Spring Has Arrived At The Farm...

Hickory Hill Farm Old Apple Tree

We have a few beautiful, old, apple trees on our property. This branch belongs to the one closest to the farmhouse.  I've shown it to you before...with the lilies that adorn the base of it all summer long.

Our Farmhouse

The tree is located just across the drive from our house. I've placed six hummingbird feeders from the hooks that were already on the porch. (One is hanging from iron double hooks outside the kitchen windows.) We're planning to replace those windows - on the far left - with a bay window. I love our kitchen view, and would love one without the post that divides the two current windows.

We've got three tiny hummingbirds visiting so far, but I'm confident we'll have more over the summer, as they spread the good news to their little friends. There's also an oriole feeder hanging from the other hook in front of the kitchen windows. We have two pairs (gorgeous Baltimore Orioles) that visit to eat the oranges and grape jelly that are suspended from that feeder.

Indigo buntings, tree swallows, bluebirds, chickadees, sparrows, blue jays, cardinals, nuthatches, finches (goldfinches and purple) and wood tits also visit the feeders daily. We've got suet and fruit/grub blocks that interest the various species.

Old Farmhouse Sink/Planter

Remember the galvanized double sink we added to the farm last summer? It's a raised planter now. (That's why I wanted this one!) Handsome and I placed the legs on pavers to give it added stability, lined it with weed barrier fabric and then filled it with soil.

Pardon the weeds under the sink. I've been purposely keeping the dandelions for the bees, and have to pull the grass, too. I'll get to those soon (along with the weeds growing in the flower beds around the porch), but I needed to get the plants in the soil first.

Tomatoes

Last summer, I was paying $35 a half bushel for tomatoes! I was shocked, to say the least, so I decided then that we'd grow our own this year. There are six "Celebrity" variety tomato plants on the left side of the divided sink.

There's also a large tomato plant in the wooden planter next to it, which will give us a head start on fresh tomatoes this summer. I may have to thin them out as they get bigger, but hope to have another galvanized planter by then.

Yes. I do have the double galvanized sinks on the porch, but my plan is to find liners for those sinks and plant them with red geraniums. They're in pristine condition - like they were made yesterday - so I just can't bring myself to plant directly into them. They'll stay under the protection of the porch roof to keep them that way.

Cucumbers and Tomatoes

There are three cucumber plants (for pickling) yet to be planted. I'm looking for a long, drained, wooden planter to set on the ground in front of the sink for them. For now, they'll be here so I can water them with the rest of the plants.

On the right side of the planter, there are four "Roma" varieties for canning and cooking. I've also added two varieties of green peppers and one red pepper plant. (My own "salsa in a garden"!) There are also two cherry tomato varieties in pots next to the "friends and family" entrance to our home.

We also have cilantro, rosemary, basil, mint and chives growing in the herb garden next to the house. The lavender is getting big and the hostas we planted last year are already growing, too. I'll show you that area again after we finish cleaning up and installing the edging we bought yesterday.

Rhubarb

  The rhubarb is nearly ready to pick, too! We'll harvest some, and then wait until fall to cut more. This is its second summer at the farm, and I want it nice and strong so we can split the hills and continue to have them grow along the front of the compass barn as time goes on.

I'm back in the studio now. I have guests coming on Sunday, and I'm making special gifts for them. We're having a reunion of sorts with some of the ladies who used to work for me at Stitches (my needlework shop in the late 1980s-mid 1990s). I'm so looking forward to it, and want them to leave with a reminder of our time together. I'll tell you all about that after Sunday.

Today, I'll sew while all the newly planted vegetables grow. It's (always) a good time to be at the farm.

Farmhouse Finds - Kitchen Table...

Hickory Hill Kitchen

If I do much more to our kitchen, it won't be necessary to install cabinets and other modern amenities. Darn that Facebook Marketplace! Handsome said I need to stay away from that portion of Facebook for the foreseeable future. giggle

When we were first married, my parents gifted Handsome and me with a beautiful, antique oak table that used to belong to my paternal grandfather. It's a table that I loved, as much that it came from a man I adored, as the fact that it was a fabulous old table that pulled out to twelve feet! We had leaves made for it that enabled us to pull it open to eight feet.

When we made plans to purchase the farm, I knew that someday I would gift it to another family member who would cherish it as I do. Someone who wouldn't abuse it (or even sell it). I decided to ask my youngest sister if she would want it when we finished our kitchen remodel, and she responded with an enthusiastic "yes!".

When we were unloading our belongings on moving day, my sister was here to help along with her son, and another nephew. They worked their proverbial "buns" off to help us. At one point, I went outside to see what would be coming into the house next, and saw her taking the table leaves to her car. I laughed and said (halfheartedly) "Hey, not yet!". Well, I let her take the table with her that day (a little ahead of our schedule), but that's how much she wanted it...and I couldn't have asked for a more grateful new owner for our heirloom.

Our Old Kitchen Table

I found this little used table, which served us well for this first year in our farmhouse, but it really didn't fit the style I had in mind. Enter, Facebook Marketplace...again.

