Stark Beauty...

Southern Granary

  Traveling to get Bella. I love all farm buildings. ALL.  Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall.  Every season is a beautiful season for a farm building. 

Goodness From The Farm...

Yesterday, Taggart told you about his farming operation.

Today, I'd like to tell you about our inspiration...West Coast Aqua Farms.

I've been calling it "hydroponic", however they call it "aquaponic" on their website. 

If you visit their site, you can see firsthand the distinction between the two processes.

 When they first started setting up their operation, they started on the other side of 

their front yard, but this is what that installation looked like...pipes with these white 

containers of graduated sizes on each one. There were pipes and pots as far as the eye 

could see - and fabric-covered structures at the back that house the lobster operation.

 Only a few short months later, this is what those pots look like.

Each pot, from top to bottom, is filled with lush green vegetables!

 The white pots in the photograph above will soon be filled with

another crop and be overflowing with green goodness just like these!

 When I went there last weekend, I purchased green leaf lettuce and four

beautiful, slightly spice peppers. They're naturally, hydroponically grown

with only the waste water from their lobster operation to feed their plants. The 

best part was that this whole, brimming bowl of deliciousness cost only $5.00!

I know that I have more than a few readers who live in the area, so if you are

in the market for beautiful, healthy and natural veggies at a reasonable price,

please visit our neighborhood to shop at West Coast Aqua Farms.

They're located on Malton Street, just off Tropicaire Boulevard in North Port.

They're only open on Saturdays, but when they're open, they have signs out

at all the intersections advertising their "Natural Produce For Sale".

You can also purchase lobsters from them when they're in stock. 

(They sell FAST!)

You can call ahead to 941.426.7921

Email: westcoastaquafarms@yahoo.com or 

visit them on the web at www.westcoastaquafarms.com

In case you're wondering...I'm not being compensated for this post. I just

 believe in sharing good news and great products when I find them. (One of 

these days, I'll tell you about the our farm-fresh eggs, right up the road, too!)

I'll be back with more "crafty" things tomorrow!

Reminder: You have until Friday to enter my Fourth Blog Birthday Giveaway.

Click here to enter!

I Love Barns...

We're in Wisconsin!!! Thanks to my Wisconsin blogger friend, Christine E., (and a few others) who apparently put in a good word with the man upstairs, the weather was absolutely perfect to greet two weary Florida travelers. The first time we got out of the car in Wisconsin, even Kes was jumping around like a little puppersnapper! I had a great time with my camera after I put my crochet hook away. Let me explain.

I'm sure I haven't shared this tidbit with you before, but simply put, I love barns! I have this almost primal reaction when I see them, and upon entering them, they inspire an emotion in me that I can't really put into words. When I try to explain it to someone, I almost choke up. That's how strongly I feel about them. Their shape, their color, the light coming in through the boards, the memories of animals long gone...everything. Yup, even the smell - empty or not.

Everything about barns has captured my soul since I was a child. In fact, my brothers and sisters all felt that at some point in my life I would find one, renovate it and then move in. I never even noticed that, on childhood family trips, I would always point out farm buildings and barns. I now know all these years later, that I was transfixed by these buildings. Maybe in a previous life, if one believes in those things...

So, on this trip, as we rolled through Wisconsin (at 60-70 miles an hour), Handsome drove and I snapped photographs. I took pictures of barns, farms and wind generators. I was - as we say around our house - in hog heaven.

I've made today's mosaic a link to all the photographs I took that I deemed worthy to keep. You can understand that oncoming semis blocking a particularly lovely building and blurry photos would not make the cut. I'd love to know if you feel the same way I do about barns. Perhaps you can explain it better than I can.

I'm having so much fun reading all your comments in my 100th Giveaway and subsequent posts! Thank you all for showing me so much affection. You're all my inspiration and I'm looking forward to Friday when I can share the love. If you're new, you can leave comments in each post since the 100th Post Giveaway and subsequent posts for entries into my Friday drawings. If you become a "follower", you'll get TWO extra entries. If you have a blog and link to me, you'll get a Bonus entry! Thanks again!