Wilder Together

Hello Farmgirl friends!

It’s hard to believe it has already been almost a month since our wedding!  Some of you might remember when Evan and I were engaged…five years ago.  A lot has happened in the interim—two children, many new friends, a few hard losses of loved ones, new jobs, new homes and some fun vacations.  It probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that I don’t feel that much different after getting married.  The most shocking thing I’ve had to accept is the new title of “Mrs.” which is how my step cousin addressed me as we chatted in the receiving line after the ceremony.  

Newly Weds

Newlyweds

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  1. Betsy says:

    I was so happy to be there and to help a dearest friend get married. And yes, I was one of the ones who cried through the whole thing — so many tears of joy for a family I love so much!

  2. Karen Pennebaker says:

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful wedding !! May you live happily ever after !!

  3. I loved every word, every photo. I consider myself fortunate to have been invited to your wedding, after the fact, here, on your blog. The photo of you removing hair pins is classic gorgeous. Almost made me teary-eyed. Thank you so much Alex for sharing.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thank you for the kind words, MaryJane! So glad you could share with the day in a way. Much love to you and yours!

  4. Sandi King says:

    Oh, I love all the photos and the story of your wedding day. So unconventional it was wonderful. So nice of the whole family pitching in and helping to make your day so special. All the wonderful things that were made by members of your families is awesome. Your final picture is also very endearing, you with your grandma. It is so nice of you to share so much of your life with us who are strangers to you. It makes us feel special too. Here’s to a very blessed and wonderful married life.

  5. Debby Carrico says:

    I LOVE it and you all looked fantastic and beaming. Have a great ‘rest of your life’.

  6. Emma says:

    We had so much fun celebrating with you Wilders and are so glad we could be there. Love you all!!!!

  7. Marilyn says:

    Thank you for sharing this post. Ava ans Opal are beautiful. They look so lovely in their pretty dresses. Congratulations to the newlyweds.
    Marilyn

  8. Joan says:

    Thank you for sharing your special day!! Every word and picture is awesome!! How wonderful is your families, talented too. And those totally darling girls, love. Thanks gain. God bless.

  9. Judy from Maine says:

    Wishing you and Evan all the wonders that sharing a life together can and will bring. A new adventure begins.

  10. Shawna Gilbert says:

    Congratulations you guys from both Jon and I (and Grover)! Your wedding looked so beautiful and more importantly meaningful, it was a treat to read about, thanks for the blogpost.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Shawna (Gilbert!), so good to hear from you! It’s been so long. Fun to see all of these Korean romances tying their knots and growing families. Thanks for the note, hope you all are well!

  11. Becky Bartlett says:

    Oh my! It was a real thrill to see all the pictures and to read all about it. You were beautiful! I loved your dress. Evan was as handsome as ever. I’m glad he sang. And then there were those two darling girls……..what can I say? I knew I was a wedding crier,too. Now I also cry when I READ about a wedding! Hugs and kisses to all 4 of you.
    Aunt Becky

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Aunt Becky! We missed you, but I’m so happy you could “attend” electronically. Can’t wait until we see you again (hopefully soon!). Sending you hugs and kisses xox

  12. Laura R. says:

    Hi Alex Wilder !

    What a fantastic, warm, creative, loving event! Thank you for sharing! You have a way of showing us all what a blessing your life is, and help others to feel that too about our own lives, living simply and free. Many congratulations to the Wilder family 🙂

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Aw, thank you Laura! What a fantastic compliment. I hope this finds you living life simply and free, as well!

  13. Pamela deMarrais says:

    Alex, I am so happy for you and your beautiful family. Thank you for letting your readers have an insider look at to your wondeful wedding. You did a fantastic job of making it beautiful and meaningful. Congratulations!

  14. Krista says:

    Beautiful photos. So glad your shared for wedding day with us. I bet it was a wonderful experience that will forever be important to you and your family. You have such a talented family helping you out. Sending you many well wishes for a happily ever after!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thank you, Krista! We are so fortunate to have such talent in our families and that they were willing and able to share it with us.

