Prodigal Farm

03/08/2025

Hey, farmer friends -- I know there is a lot of anxiety and uncertainty around federal funding cuts. Just want to be sure you've seen this free workshop scheduled for this Wednesday. https://farmcommons.org/terminated-and-frozen-usda-funding-filing-an-appeal-to-protect-your-rights/

10/09/2024

Dave and I just completed our first overseas ballots. I wasn't sure how it all would work. There were both online and mail-in options to sign up for overseas absentee voting. After that was officially processed at the State and County level, we could look up and get confirmation that we were properly signed up. Then, eventually, we received our ballots via email (because we chose that delivery option) and then we had a choice to print and mail our completed ballots or to complete and submit them online, which is what we chose. I also did not have a sense before we got our ballots as to whether we'd be able to vote in local elections or only federal races. We did indeed get the same ballot that we'd have at our old address in North Carolina, including the NC constitutional referendum.

Living overseas and still need to register? You can do it here:
https://www.votefromabroad.org/

Our democracy depends on all of us informing ourselves on races up and down the ballot. Those down-ballot races really impact daily lives, and races such as that for Insurance Commissioner in NC will be even more important in dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. What will be the process of balancing insurance company requests for rate hikes? Who will ensure that insurers fairly pay claims from the storm damage? And leadership in county and city elections matters. In addition to the newspapers who continue to play a vital role, I highly recommend theassemblync.com for excellent reporting on state and local issues.

10/08/2024

This little pill I take tonight is the last dose of tamoxifen after a 10 year course. It feels a little like a milestone, but also like burning my security blanket, like surrendering my totem of protection against a cancer recurrence. I am so grateful to be here today against great odds, grateful for the privilege of compassionate and resolute medical professionals of all stripes who rowed the oars of my boat of recovery, and grateful for the community of women who quietly shared their own experience with me, and for the wider community who lifted me up along the way when I sagged.
I hope this little pill will also remind you to tend to your own health, check yourself, get the scans, be mindful of your family history, and make friend dates for a mammo and a lunch date!

08/24/2024

Out for a walk yesterday in Quijas, Cantabria, and passed this building... a workshop and storage area for a fireworks and pyrotechnics expert. And, relatedly, Dave and I are enjoying our morning coffee and some explosive something is being set off, presumably to start a fiesta of some sort. There goes another one just now BOOM .... here, explosions and cannons and so forth really get a workout, much more than in the States! Kind of like the old saying, "it's 5:00 somewhere," I'd say here "there's a fiesta somewhere."

04/07/2024

Dave and I finally tied the knot after nearly 20 years together!  It was a more glorious, and more personally meaningful, day than I could have dreamed up when I was in my 20’s.  in Oxford is something out of a dream, with endless grounds and an elegant event barn; Beth and Dave were both friends and coaches through our last-minute plans.  Florist Stephanie Garrett used gorgeous flowers grown by our friends at Sassafras Fork Farm and Parker Farm & Vineyard, among others, to make arrangements that were both sweet and dramatic.  Thank you, Spencer, for bringing the Carolina Cutups to play lovely bluegrass and old timey tunes that tap into some deep roots memories for me. We had the potluck of my southern dreams, and my thoughtful friend Aaron made a lavish cheese board with cheeses from my friends in cheeses Alyce Birchenough of Sweet Home Farm, Sarah of Green Dirt Farm, Padgett of Sequatchie Cove Creamery, and Josh from Durham Co-op.  Because of course cheese was essential! Memorable wines came from the wonderful Wine Authorities. Vintage dishes from Southern Vintage Table tapped into my love of giving old beautiful things new life.  My talented sister and posh stylist friend Linden created a scrumptious cake that looks like it’s wearing a fascinator made of poppies!  My beloved Elaine and Ann Louise gave me away, with a fancy updo by Maria Maldonado and boots by Ariat.  All the stunning pictures by Stacey Sprenz, who usually takes the pictures that get our tastebuds excited but this time captured the most magical day, with a community of friends whom we are so so privileged to have in our lives.  And, despite down-to-the-wire weather anxiety, Mother Nature supplied the most spectacular first-days-of-spring evening!

04/04/2024

Many of you, my friends, are also animal people. Please review and share as appropriate this article detailing FDA findings of widespread food safety problems in Purina plants across the country. It's an array of different problems at different facilities, affecting in some cases dog food products and in others, cat food products, resulting in severe problems.

In 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected three Nestlé Purina production facilities. All three manufacturing plants produce Purina ProPlan pet foods in addition to other brands o…

05/27/2022

Closing Time! Last Call for Cheeses! 🎶💛 -

We officially closed on the sale of our farm on May 4, though we're still working to downsize/disperse/donate/dump the vast amount of stuff from the farm and creamery, as well as lots of architectural salvage we had planned to use in the old farmhouse renovation, and a TON of stuff Dave and I moved....

04/13/2022

We won't be on the tour this year, but we want to be sire y'all don't miss this fantastic event!

• • • • • •
Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and t-shirt weather is around the corner! That means it's almost time for the Piedmont Farm Tour, April 23 & 24, which is always full of friendly faces and the cutest baby animals!

For only $30, it's a weekend of fun, food, and frolicking in pastures, just a few hours drive from almost everywhere in the Carolinas!

Register today at the link in bio.

04/09/2022

Signs of Spring... see y'all at the and the this morning!

04/07/2022

Looking for a couple of sweet wethers? THESE boys! Ron Weasley (on the right) and Radcliffe (for the actor who played Harry Potter) are playful brothers who can always be found getting into something together. Their names are so perfect for their personalities.

04/02/2022

Woo hoo! So excited to be able to sell our own pastured pork for the first time at this week! Come and get it today!
We'll also have lovely cheeses, goat meat, and pizza dough at that market and .