friends and neighbors, other gardeners, Books, and of course the Internet. But always it always starts with these three simple things: observe, get curious, be resourceful.

08/03/2026

UNBOXING!! Do folks still get excited for these kinds of videos? This is something new I’ll have at the Erie County Fair and WNY Fiber Arts Festival. I’ve been working on this since I first saw them and got one for myself in Florida this winter. You know I’d only bring a product to my table if I have a personal relationship with the artisan and it is aligned with all I do. Jeannie puts so much care and love into each of these that I think you’ll love them like I do!

07/29/2026

Have you ever heard of or tasted Dragon’s Beard candy?

It is a traditional Chinese confection, a little like cotton candy, made by pulling sugar into thousands of impossibly fine strands. I have seen it in photos and videos, but never experienced it in person, and I am wildly curious to see what Zach and JB from The Bloom & Rose do with it for dessert at our next farm dinner.

That kind of imaginative surprise is exactly what these two do so brilliantly.

Most people know Zach and JB of Bloom & Rose for their knishes and Jewish-ish deli fare, but they bring a huge range of serious skill and experience to the table. I love giving them the freedom to stretch their legs, go completely off book from what they make every day, and get a little wild with their creativity.

For their Farm Dinner coming up on Aug. 9, sq**rt guns may be on the table. Funnel cake becomes panzanella. A “corn dog” is rebuilt from the ground up. Every course gives us something to discover and giggle about together bite by bite.

Here is what they have planned:

THE CARNIVAL TABLE DINNER

FUNKY POPCORN TASTING
Four savory and sweet preparations: mystery flavor, everything bagel butter, B&B pickle, and brown butter with maple dust.

THE PRETZEL BOARD
Warm pretzel bread with gribenes, wagyu rolled beef, prosciutto, and lardo.

SALMON CEVICHE
Salmon with citrus, black lime, hot pepper, and peach, playfully dressed tableside.

FUNNEL CAKE PANZANELLA
An inventive reimagining of the classic bread salad, built with torn funnel cake, ripe tomatoes, and flower petal vinaigrette.

HAND-FORMED “CORN DOG”
A fairground classic rebuilt from the ground up with locally raised meat, smoked tomato demi-glace, cherry mustard béarnaise, local sweet corn relish, and a cornbread bun.

**DRAGON’S BEARD & CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO**
A cotton candy-inspired dessert with toasted peanut, buzz button, and sugared cherries.

The dinner will be paired with wines from Atwater Vineyards , a small-batch Finger Lakes winery on the eastern slopes of Seneca Lake.

Come be curious and surprised with us.

Sunday, August 9 at Crown Hill Farm.

TICKETS at the link in bio.

07/28/2026

Iterations of a home.

When I moved in (almost) 10 years ago, there was a lovely white wooden arch here attached to a white picket fence encircling the front in little patio garden area. It was charming.

The first winter with heavier snow, the arch part succumbed but the two trellis side walls lasted a number more years.

January 2024, the giant silver maple fell on the glass greenhouse taking out parts of the picket fence and trellises. It felt like time to open up this area of the house and not replace it but rather remove it.

Now it’s been fabulous for farm dinners and events to have this open space. But the climbing roses survive it all with little support except t-posts and tomato cages, all quickly overgrown by the enthusiastic roses.

That is, until today. We have a new arbor and tomorrow I’ll properly introduce the roses to their new jungle gym. I love this entryway and can envision more to add on over the next 10 years to make this spot a lovely welcoming outdoor space. Steaming of planters, outdoor kitchen for the grill and someday a brick or cob oven.

For now I’ll enjoy walking through the roses.

07/20/2026

First Farm Dinner and what a fabulous night on the farm with Stephanie Balk and Jessica Arends of Cornelia at the Buffalo AKG !

I’m so grateful to everyone who came out for what turned into a perfect evening shaped around edible flowers. The air was clear, the weather was perfect, and the gardens were happy.

We had a delicious meal utilizing some of the best of the season and creative ways of enjoying flowers on our plates. I love these opportunities to bring together a mix of local farmers, food, makers, preys, and chefs to create a one-of-a-kind experience each time.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

07/18/2026

07/14/2026

Our first Farm-to-Table Chef Dinner is coming up fast and there's still a few tickets left.

Join me on the farm for this delicious romp through summer flowers with Chefs Jessica Arends and Stephanie Balk of Cornelia at the Buffalo AKG

They've created this stunning menu featuring edible flowers throughout each course from squash blossoms to nasturtiums, marigolds, pansies and more.

Link in bio for tickets or go to http://crownhillfarm.com/dinners

PS: I always ask my chefs to adjust for a guest's dietary requirements as needed. Let us know when you purchase your ticket and we'll do what we can!