  15. Debbie says:

    You were a beautiful bride and the love and fun of the day just pours out in your post. Thank you for sharing your wedding day with all of us and many happy years to the ” Wilders”! Love,
    Deb

  16. Grama Debbie says:

    Your timing to share about your wedding was perfect. I’m helping with the planning of my Granddaughter’s wedding coming Oct 7th. Nothing big she said. Just family and a very few close friends. I think we’re talking 40 – 50 people. I love some of your wonderful memories with pictures. It certainly makes for a vivid rolling movie as if I was there loving every minute and enjoying the girls. I have six daughters myself. All married, kids grown & growing, with 29 grands and 21 great grands. I wish we could see all of them. Anyway, I love the Magazine, your blog is awesome, and I’m a farm girl from a little town of 680 pop and loved everything about the farm and being my dad’s shadow and my mom’s student in life. Bless you precious young lady. I look forward to your next post.. Your Friend, Grama Debbie

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks Grama Debbie! Six Daughters, wowza! I hope your granddaughter’s wedding goes smoothly. It can all be such a whirlwind 🙂

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Farm Life: Dirty Days

Hello Farmgirl friends! I hope your summers are going well. I’m getting married this coming Sunday…it has arrived so quickly! This is a great respite from the planning, list making, and overall excited anticipation of our “Big Day.” While I’ve spent much of the last few months with contacting vendors, searching for flower girl dresses and selecting our favorite dance songs, I have also spent a good amount of time in the fields of Sun Circle Farm.

Freshly weeded onions!  Only took about 12 hours of woman work...Yay for organic farming!

Freshly weeded onions, fennel and and head lettuce! Only took about 12 hours of woman work…Yay for organic farming!

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  1. calle says:

    A woman after my own heart. Didn’t know any other women did the clothing smell test? Bahahahaha

    We are now into cutting stumps down and drilling holes to rot out the trunk roots.

    Problem is it is now headed up to near 109 F and higher. I got a canopy out to cover us, as it is dangerous heat that can kill.

    We will drink, and splash ourselves with cold water and take breaks.
    I do try to clean up for errands as they treat you better. And wet paint in the hair is a mess.

    Well dirty nails are not that bad, microbes in the soil help to keep us mentally well.
    Hope to see some wedding pictures, and the hubs is out working those fields.

    I have to mulch as weed pulling is not my friend.
    Best

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      109F–woof! That sounds miserable, I hope find a way to stay cool and safe in those temps! Clothing smell test forever!

  2. Krista says:

    How exciting to have your wedding just a couple days away! I hope it turns out the way you always dreamed of. Can’t wait to see pictures.

    I tolerate dirt but I do not enjoy being dirty. When my hands or body get dirty when I’m in the garden I am just fine, but I need to wash my hands and change my clothes when I come inside. Over the years I have become a little less of a clean freak and my garden has helped with that. As for my oldest son, he can’t stand being dirty, sticky, etc. I had always dreamed of having that wonderful picture of your naked baby covered in spaghetti but I never got that picture. He will not eat with his fingers or hands. Simply won’t touch it. He has to eat with a fork. I’m hoping my second boy will be different. Who knows, he may change over the years.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Oh! I love the idea of your neat little boy. Sometimes I wish my kids were a little more clean a lot less sticky, but it generally works out for us to be on the dirty side! My kids have turned out to be so different from each other–it’s almost like they are different people :), I hope you get your sticky spaghetti covered little boy photo, too!

  3. Denise Ross says:

    OH Alex, how exciting your getting married this weekend. I hope your day is so special and you all enjoy it.
    Lov getting my hands dirty when I do my container gardening, though it can prove a problem for me when I go to work and can’t get the stains off my fingers and hands, despite the extra scrubbing. I do wear gloves sometimes, but they are cotton and the dirt goes through anyways.
    Gorgeous pic of your girls, love they’re outside in the dirt. I struggle to get my son outside now, not much for him to do in our yard, I rent and am not allowed to dig a garden though I planted some of my plants in the garden that was here already. The rest I do in containers, slowly learning as I go. It’s winter, so only my snow peas and spring onions are doing much right now, but hope to do more when I warms up a bit more.
    Look forward to seeing some of your wedding photos.

