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Across the Fence:  Silly question...  |
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clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 2:39:42 PM
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Ok, so I have a question that seems a bit silly and I'm a little embarrassed to ask, but I'm totally new at the "farmgirl" thing. I didn't grow up on a farm. I grew up in an apartment with a single mom LOL! But I have a farmgirl heart and a desire to live the simple life with my family.
The question....What does a farmgirl do in the winter?
I am so bored out of my mind, but I know there are much better things for me to do (well maybe not because there really is so much great information on here) than browse the MJ's Farm Forum threads for hours. During the summer I love being outside gardening and the boys stay outside practically the whole summer, but we are BORED right now. Help a mama out. What do farmgirls do to stay busy all winter? Give me projects and fun things to do with the kids...help me learn to organize...anything...I'm desperate!!! |
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Hosanna
True Blue Farmgirl
466 Posts
Hosanna
Alton
Virginia
466 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 3:05:08 PM
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Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I do a lot of embroidery and sewing projects in the winter months. Right now I am making a braided rug! Do you knit or crochet? Consider taking up a needle art. It's loads of fun.
I live on a farm and so winter also finds me working on the woodpile with my hunny (we have 2 wood stoves), feeding livestock, and catching up on other indoor projects.
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com
www.CarolinaRoses.etsy.com |
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Tanna
True Blue Farmgirl
195 Posts
Tanna
Fort Worth
TX
USA
195 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 3:06:29 PM
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I'm sure you will get 1000 different responses because there are so many things we may do.
I like to knit and quilt. Knitting big projects keep you warm while you knit :) Of course, baking is also great because having the oven on when it's 15 degrees outside it quite nice. I'm thinking that the boys and I are going to make the chocolate chip cookies from the latest issue of MJF. Warm homemade bread it terrific in the winter too. Pair it with a savory soup. My boys love making bread, specifically the kneading.
If you don't have a craft you love pick one and learn it. Winter is a great time to learn something new. I have started planning my spring garden too. Nothing to take your mind off the cold like turning your head to thoughts of spring gardens! My youngest son and I have picked out what we are going to plant and where.
Oh, I also grew up in an apartment with a single mom.
Tanna |
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Cowgirl Cocinera
True Blue Farmgirl
105 Posts
Dana
Chelsea
OK
USA
105 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 3:12:37 PM
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Hello amiga, during the winter I find myself doing more cooking and baking. It's the only time I have for any arts and crafts projects, too. I like to make art quilts, crochet, wool felting and needle felting and primitive rug hooking. I also like to write letters and postcards to my friends and pen pal. I'm doing a Valentines card swap and pin keeper swap on the Farmgirl Barter Site which should be lots of fun. I have horses, so part of my daily routine is spent taking care of them, feeding and now chopping ice at the pond so they can get to the water to get a drink. These are just a few things that keep me busy this time of year. Hope this helps. Dana
Cowgirl cookin' makes you good lookin' |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 3:13:00 PM
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quilting, jewelry making, crafts for the kids are always a hit, lots of baking, sitting down and making improvement lists for all parts of the ranch/farm, designing/improveing garden plots, This is the time of year that I have time, spring, summer and fall are 16 plus hr days around here (and I'm not complaining , I love being busy ), so find your niche and go with it.
Oh, and by the way, there is no such thing as a silly question, thats how we learn, and I learn something new all the time, lol.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
Edited by - 1badmamawolf on Jan 09 2010 3:14:51 PM |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 3:22:35 PM
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We raise chickens and have horses so there are still pleanty of chores to do around here. I do a lot of cooking and baking in the winter alsong with painting, sewing, and crafts.
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
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Karrieann
True Blue Farmgirl
1900 Posts
Karrieann
Northeast
Georgia
USA
1900 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 3:45:47 PM
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...there's never a silly question! Only the ones not asked are silly!
this time of the year gives me better opportunity for reading books!
Karrieann ~ Farmgirl Sister #766 (29 Sept 2009)
My etsy: Yesterday's Scraps, Tomorrow's Treasures http://www.etsy.com/shop/2TomorrowsTreasures |
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clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 4:41:33 PM
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| I do knit. I LOVE to knit. I just feel guilty sitting and knitting when I feel like there's something more productive I should be doing. Not that knitting is not productive. |
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Karrieann
True Blue Farmgirl
1900 Posts
Karrieann
Northeast
Georgia
USA
1900 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 4:48:43 PM
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...start knitting something.. for someone .. for next Christmas.. then you'll be ahead! That would be very productive!
