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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Farm Tours = Date Day

My honey and I had a wonderful day together yesterday.
It was our date day, we enjoyed lunch in Grafton IL alongside the river.
Afterwards we headed up to Dow to tour a couple of farms who are farming some of the things we would like to farm.

























~ J & J Berry Farm ~ Dow, IL
This farm raises raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and gooseberries.
Raspberries















Herbs were set in square boxes and each box planted with only one herb per box.
Looked great and easy care!

Blackberries


















Blueberry bushes
The last of the berries picked will be used in our desserts at the food sampling later in the day.
















~ The Stine Farm ~
Kathy Stine grows vegetables and raises eggs.
Check out the old log 2 story home on her property. Her father and her were in the antique business and had that dismantled, moved and reassembled on the property years ago. Now it is just the centerpiece of her farm.
I would like to live in there!

















































































~ E.F. Carpenters in Jerseyville, IL ~
This restaurant was given an assortment of goodies from the local farms (some we just visited) and asked to see what they could come up. Amazing!
We had fried zucchini, gazpacho, peaches with creme fresh and I think I have fallen in love with fresh blueberries!
Must try and grow those, too!































After our sampling and some great information shared with everyone, we headed up two blocks to the farmer's market. We met a wonderful family who raise bees and we purchased some honey from them. But more importantly feel we have found some mentors and a source to purchase some bees and help head us in the right direction with raising healthy organic honey. We will be visiting them in the near future.
All in all it was wonderful day. We wrapped up the day with registering our boys for their new school and a nice dinner.

It was a day of dreams, hopes and knowledge. We feel are really getting a vision for our farm. And it is oh so exciting!

2 comments:

Flat Creek Farm said...

Sounds like the perfect day to me! Great photos! -Tammy

Erin said...

Hi Jill! I finally got some time to stop by your blog! Congrats on your move, you have a beautiful place, and nice photos too!