  4. Joanne Luthman says:

    Congratulations! And best wishes!

  5. Marilyn says:

    Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Looking forward to some pictures.
    Marilyn

  6. Holly Mawby says:

    Absolutely! I sometimes where the same clothes for four or five days because they’re dirty and going to get dirtier! I sit on my bum when I weed and dirt gets inside, outside, everywhere! And don’t get me started on socks – not amount of bleach in the world is ever going to get my socks clean. I too do the smell test and dirt in my fingernails is a seasonal cycle – May to October – they’re clean Nov. to April. Same goes for my house (With the exception of the bathroom and kitchen – I have to have those clean)- I tell people, “I can’t have a clean garden and a clean house at the same time, so I only clean the house in months that have an ‘R’ in them; and September only because the ‘R’ comes at the end and that’s when I start cleaning!

  7. Joan says:

    I love the soil, eat all BUT I require a wash -off, if even from an outside water source. I got used to a ‘wash-off’ as a kid (more than 70 years ago) after “farming”, still love the getting wet. Best wishes to you and your family. God bless.

  8. Debbie says:

    Congratulations, Alex! I meant to comment on your announcement posting and never quite got to it. Why? I was most likely playing in the dirt. Wishing you a fabulous wedding day and many happy years together and Mr. and Mrs. Love the photo of the girls… adorable as always!
    Love,
    Beach Farmgirl, Deb ( aka earth pig, as my hubby lovingly calls me)

  9. Joanna K Fedewa says:

    I heard that the valley got a thunder storm! Would you believe it didnt make it out to Big Lake? I kept hoping it would! I love thunder storms and was rather looking forward to it! Oh well maybe I will get it next time!
    While I dont really like to get dirty, I do tend to wear the same clothes all the time though and I do have to smell test those clothes! But hey we live in Alaska! I like to think its perfectly acceptable to wear the same clothes more than once right? as long as they dont smell?
    I was going to ask you, how do you keep the moose out of your plants and vegetables? We’re thinking about trying to do a garden of sorts next year. And are getting ideas for how to keep the animals out of it. That might be hard to do though with where live! So any ideas would be welcomed!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      The thunderstorm was AMAZING. Lots of lightning right above the farm while we worked on the tomatoes. As for moose–we have a giant fence (8+ feet) around the property with an electric wire running along the top. One of my farmer friends has a wholly electric fence. it is 8-10 feet tall with electric wire running every 18 inches from bottom to top. It is strung along T-posts placed about every twelve feet. It runs mainly off of solar power. Mostly works like a charm. Moose seem to get through any fence at least once a season…then they do their thing of taking one big bite out of every cabbage they can find. It’s a lovely salad bar to them!

  10. Karen Pennebaker says:

    I pulled weeds, cut lettuce and purslane for a salad, and picked green beans this evening before fixing dinner for my grandson and myself…dirt is all part of gardening, for sure – I don’t have any problems with dirt… I have 3 sons and 6 grandchildren…I’ve seen plenty of dirt!! I live on a dirt road, so my truck is always dirty…no way out of it!!

    Congratulations on your wedding! Are your girls going to be the flower girls??

  11. Joy Pascarella says:

    Dirty girl here too! It’s been so hot and humid that the sweat on top of the dirt requires me to shower. Just clean undies are all I change. The pants can stand on their own as long as they are not too gamey. Shirts are always sniffed. I have GOOD clothes when I leave the house for knitting group,or store but the minute I get home, back into my grubby clothes and even an apron to collect eggs from the chickens.

  12. Diane Van Horn says:

    I must confess, I too am a dirtbag!

  13. Dori Troutman says:

    Super excited about your wedding Alex!! It will be so much fun to see pictures!! 🙂

    You are one of the hardest working farm girls I know! Loved all your pictures.

    Have a wonderful day Sunday. I’ll be thinking about you.

    xoxo

    – Dori –

  14. Marlene Capelle says:

    \How do you know what clean is if you don’t get dirty? Nothing like dancing toes in wet mud.

