Final Move

I'm moving next week, about 2 miles down the road, still in Michigan. I think I'm gonna love it - its a old farmhouse (a Sears house which brings up all kinds of research for me to follow up on) on a 100 acre operational Fruit & Horse farm. I've been packing for awhile and I'll get the keys a week from Wednesday with the furniture being moved on Saturday, the 18th. 

Turns out Sears sold about 70 thousand of the 'kits' from 1908 to 1940 and this one looks to be one of the 350 designs, a Sheridan, and was built in the late 1920's. The house was sold in 1951 (the year I was born) to a family that owned it up until recently. The Missus died in 1998 at the age of 88 and her husband in 2003 at the age of 96 - he'd already planted his spring garden that year. Their son  lives about 1/4 mile down the road and he was in his late teens when his parents bought the house. He and his wife walk everyday and are very helpful in the history they remember. 

It's a huge house - 3 bedrooms and bath up and 1 bedroom, bath, dining room, kitchen and living room downstairs plus a basement. One of the out buildings can be used for my soap-making since it has a sink, bathroom and heater. It's amazing. 

The current owners live about 1/2 mile away in his historic family home but the land was sold and the owner is a big business guy accumulating land in the area. This is why the current owners farm the land but live elsewhere so its a great opportunity for me. There are 100 acres with apple, sweet cherry and peach orchards. About 5 horses and he'd like to do more horse rescue - I've already got a good relationship with one of the horses. You can see pics if you scroll down. 

There are fine with me adding goats and chickens and I'm seriously considering bee-keeping. The owner has already tilled up a 20x20 patch for my garden this year and I can start planting right away. The garden is where the family had an organic composted garden for many years so the soil should be excellent. Corn & Tomatoes are on their way.

Spring Garden

 On my patio, the Sage and Chives are coming back to life. Lettuce and Beets are sprouting.

In a little while I'll go over to Church and see how the Community Garden is coming along and then plan to attend the Monthly Soup Supper where the local churches and organizations join forces to raise money for the North Berrien Food Pantry, located at the Coloma United Methodist Church. I have a 4x8 plot there for my growing where Cilantro, Comfrey, Beets, Carrots, Radishes and Lettuce were planted about ten days ago. Finally, the big one... 20x20 is being plowed up for me now, at the Farm. I'll plant corn, sweet potatoes (hope they grow up here), lots of tomatoes & peppers so I'll be canning salsa, spaghetti sauce and plain ole tomatoes. Green, Wax and Italian Beens are likely additions. Should keep me busy for awhile~


I've updated the Events Page for Paw Paw River Campground and Canoes. Also created an Event for the Spring Grand Opening at the Watervliet Fruit Exchange

A Lovely Day in the Community Garden

We planted today. Three of us planted our own sections and the rest worked on plantings for the Food Pantry. I planted Comfrey=finally, and some Cilantro-a must have, plus Beets, Carrots, Lettuce and a handful of radishes. One fellow’s grandchildren were joining him to have their first experience with the wonder of gardening in the form of radish planting.

We lived next door to the most delightful woman as I was growing up. There was some turbulence in my home during my preteen years as my Father experienced several strokes, heart attacks and eventually, death.

Mrs. Mazey lived next door and she brought a ray of light into my heart. I remember her laying with me as I tried to fall asleep, her asking me to sing her my favorite hymns, all the while, they were working on my father in the living room—the rotation of the red blinking light through the open front door, down the hall and onto my bedroom door. And later as the years passed, she always spoke with me as though I were an adult no matter how immature I acted. She asked me interesting questions and listened thoughtfully to my answers. I'll always remember her.

Mrs. Mazey gardened. She taught me about lettuce and radishes, tomatoes and together with my mom, the joys of bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches on homemade bread, toasted with mayonnaise. Nothing short of heaven.

So, today I planted and I’ll post some pictures in a couple of weeks to show you how its sprouting. In the meantime, our Sponsor, Gene Hanover, Manager at the Watervliet Fruit Exchange has let us know that the first plants are beginning to come in. He has tomato, pepper and cabbage plants; also strawberry, geranium and petunia plants. Additionally the Saturday classes have begun to fill up.

There is no cost associated with the Saturday Morning Gardening Classes, but he does appreciate a holler so he makes sure he’s got enough chairs ready for all who want to come. We’ll be posting the class schedule on the website soon.

See you there!

