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Welcome to Mary Margaret's Blog

How to Pick Your Own Bouquet And Make it Last

The busy summer can have you constantly running from this to that, right? 

And it is hard to find time to slow down and do something spontaneous.

I understand. I’m a farmer and full-time mama.

 

But, who doesn’t love slowing down to enjoy the beauty of nature and picking some gorgeous flowers along the way?

I know that I always find joy in picking flowers. Even just a small handful. Something about being outside and seeing all of the pretty blooms gently blowing in the breeze persuades me to be an authentic part of it.

This Indian Inspired One Pot Meal Can Be Made With Any Veggies

Do you ever have a fridge full of veggies and no idea what to do with all of them?

Well, that happens to me at least a couple of times a week!

I'm incredibly blessed to live on a farm that produces year round organic veggies and because of that there are always veggies (mostly seconds that can't be sold) flowing into my fridge.

It's my job to make something that everyone will eat out of whatever I have in abundance.

Deer Trouble? How To Get More Garden Goodness For You And Less For Them

Eat more veggies that's what it's all about, right?

Or grow more flowers for yourself and the bees?

But what about when the deer haven't gotten that memo?

What about when they come in and take big bites out of everything you've worked hard to plant including your tomato plants, your lettuce, and sunflowers?

That's what I'm here for today. To help you outwit the deer.

Because believe me do we have experience in doing just that.

 

How To Eat And Love This Spring Green Found In Everyone's Yard

Do you know what plant I'm talking about? Or are you skeptical?

Yes, I guarantee you that this spring green can be found in your yard.

In fact, they can be found on every continent in the world, except for Antarctica.

Traditionally they have been valued for their edible and medicinal properties.

How To Keep Cucumber Beetles And Other Garden Pests Away Without Chemicals

Some of the most common questions we get are:

How do you deal with pests on your organic farm?

How to deal with the cucumber beetles that come every year and destroy my plants before they can make fruits at all or very many?

Why do my radish leaves always have so many holes in them that they don't do much on the root part?

I don't like getting worms in my cauliflower/broccoli/cabbage. What do I do?

10 Favorite Ways To Use Veggies And Eggs

Do you have eggs coming out of your ears this time of year?

Or do your neighbors?

What about the the farm down the (muddy) road?

Yep, it's that time of year! The sunlight has come back and backyard chickens are in full production.

Our 5 year old daughter is in charge of getting the chicken eggs every day and counting them. She reports up to 17 eggs some days now!

Which is awesome! Because guess what?

How To Grow Fresh Veggies And Flowers Without Garden Space

Hi!  It's Mary Margaret here.  I'm so excited to bring you this special guest post by Ripley Farm's Assistant Farmer Hannah Johnson! 

She's our "garden anywhere" girl, and she's about to show you how easy it is to grow the fresh organic veggies and flowers of your dreams even if you don't have garden space.  Read on and let her personal experience, tips, and success growing in containers guide you to your own...

 

How To Win A Farm Fresh Thanksgiving Veggie Basket

Update: We have a winner!  Susan H. won out of 155 entries!  Congratulations!

 

Thanksgiving is just around the corner... 

And this year, I'm ready for it.  In fact, eating healthy while relaxing with family is on my mind.  And yours, too, I bet!

We can help with that!

Enter to win our farm fresh Thanksgiving Veggie Basket PLUS 6 recipes to go with it and you’ll be well on your way to simple, easy holiday eating that includes farm fresh organic vegetables!

Interested? Why not??

How To Use Leeks And A New Favorite Recipe

What do I do with leeks?

That is a question I get often.

And I'm not surprised.  I didn't grow up with leeks.  Why not just use onions, right?

Well..... first off, not to get off topic, but don’t they look amazingly appetizing?

The long, slender, sleek look is in, right?

And their attractive blue-green and white contrast and palm-like fans at the top make leeks unarguably one of the most gorgeous specimens of the vegetable world.

Their nutty taste is equally intriguing!

This One Prep Hack Will Have You Eating More Veggies Guaranteed

You're so busy especially when the fall school routine rolls around, right?

I'm homeschooling my daughter, and with fall harvests and wanting to be outside as much as possible, I'm always looking for ways to keep the kitchen time to a minimum. If that's you, too, I'm here to help!

There is a prep hack that has been a game changer for me in terms of saving time, so I want to share it with you in case you're looking to do the same and haven't yet discovered it.

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