  15. Marlene Capelle says:

    Oh, and congratulations. Live long and prosper.

  16. Susabelle says:

    I am a fat woman who works hard, and I enjoy my showers. They take 7 minutes, and I feel so much better afterwards. It is just in me to do this. I get itchy and have very oily skin and hair, and I really don’t like to be smelly either. As a fat woman, that is a natural side effect of the extra weight. So I’m careful to clean up when I’m done.

    That being said, I have gone into stores dirty, but only in the country where everyone else is also dirty. I will say my hands are ALWAYS clean and that I garden 95% of the time with gloves on because those danged cuts take too long to heal and are painful.

    But I have to ask…why is weed pulling the only thing the organic farm is using to fight weeds? I have always used pulling as a last resort. I cover cover cover…either mulch or newspaper or cardboard. The only weeding I ever need to do is very close to the plant, and those are easy. When my mom and I ran our CSA, we weeded, yes, but it was the LAST thing we did after deploying other methods (newspaper and cardboard were our go-to most of the time).

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Hi Susabelle! I totally understand bathing after working–I sometimes wish I had that need, but it just doesn’t bother me! As far as weeding vs. mulching we have a few reasons: for one, we do have some major slug problems in AK and most mulching techniques tend to be good habitats for slugs. And then we have wind–lots and lots of wind. We’ve tried newspaper, cardboard and straw mulch but it turns into a huge mess and doesn’t stay put. We use IRT plastic on some crops, but the weeds still grow under them–it is mostly used to warm the soil. I guess gardening fabric could be used for some of the longer season crops but that would be a lot of waste at the end of the season as it’s hard to reuse it. We will try that next year for our peas, because they are a disaster! We do have several acres in production but we don’t have a large tractor to put down row cover and it would be a lot of purchased mulch to apply (and we’d have to purchase USDA organic certified–if that’s available up here I’m sure it’s cost prohibitive). So, I guess we’re stuck with weeding. The pigs and other livestock like the fruits of our labor and we get some good personal time with the plants, so those are pluses! Weeding has been a large part of my job on every production farm I’ve worked on. I think it’s awesome that mulching worked for you! It’s an amazing tool when it can be utilized.

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Under the Midnight Sun

There are strange things done in the midnight sun...

~Robert W. Service

Happy Solstice Farmgirl friends!! You can tell it’s solstice time in Alaska (and I bet about everywhere else, too)–there is so much going on from visitors to festivals to backyard parties.  Of course, the farming season is gearing up and the fields at Sun Circle Farm are almost at maximum capacity (one of these years a fallow field will remain fallow!)  Looking through my photos over the last month, I found that there were beautiful gems everywhere…

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  1. Barb P. says:

    Beautiful photos, and a wonderful post! Congratulations on your up-coming wedding 🙂 I so look forward to your posts!

  2. Krista says:

    Congratulations on getting married! I bet you are super excited. I can’t wait to hear all about it.
    Loved seeing all your pictures and hearing about your exciting bachelorette. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as planned, but I think because it didn’t it will be more memorable for you. It sounds like you will have to plan another trip by yourself to get some more you time in. It’s important. I had my first me day about 3 weeks ago. Now I understand why it’s so important. I haven’t had a day away from my boys since the days they were born.
    Have a wonderful Solstice!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Krista! We are pretty excited, it’s fun to plan a party that represents us :). Personal days are so important! Luckily I get quite a few opportunities to go do things on my own, but usually they aren’t overnight. This is the first time I had been away from Opal overnight, and while I missed her and my family it felt good to be solo!

  3. Beth Keehne says:

    Congratulations on “making it legal” my partner in crime and I waited TEN years before we did, at his mother’s urging….LOL! No regrets and we have always said that we felt like we were married from the get-go. Love the pictures of your girls and your adventure, what a wonderful way to spend some solo time! It is important to grab that when you can with a young family like yours. Best of luck!!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Beth! We, too, are getting married much to appease some folks in our families. Of course, it is for us, too. It will be fun! We have felt married from the get go, as well. Hope you are great!

