Merry Christmas!

It's a white Christmas on the flower farm! God's blessings to you all! Merry Christmas!

A Winter Vegetable Garden

Putting an empty bench in the greenhouse to good use by growing some cool season veggies! Cabbage, Kale, Daikon Radish, Carrots, Onions and Turnips!

Already enjoying fresh salad greens and hoping for radishes with Christmas dinner!

Nebraska Fermented Foods

A new Facebook page for those who have been interested in our 'Lacto-Fermenting 101' classes!  Nebraska Fermented Foods (sorry, I am not tech savvy enough to be able to post a link...but you knew that already)!

Nebraska Fermented Foods is a local grassroots movement to bring back the art of preserving food with lacto-fermentation.  Through this page we hope to share recipes, share best practices, give testimonies and answer health questions. Please join us and like our page!

Surprise!

My sweetie's surprise for me today. He did a bit of Christmas decorating! True love...the reason behind the season!

You Don't See This Every Day!

Crazy icicles on the flower farm!

Marathon Cooking!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend!

We're doing a few marathon cooking days in preparation for the busy growing season ahead!

Homemade breads, canned soups and sauces along with a freezer filled with garden veggies and refrigerators filled with fermented foods will help to keep us as healthy as the plants on the flower farm!

The kitchen smells pretty wonderful, too!

Looking Forward!

My favorite way to spend the day after the season's first freeze?

In the greenhouse preparing for the next growing season!

A Perfect Day!

A perfect Saturday on the flower farm!

Morning play and cuddle time with Katie Comfort Dog followed by a fantastic fermentation class! 

Happy hearts here!

Final Class of the Season!

Time to register for the final 'Lacto-Fermenting 101' class of the season! Learn to ferment Krauts, Kimchi's, Salsas, Relishes...even some sweet treats! No canning or cooking and every jar is filled with yummy probiotic goodness! Lots of taste testing including homemade Sourdough Bread topped with my newest recipe...Fermented Pumpkin Butter! Cost of class is $10.00, limited seating and advanced registration required. Classes will resume April 2016. 

Special Visitors!

Special visitors on the flower farm yesterday! Thank you to our friends and 'TLC' prayer angels for your continued support of Emily's journey and The Little Giant's Foundation. Love these two little princesses to the moon and back!

Thank You!

Has to be my favorite part of our Open Houses...all the love and hugs!

A huge thank you to everyone who attended our Fall Open House last weekend! A special thank you to our friends and family for taking time from their busy schedules to help us. 

We are also grateful for your generous support of The Comfort Dog Program (Ken is a little attached to Katie...can you tell?) and The Little Giant's Foundation. We appreciate your continued prayers for Little Giant Emily as she continues to recover. 

God bless you all!

The Celebration Continues!

What an amazing first day of our Fall Open House! Even our youngest visitors had a great time! 

The celebration continues...Saturday from 9 to 5 and Sunday from 10 to 4. Lunch and refreshments served to benefit Trinity Lutheran's Comfort Dog program. Come meet Katie!

She's making lots of new friends out here on the flower farm!

Pumpkin Time on the Flower Farm!

It's pumpkin time on the Flower Farm! Fall Open House tomorrow and Saturday 9 to 5 and Sunday 10 to 4. Lunch and refreshments served to benefit Trinity Lutheran's Comfort Dog program. Come meet Katie Comfort Dog! Stop by The Little Giants Foundation table and sign a card to wish Little Giant Emily the very best as she continues to work so hard in her recovery from a major health crisis. Looking forward to celebrating the treasures of the seasons with all of you!

Celebrating!

A bit of celebrating on the Flower Farm!

Exactly one year and three months after last year's hail storm...our beautiful new roof is on!

Feeling very grateful!

Fall Open House!

It's almost here! Fall Open House September 11, 12 and 13. Lunch and refreshments served to benefit Trinity Lutheran Church's Comfort Dog Program. Come meet Katie Comfort Dog!

A Happy and Healthy Hubby!

Love it when I'm creating a new fermented recipe and my 'meat and potatoes' loving husband walks in the house, takes a taste and says...

"Wow! This is really going to be good! Maybe you should make another batch while you're at it"! 

Looks like my Mexican Cucmber Salad is going to be another fermenting success! Will be tossing it with some cornbread croutons just before serving. 

So happy to be getting some healthy, probiotic-filled foods into my hard working hubby! 

Next fermenting classes...September 26 and October 17 from 1:00 to 3:00. Let us know if we can save a seat for you!

Nature's Art

A tomato tire!

Tomato Time...

It's tomato time...FINALLY! These beautiful heirloom and beefsteak-type varieties are perfect for eating, juicing, freezing and fermenting. So colorful and delicious!

New Babies!

New babies and a very proud mama on the flower farm!

Blessings And Miracles...

Our beautiful blooms are a constant reminder of God's amazing blessings and miracles. 

Many of you have met Little Giant Emily Koesters at our open houses. 

Emily has been hospitalized and is currently unresponsive. Her family is anxiously waiting for answers. Please join us in prayer as we ask for this incredible Little Giant and her family to be blessed by a miracle. 

Save the dates!

Fall Open House...September 11, 12 and 13! Friday and Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm.

Also taking reservations for our next 'Lacto-Fermenting 101' classes. Learn to make healthy and probiotic-filled foods from your garden harvest. The Fremont Hy Vee dieticians will be our guest speakers. The next classes are scheduled for August 8 and September 26 from 1pm to 3pm. Class fee is $10.00. Let us know if we can save a seat for you!

Beware!

Found this unusual caterpillar on a hosta leaf in the pergola. Apparently, it is most likely a Flannel Moth Caterpillar (an entomologist agrees) and has traveled much further north of it's normal range. Although it looks soft enough to pet, touching it can cause very severe reactions in humans. A good reminder to ourselves, fellow gardeners and curious kiddos to be respectful of the insect world. Please share. 

A New Discovery!

Have always loved the Cobweb Sempervivum's ability to spin it's own web. 

Just discovered the blooms are pretty amazing, too!

Blooming Beauties!

More blooming beauties! Have a great weekend!

Water, Water...

It's really hot out here but there is something to be said about spending the day walking around with a garden hose in your hand...the sights are incredible!

New Fermented Goodies...

More delicious and probiotic-filled goodies for Saturday's class...Lacto-Fermenting 101.

Fermented Watermelon Salsa, Corn Relish and Watermelon Soda!

Saturday's class is filled but there are a few seats available for our next class: July 18 at 1:00. Advance registration please. Class fee is $10.00. 

P.S. 5 inches of rain on the flower farm last night and it's still coming down!

What a Cutie!

Discovered this little cutie today. Can't wait for it to grow larger so we can enjoy some fermented pickles! We also cut our first bunch of Dill Weed to dry this morning. Should be perfect timing and a delicious combination! Yum!