Legs and Top Of New Kitchen Table

I found a thirty year old solid oak table. It's in great shape and is just the right size for our kitchen. It came with two leaves, should we ever want to make it larger for more "kitchen" guests.

Handsome and I drove around the lake (Winnebago) to Oshkosh, and we picked up the table yesterday. It began to rain as we headed home, so once back at the farm, we waited to unload it until the rain stopped. We had the table inside in time for dinner.

New Table Settled In The Kitchen

 

I love this table so much that I may rethink whether or not our remodel will include an island where the table sits. We may just have to keep this beautiful table right where it is. We're seriously happy with this find. Wouldn't you agree?

 

Another Find For The Farmhouse...

Our Kitchen

Handsome and I have decided to wait until next fall or winter to renovate our kitchen. The space is  completely workable as it is, and served generations of families before us with much less. We've decided to take our time choosing cabinets, (much needed) flooring, and any needed appliances.

The New Centerpiece

I did say much needed flooring. Well, choosing just the right new floor will take a bit of looking and research. Many of our floors in this hundred year old beauty are crowned, making a hard plank or tile floor out of the question. We need something more flexible (to accommodate the unevenness of the floor), and heavy duty (because of kitchen traffic and the dogs).

However, the current floor leaves a lot to be desired. It's a stick-on tile that was additionally glued down onto plywood, screwed over the hardwood and previous linoleum (which may be asbestos. Ya think?). I've been on my hands and knees (oh, yay) with a scrub brush, and I still can't get the floor clean to our standards. It's chipping up in places, so it's been grating on me.

In order to replace this floor, we'll first have to completely remove the tile and plywood beneath it. Then we'll have to assess the linoleum to see if we can get down to the original, hundred-year-old maple floor. If we get there, we'll have the same man who brought back the other floors in the house tell us whether or not our original hardwood floor can be restored. If so, we'll do that. If it's beyond saving, we'll choose a new floor covering that will go with the renovation we're planning.

What Floor?

 

I've been trolling the Marketplace, looking for something that could cover the floor until we redo it. Night before last, I found this beauty. It's an eight foot, circular rug. It's not an expensive, Persian rug like our red one that you would have seen in photos of our living room in Florida (which I hope will fit into the attic bunkhouse when that's done), but I wouldn't want one of that quality in a kitchen anyway.

I showed this one to Handsome, we contacted the seller and picked it up (a mere 12 miles away!) yesterday morning. Within a half hour, we'd cleared the table and chairs out, vacuumed and mopped the floor, let it dry, and installed the rug. 

Voila! What floor? I don't see that floor anymore. We walk into this room and see a comfortable kitchen space with a beautiful rug. Until it's time to pull up and replace that tile, this will do perfectly. Score another one for the Marketplace (and me!).

Hickory Hill Farm - Garden Progress...

2017 Hickory Hill Farm Garden

I've really been enjoying working in my garden this summer. I've added new plants and have been weeding, cultivating and watering the plants we put in first. They seem happy to be here, too.

I found a tool I really like. It's called a "garden claw", and it's wonderful for aerating the soil, and loosening the weeds so I can keep the bed clear. We originally placed mulch in this bed, but it made it really hard to keep after the weeds, and looking ahead, I figured it might make it more difficult for the plants to get larger and spread. So, about a week after we originally finished planting this bed, I raked and removed as much of the mulch as I could.

2017 Hickory Hill Garden - Phase 1

Now, all I have to do is go in with the "claw", remove the dislodged weeds and turn on the soaker hose...unless there's rain in the forecast (like there was yesterday evening). Tag and Bella like watching my progress from their vantage point on the porch.

So far, everything is doing well. We began with hostas, lavender, foxgloves, obedient plant, hollyhocks, chamomile, basil, rosemary and cilantro. All of those plants are thriving. In fact, the basil seems to have doubled in size since I trimmed off four cups for my first batch of pesto! I'm ready to make my second harvest this week for another batch.

I found shasta daisies at a local garden center, so I've added Mom's favorite flower to our yard. I'm sure I'll add more of them in the next phase, next summer. I also added a pot of mint (which I kept in the pot to keep it from spreading this year).

Kitchen Garden

I also have a little kitchen garden, too. I purchased celery, lettuce and sweet potatoes a few weeks ago. After I trimmed off the bottoms, I placed them in water until they root, and then I'll transfer them to soil. One of the celery plants is already in soil and growing well. The sweet potato (on the back left) is really putting out leaves, but the roots aren't ready to plant yet. I have a second celery in the window and lettuce on the right side of the windowsill. (It's a little wonky, and so far, I'm not doing well with lettuce, so we'll see if this one makes it.) The four plants in the right foreground are kohlrabi. I've recently discovered this vegetable, and I love it! I'm curious to see if this method yields new kohlrabis, too.

Newest Garden Addition

We have a new addition to the garden, too. This is a fabulous, old double farm sink. It's about six feet long and really sturdy. My plan is to plant herbs into the sinks. My male corgi seems to think my tall plants are for his benefit, so I'm constantly shooing him away from them. This elevated garden planter is a perfect solution. Next year, my herbs will be planted here next to the back door where I can easily snip what I need. It will be a true farm-to-table project!