  4. Theresa L Talarek says:

    Congratulations! And, I very much enjoyed your adventures here, and your photos throughout! Please do write a whole blog entry on the soil blocker. 🙂 I have one I haven’t used in a long time and need to get back to it.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Theresa! And I had to laugh about the soil blocking–I hadn’t done it in a few years, either, but it is a great tool and makes transplanting SO much easier.

  5. Sandi King says:

    Absolutely wonderful story! I was there with you in Spirit. I would have loved to be there with you in physical form if I was a lot younger. LOL. That is my kind of alone time or at least it used to be when, you guessed it, ‘I was a lot younger’. I loved the pictures – your dog Moki is a truper; so glad you took him along. Congrats on your upcoming wedding. Wish you and Evan all the best for the future. Don’t give up your ‘alone time trips’ though. They can rejuvenate so many things. Glad you took the ‘turn around’ to go back when it got windy like a hurricane. Maybe you can hike the 11 mile later on and let us know what it was like. I do so enjoy your posts and your outings. Until next time, then!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks for the kind words, Sandi! We will definitely keep up our alone time opportunities–they are vital to sanity :). Hope you are great!

  6. Marilyn says:

    Thank you for sharing these great pictures. Your girls are beautiful.
    Marilyn

  7. Joy says:

    Congratulaions on your wedding! You are brave to hike on your own. I bet it was great to prove you could do it. Wonderful photos of kids and farming. you do look happy!

  8. Joan Price says:

    Great post!!!! Congratulations on your up-coming marriage!!!! Looking forward to the pictures and then some from the farm. We are having a HOT summer but cooling nicely at night, sounds like a little thunder/rain might happen soon, we sure can use the rain. Love those babies of yours. God bless.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Joan! We are having a pretty cool summer here so far. Early season was especially chilly so the crops feel like they are a bit behind. Last year was especially warm and early so this year feels really late! Hope you get your rain!

  9. Joanna K Fedewa says:

    Wowie! as my Grandma would say! Thats a pretty amazing hike you took! I have not ventured out into Denali alone yet! I’m not sure if I have the guts to do that or not! I am terrified of the bears. I actually saw one in front of my bedroom window late at night once! That scared me for the rest of my life probably! I did recently buy some bear spray. The bear sighting was two years ago! When we first moved out to Big Lake from Wasilla.
    I live in Big Lake Alaska, which isnt too far from Palmer! About an hour drive. You probably know it? Maybe drove by it on the way to Denali! I love your pictures! I always love seeing local pictures of Alaska! I do love Palmer! and if I didnt live in Big Lake, it’d probably be Palmer! If you havent checked it out yet, you should totally go to the Reindeer Farm and hike the Butte!
    Happy Summer Solstice!
    PS Now I really wanna go up to Denali again!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Hi Joanna! Yes, I’m familiar with Big Lake, I’ve been out there a few times to pick up bees and gardening supplies :). My partner works in Anchorage, so we can’t live too far away or he would never be home! Bears are scary, especially with all of the strange activity in the last couple of weeks. I love hiking solo, but totally understand the fear as it is very real. I now have two people in my distant circles who have been attacked, so I try to be extra vigilant. Love the Reindeer farm and the Butte! Happy Solstice!

  10. Dori Troutman says:

    Congratulations Alex! I can’t wait to hear news of your wedding!

    I loved reading this blog post (is there any blog post you write that I don’t love?) and even though it is absolutely nothing I would ever do in Alaska (I’m such a wimp), I sure loved reading about your hike. I have hiked and camped in the Grand Canyon but there were no bears to be worried about! 🙂 I’ve done some hiking in Alaska a few years ago with family that live there and honestly I was just constantly worried about the bears. I never could relax. But the next time I go back to visit Alaska, I’m going to let those fears go!!

    Happy farming… can’t wait to hear all about your summer.

    – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –

    P.S. Those girls of yours…. so precious!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Dori! I think a healthy fear of bears is a good thing–there is plenty to fear where humans encroach more and more into wild spaces. However, that shouldn’t keep you from exploring confidently :). A bear aware class could be fun as part of a vacation to Alaskan. It’s a very Alaskan thing to do!