:o)
Karrieann ~ Farmgirl Sister #766 (29 Sept 2009)
My etsy: Yesterday's Scraps, Tomorrow's Treasures http://www.etsy.com/shop/2TomorrowsTreasures |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 4:50:24 PM
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Alot of us still have livestock to care for no matter the time of year or weather, (I do), but you're not planting, canning or harvesting during the winter, most of us don't have babies dropping this time of year either, (but soon), so you know the saying, "Idle Hands...".
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 5:33:29 PM
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I look at January and February as guilt free time. I've just come out the other side of the holiday crunch and I have a couple of months before the weather is decent enough to get back outside. I use that time for sewing, knitting, spinning, painting and catching up on housework. It's a great time for cleaning out closets and drawers - getting rid of the old year and looking forward to a clean start for the new year. Like Teresa, there are still animals to take care of but the springtime crunch is a way off so enjoy the free time....
Blessings, Sheri
"Work is Love made visible" -Kahlil Gibran |
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Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Jan 09 2010 : 6:04:24 PM
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Taking care of the horses etc in the winter time seems to take alot more time. But, when I am not at the barn there is alot of sewing that needs to be done. Knitting, Crochet, sewing, I didn't have boys but I had girls. Baking was always good and both my brothers and husband all learned to be very good cooks. Kids seem to find baking enjoyable and with sons you have someone to eat the baking. My nephew loves to quilt, he is an artist at heart and both my brothers and husband all sew. My husband made extra money when he was in the navy sewing duffle bags for the other guys and selling them. They might enjoy learning to make lanyards, my girls even took a class once in re-braiding lead ropes for horses.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2010 : 05:27:24 AM
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I use winter to "spring clean". I am just too busy in the spring to do it. I clean out closets and drawers and do any other spruce up inside. I also sew and crochet and bake a lot. My DH gave me the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book for Christmas and I am obsessed. We just got through a few bad snow storms and below zero weather...I just stayed in the house and dragged out my old Mary Jane's Farm magazines and dreamed of spring.
Why not go out on a limb, that's where all the fruit is! "Mark Twain"
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/ |
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clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2010 : 06:58:03 AM
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| I need to get that book Diane. I have heard so much about it and would love to be baking fresh bread everyday to keep my kitchen warm in the winter. My kitchen is the coldest room in the house because one entire wall is windows pretty much. |
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clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2010 : 07:25:22 AM
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| Oh...and...I am not the greatest at baking bread. I've only once had a recipe come out perfect. I use the bread flour and everything, but it just never turns out as pretty as it should. Maybe I need this winter to perfect bread baking! |
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N@n
True Blue Farmgirl
223 Posts
Hackett
Arkansas
USA
223 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2010 : 07:44:52 AM
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Hello Clothedinscarlet,
Welcome to MJ's community. I am a summer resident of Michigan not too far from Battle Creek. We have a cabin north of Mio and will be there by about May. Keep working on the bread and the artisan bread is the best. Even if it doesn't look picture perfect, it still tastes unbelievable!! Have a warm winter. Actually, you are warmer up there right now than we are here in Ark. And time spent knitting is never wasted. I just finished black hat with ice blue snow flakes. If I ever can figure out how to post pix, I will post a pic of it. It is beautiful and warm. and only took about three days to complete. I have had the sniffles for a couple of days and found it soothing to pick up my needles.
Nan in Ark.
keep searchin'-it's out there somewhere. |
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donna rae
True Blue Farmgirl
52 Posts
Donna Rae
Virginia Beach
VA
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2010 : 10:02:47 AM
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My daughter and I spent a day making the gingerbread barn featured in the last issue of MJF. It was so fun, and now we're planning for next year while we bake other goodies for friends who are sick or hurting or shut in.
Donna Rae
Farmgirl Sister # 593
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knittingmom
True Blue Farmgirl
665 Posts
AnneMarie
Edmonton
Alberta
Canada
665 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2010 : 10:05:33 AM
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I'm a city gal with a farmgirl heart too. Baking is always good, I knit, read, when it's not 20 below go for walks.
"There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world" |
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delicia
True Blue Farmgirl
917 Posts
delicia
cincinnati
ohio
USA
917 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2010 : 12:13:31 PM
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| I love to do needlepoint, bake, organize and start planning my small garden for next spring. You might also like to let your boys plan for a garden, or maybe a scrapbooking project or a family project where you research your families history. I have a friend that puts a card table up and has a huge puzzle that the whole family works on when during the winter months. |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2010 : 4:40:17 PM
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Another thing you can do in the winter is to make special treats for the outside birds. Spread peanut butter in a pine cone and hang it up for the birds to eat. Take old bread, spread it with peanut butter and press seeds into it and bake it just until it starts to get crisp. Make a "wreath" using peanuts. Also it's a great time to go for walks through the woods. the cardinals look so bright against the white snow.
Cindy
"Dog is my co-pilot"
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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Across the Fence: Silly question... |
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Silly question...