The Coloma Community Garden Project

First Congregational UCC - Coloma, MI

Home Grown in SouthWest Michigan

I love Blueberries. They may be Superfood and that’s great, I’m definitely into eating healthy. This weekend is the South Haven Blueberry Festival and it sounds like a fun time for all. But I don’t have to go anywhere this year – I’m surrounded by fresh blueberries!

In southwest Michigan it’s easy to enjoy eating healthy with the abundance of local produce. Fresh Sliced, homegrown tomatoes are on my plate most evenings, with buttered Corn-on-the-cob and something off the grill. Life is good when I’m eating good. Right here, right now, it’s easy and it’s cheap!

Fall is coming, I know. I just got the letter of approval from Wayne State for a May 2011 graduation. This will be my second Master’s degree, this time in Information Science. In addition to eating, I do enjoy going to school, obviously. 100% online, I spend my time doing what I enjoy.

I know, I know, the world around me seems to be crumbling with the stock exchange dropping to new lows, unemployment, war, and all the chaos. I’m just holding steady, maintaining my faith, being grateful for all the good in my life and dancing while I can still hear the music (between bites).

Life is Good

It just keeps getting better. I love Website work, Google Analytics, Marketing… when I believe in the Business. When I work with good people, when the food is good and I’m finding it.

Canoe Rental, Fried Green Tomatoes, Camping, Michigan, cool evenings, shade trees. Why did I ever leave? At least I’m back!

One thing always leads to another

I pick up a piece of thread and an hour later, I’m amazed to look around and see where I ended up.

Last week’s Free Press had an article on Farming Detroit. Wow, that’s positive. Things are looking up. The work of organizations like Detroit Garden Resource Program, Greening of Detroit, Detroit Agricultural Network, Michigan State Extension and Earthwork Gardens came to my attention when I simply Googled Farming Detroit.

A huge movement is underway in the city that I once visited only during daylight hours and escaped promptly at 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Having grown up in St. Clair Shores, Detroit had a reputation that only worsened after the sixties riots. When I left in 1981, I felt like a deserter and I was. I sought career opportunities in the Southwest and I found them. But now I’m back.

Having visited Lake Orion this past summer for the first time in my life, I fell in love with the abundant lakes, trees and curvy country roads. I live downtown and walk everywhere. I’m finishing up my degree from Texas Woman’s University and am looking into continuing my education in Oakland or Wayne County. Wayne State University attracted me because of the online distance classes. No, I really didn’t want to spend too much downtown Detroit, but there was a certain flavor to the air in the WSU area that I remembered fondly from the old days, especially at Traffic Jam & Snug, one of my all time favorite pubs that I was so glad to still standing and thriving. So, I am just so pleased to see the community gardens and the personal investment into the city of Detroit.

I’m already working on my garden here in downtown Lake Orion. I’ve got the green light from my landlord and collected twelve bags of leaves from my sister’s house in Ferndale that are waiting for the site to be ready. I’ve enlisted a fellow from the neighborhood to till up my spot and plan to get some landscaping timbers this week to frame it in. Full steam ahead as my mouth is already starting to salivate at the thought of home-grown organic Michigan tomatoes in the backyard, next to cucumbers, onions, squash and peppers.

I decided to Google community garden Lake Orion Michigan and found a blog post from someone looking to start a community garden here. Yikes, maybe there is even greater hidden treasure in this lush little village that I’m falling in love with, than I originally thought.

A new tenant, a lady about my age, is moving into the upstairs flat of this quaint house that I rent this weekend and I’ve already told her to feel free to take a patch of the garden for her own. But maybe, there are others. Who knows where this is going. I’m just following threads and enjoying all the flowers I get to stop and smell along the way.

Reiki Weekend in Lake Orion, Michigan

The gathering last Sunday proved to be an eventful potpourri of unexpected delights. Our original intention was a viewing of Louise Hay’s, You Can Heal Your Life, a recent production of the Spiritual Cinema Circle, the Heart & Soul of Cinema.

However, after the deluge of raw organic vegetables with a fresh dill, ranch dressing we feasted on the main course. Four couples had brought an assortment of warm earthy casseroles with fragrant oils and herbs, crusty French bread, and a homemade berry cobbler. It was not necessarily a low-fat feast!

Following the movie I was inspired to host an impromptu Reiki circle and provide a mini level one tutorial and a reiki share. This prompted our newcomers to follow up mid week requesting enrollment in the first weekend retreat this spring.

Stay posted to learn more of their awakening to the joys of positive transformation.