      Hope you are well, great to hear from you! Happy Summer 🙂

  11. Amanda says:

    Best wishes for you and your family! Speaking of hurricane force winds, that describes my wedding day! T.S. Ivan hit our area the night before, but the sun came out as we said our vows. The flooding made for some fun pictures! I love seeing your part of the world… and those adorable little girls! Mine are growing up too fast! The girls are giggling at your bear stories. The local black bear shows up at their school once a year. Enjoy your sunshine, we haven’t had much of that here!

  12. Deedee mcdonald says:

    So so happy for you!! Congratulations!!!

  13. Joanne Luthman says:

    Loved your story! Pretty exciting! And you are quite the gardener/farmer, from the looks of your hoop houses!
    Good luck with your wedding plans!

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Rural Farmgirl in the City: Final Thoughts

Hello everyone! It seems like it’s been ages since I last wrote!  Usually time seems to move so quickly, it’s kind of a nice change to feel that time was moving a little slowly.  I’m not sure how that happened, especially since it seems like my daily mental task list keeps getting longer and longer with the length of our days.

We are smack dab in the middle of moving right now! We just finished packing up our moving truck, and it is ready to be driven back to the more rural town of Palmer.  Good-bye city life!  It’s been real.

We have amassed enough stuff to fill a 20 foot U-Haul...how times have changed!

We have amassed enough stuff to fill a 20 foot U-Haul…how times have changed!

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  1. Krista says:

    What a fun new adventure coming your way! Good luck with all the packing as well as all the unpacking at your new place. I can’t wait to hear some stories of your new home and see how Opal likes the new country life. Be safe with your travels.

  2. Joan says:

    Oh boy, a new adventure! Will be exciting to hear about it. God bless.

  3. Maureen says:

    I love the “babies in a box”!!! They were some of my children’s favorite”toys”. Best wishes on your new grand adventure!

    Maureen

  4. Sandi King says:

    Hi Alex! Great pictures and great family of yours. Moving is wonderful, hard, exciting, strenuous, and life-changing to say the least. I hope you will be in your new ‘old home’ soon and can relax enjoying life to the fullest and writing again more often about your adventures in the near future. We have missed your blogs.

  5. Marilyn says:

    Good luck with the move. Wishing years of happiness in your new home.
    Marilyn

  6. Laura R. says:

    Good luck in your new home!! I can tell you are following your heart 🙂

  7. Rowena Philbeck says:

    Have a safe trip to the country. Sounds wonderful. I went from the country to now city and would love to move back just land around here is so expensive and may have to go farther out.

  8. Stef says:

    Love the pics of your cuties! Our second child is on the way and I look forward to lots of pics of two littles getting in trouble together. We live in the country and love our large backyard for our toddler. Can’t wait to see more of your new environment.

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The Six Seasons of the North

As I sit in my mother’s Minnesota living room with warm, sun-kissed cheeks, it’s hard for me to believe that just two weeks ago I was sledding and skiing in Alaska!  A few thousand miles and a couple springtime weeks can make a big difference, amiright? We just celebrated one of the nicest (weather-wise and family-wise) Easter Sundays in recent memory.  The girls searched for Easter eggs–outside and barefoot–with their cousins before spending a good hour or more playing on a nearby playground, bare legs dangling from swings and hands free from the confines of winter’s mittens.

Opal's first Easter Egg hunt--bare foot, happy and full of sugar.

Opal’s first Easter Egg hunt–bare foot, happy and full of sugar.

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  1. Krista says:

    I love your pictures! The brown bear looks very beautiful! I never thought of considering the break up and the freeze up as seasons, but your right. They really are just like their own seasons. I hope you enjoy your break from the break up season and have some wonderful bare foot spring weather!