I guess my brown thumb really is turning green as I learn to tend the grounds here at the farm. It's my skin that's brown now from all the sunshine and fresh air!

Farmhouse Renovation - Pantry Racks...

Spice and Mug Racks In Farmhouse Pantry

I promised photos of my installed spice racks and our reproduction bottle rack (which we're using for mugs). They're installed and in use now, and I'm really happy with the way they turned out.

You may remember that I made these same racks for our pantry in Florida, and they worked really well. The only difference was that I added one more section to each set of "shelves". This was the post I shared with you of our Florida pantry. That post explains what I used and how I made them.

Pantry Wall Racks

We were told that this wall was drywall, instead of lathe and plaster, so I could use my favorite wall anchors to install the racks. Once they were installed, I put up my spice bottles. Yes, there are a few lot of spices there, and yes, they're arranged alphabetically. (How else would I find what I'm looking for? lol) What can I say? I love to cook!

The cup rack was purchased from DecorSteals. DecorSteals is a great place to purchase farmhouse or vintage items, but their items aren't always available, stock sells out quickly, and they may not ship for up to fourteen days after you order. When you see something really cool, you might have to wait a while for it to arrive. (Example: I ordered this rack on May 17th, and it didn't arrive until June 13th.) I think that's the only real downside of ordering from them. I do love the rack!

Vintage Scale, Antique Rolling Pins and Wash Boards

There are more than a few other vintage and antique items in our pantry. We purchased the scale in the late 1980s when my Labrador, Bryn had her first litter of puppies. We used this scale four times when Bryn and our golden Retriever, Samantha Rose had their litters. It holds memories of sweet puppies who grew and went to new homes when they got old enough (and two great hunting dogs that were wonderful mamas, too.)

The rolling pins are old, too. One belonged to my mother-in-law, one belonged to another family member, and one I puchased myself. They sit in a lovely, old crock I found at the antique mall in Kewaskum, WI last summer.

The washboards were Ebay purchases decades ago. I'm especially fond of the glass board, and was relieved when it arrived here safely after the move. I'll eventually mount it on the wall near where it stands now.

The Longaberger basket holds the attachments for my KitchenAid mixer. The mixer was a gift from Handsome and our boys in the 1980s. It's served me well all these years, and now it sits full-time on the counter in the pantry. I don't have to lift it to the counter to use it anymore. (It's really heavy!)

The Pantry At Hickory Hill Farm

This is how our pantry looks now that the racks are up. We'll change a few things when the kitchen is built later this year. The sink and base will come out to make room for our refrigerator. We'll put in a new countertop, and we'll put the same flooring in here that we decide on for the kitchen.

Even without those updates, this is a great room, and I really love that we have this entire space with all its storage conveniences. By fall, many of these cabinets will have home-canned goods in them, too. Just another thing to love about our farmhouse.
 

A Waterin' Hole...

Stock Tank Pool - FaceBook Group Image

 

Yesterday, I saw this image in a FaceBook (Airstream) group. Friends have been wondering if Tag and Bella might have a pool here at the farm. I've said that I thought a stock tank might be a fitting option. Digging a pool to use for three months (tops) in Wisconsin just seems silly. This tank would be a perfect solution - with the addition of a filtration system and a spigot (to empty it in the fall). 

Don't look for anything like this to happen this year (if at all). We have many other things planned for this summer...a new porch, and lots of family time. This is something that we'll contemplate for a future project. I wonder how big they make these tanks?

Ain't She Sweet...

Finished Plant Stand

Yesterday, I showed you what this little stand looked like when I brought her home. Today...voila! Finished!

Another View of the Plant Stand

 

A few coats of paint made all the difference. The tiles really stand out now. I'm not ready to place a plant on top of them yet either. I think she'll just stand in the room, flaunting her new look for a while.

I've repainted another piece, too. I'll share that with you next week. The trailers are going to be unloaded tomorrow. So much for a "day of rest". Sunday is going to be busy. I don't even want to think about it right now. I think I'll enjoy the spacious farmhouse (without all the boxes to unpack) while I can.

My Latest Find...

Newest Find For The Farmhouse

I was running errands in Plymouth, WI yesterday (not far from the farm), when I noticed an antique shop...and it was open! I pulled into the parking lot and went inside.

The shop is called "Forgotten Times", and it inhabits an older home. Each room is populated with the items you might have found there in earlier times. 

Tile Detail

 

I was looking for a dresser for the master bedroom (which I found!), but I also found this sweet stand. It has matching floral tiles in two different sizes on the top and lower shelves. It was a steal at only $10, so I bought it.

 

When I got home, I immediately opened a can of paint and started brushing away. It still needed one coat, so I'll share the finished stand with you tomorrow. I think you'll like its new look. I know I do! It's going to fit right in a Hickory Hill Farm. 

By the way, Forgotten Times doesn't have a website, but they are on Facebook. Their physical address is 108 Caroline Street, Plymouth, WI 53073. If you're in the area, be sure to stop in. The owner is very friendly, and you'll love all the wonderful things you'll find there. See you tomorrow!