  2. Denise Ross says:

    Beautiful photos Alex. I didn’t know about the other two seasons – the break up and the freeze up – but that would make a lot of sense to have them as distinct seasons, they have such an impact on life in Alaska. Living in Australia and especially here on the east coast, our seasons are so moderate they seem to just slide on into each other. This past summer was super hot with heat waves coming though often. Yuk! It was too hot. Loving autumn now with the cooler temps and sunny days.
    Your hair style is gorgeous on you, shorter and curlier. Just had to mention .
    My husband and I often watch a couple of tv shows on Alaska. One is wild frontier and the other is on the family that lives on an island and they are creating their own town – I’ve forgotten the name of it. I’ve also watched ‘Ice road truckers’ and so have seen a little of Anchorage on it.
    You certainly live in an amazing place. It’s on our bucket list to visit one day.
    Love reading your posts, wishing you an amazing spring
    Denise

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Denise! Always good to hear about our “Polar opposite” down under. I’m glad you are out of your heat waves…yuck is right! Thanks re: my hair. I love having it short, I just need to keep up on trimming it more often–usually not a priority for this farm girl :). I hope you make it up to AK some day, it is a great place to visit! It is funny how tourists often see more of the state than the residents. Best to you and yours!

  3. Joan says:

    Yes a nice true Spring would be great fun. Thanks for a taste. God bless

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks for the check-in Joan–The leaves have noticeably popped since our MN arrival just a few days ago, I’m excited for an Alaskan repeat in a couple of weeks!

  4. Joy Pascarella says:

    If you burn with wood, this is the hardest time of year. Too warm during the day to keep a good fire going, but freezing at night to be ready with a few embers to get the flames a going. Sometimes we just wear extra sweat shirts til about noon when it is warmer outside them in the house. I think it is good. Makes me think about how it is for animals to adjust. Warm during the day and freezing at night. Or close to it. I live in New York near Lake Ontario, where the lake slows down the melting, and keep fall warmer longer. It is just what we get use too. Anyways the calendar says Spring and the garlic is coming up and spring onions. Yep, it’s coming!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Yay garlic! I love seeing their little scapes saying hello in the spring–it’s a sure sign that spring is here (or at least around the corner). This was our second winter without relying on a wood stove, and it has been much easier. But you are right–we had a few days of having both a fire going and windows open because we couldn’t get the balance down after the long winter. Happy Spring!

  5. Carol says:

    Alaska looks to be quite an interesting place to be at this time of the year. I love the photos especially of the animals.

  6. Dori Troutman says:

    Hi Alex,

    Wow did this post ever bring back memories of visiting Alaska in April one year. I was so shocked at the slush and muck. And sadly, I thought it was really ugly because all the “break-up” was black and dirty seeming. I’ve since realized how beautiful it really was, it’s just that I left Arizona in the blooming and warm time! 🙂 My brother in law is so good to text pictures of what Alaska looks like each day! Yesterday his picture was skiing in Mt Alyeska and it was GORGEOUS!!! Seeing the picture you posted of Cook Inlet made me miss being there actually. As my brother in law and sister in law live above Cook Inlet and have that view. Alaska really is such a gorgeous, gorgeous place and I need to get back there for a visit very badly.

    Loved seeing pictures as usual, Alex. Nice you could have Easter with your family. Little Opal is just growing up too fast.

    Can’t wait for your growing season to start and follow along with your farming.

    Hugs,

    – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Dori! Alaska really is a beautiful place. The snow gets really dirty as the winter goes on with the glacial dust blowing everywhere. I like to think of the dirty striations in the snow as a sped up version/example of geologic activity! Makes it a bit more palatable. As always thank you for checking in. Looking forward to seeing your beautiful flowers!

  7. Marilyn says:

    Thanks for the pictures.
    Marilyn

  8. Lee Nora says:

    Would love to know the breed of your black dog, Moki? Looks similar to a Flat Coated Retriever we loved for 12 years. She was the smartest dog ever!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      She’s a border collie mix! More precisely: border collie, malamute, golden retriever and german shepherd dog. I wish I could say she was the smartest dog ever…but she’s far from it!

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Silence: A Forgotten Friend

“Silence is a source of great strength.” Lao Tzu

“Silence is a true friend who never betrays.” Confucius

“Silence is true wisdom’s best reply.” Euripides

Finding silence in the snowy mountains.

Finding silence in the snowy mountains.

Last week I had the pleasure of going on a quick backcountry ski tour—just me and my pup, Moki. It was such a treat.  I hadn’t gone backcountry downhill skiing (or any downhill skiing, for that matter) since well before Opal was born.  I’ve been downhill skiing since I was three, so it’s kind of ingrained in my epigenetic DNA.  I long for it when I haven’t gone in a long time.  I miss it like a long lost friend.  (If you are unfamiliar with backcountry skiing, there is a long winded explanation at the end of this post!)

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  1. Krista says:

    Oh how I have missed true silence. It has probably been a couple of years since I have been able to experience complete silence. The funny thing is I recall my silence up on top of snowy mountains as well. It’s one of the most peaceful and relaxing experiences. Since I probably won’t be able to experience complete silence until next winter, I am striving to get some silence at the end of my day. This gives me time to regroup myself and relax before bed. Because those whining children happen to live in my house as well! I will definitely give your quick medication a try and see how it helps!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Yes, do try it! It’s an easy little relaxation/focusing exercise and quick reminder to be present. Maybe there isn’t anything quite like the silence found in the snowy mountains? I hope your next venture into silence is rejuvenating 🙂

  2. Marilyn says:

    That photo of Ava and Opal is adorable.
    Marilyn

  3. Joy Pascarella says:

    We live on 9 acres but with a main road just 0ne mile away and neighbors that have animals, barking dogs, machinery and yelling over the sounds, it can get pretty loud, so much that I can not just sit and hear the quiet of the birds singing or the frogs jumping in the pond. We have started to look for a more quiet place away from traffic and people. I know that quiet you speak of. While looking for a house, we waited for the realtor to show up, and it was dead silence. I can still here it in my mind. Will never forget the feeling of relaxation that came with the peace. We are still looking for a perfect house , but if I close my eyes and think about that house location, I can still get peace. Thanks for reminding me about it and I will be pulling it out every once in a while to think about it.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks for sharing, Joy! It’s amazing that even with a nine acre slice of land in the country, there are still so many sounds. Many of them are joyful, full of life and love and welcomed…but dead silence is hard to find! I hope you find your ideal spot 🙂

  4. Laura R. says:

    This is my church, I thought. This is my solace and reprieve.

    Amen!! Thank you for articulating what I have felt in my life !! Being outside is everything 🙂

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Some of my favorite environmental/nature writers allude to natural areas as their holy/spiritual places and it has always resonated with me, as well! Get outside!

  5. Debbie says:

    Hi Alex!
    I LOVE silence. Your note today reminded me of cross country skiing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains years ago. I remember the kind of quiet where you could almost hear the suns rays hitting the snow covered branches. Here on the shorelines we get some great quiet too. Just waves and a few birds can be just enough silence to quiet all that brain chatter. I love that you got out to experience some silence again. It’s is so refreshing to ones mood.
    You girls are growing and so adorable. Savor these NOT so quiet years with them!
    Happy Spring and Farmgirl Hugs,
    Deb ( Beach Farmgirl )

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Deb! After writing this I was thinking about how most of the sound in life is of the good, kind, memory-making variety. The quiet and rhythm of a beach away from “it all” is one of my other favorite forms of silence! Hope you are great!

  6. Susabelle says:

    I love silence. I am an extrovert, but with some introvert in there that recharges in silence and peace. I usually get this in the mountains. It may not ever be completely quiet – there is the sound of the wind in the pines, and the crackle of water flowing under ice, the occasional call of a winter fowl or in late winter, the huffing of a bear out of sight but definitely not out of hearing! But it is where I find my peace, and my solitude, and my silence. It can really clear my head and heart, which I need so desperately in my busy life.

    Side note: this is the time of year when I stop sleeping. Not completely, but as soon as mid-February hits and we are getting more sun, and through early November, I sleep as little as 4.5 to 5 hours a day. I am not tired, or sleepy, and I function fine. I sleep deeply through December, January, and February, getting 8 hours but never really more than that. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized this was my “normal” and that there was nothing wrong with it, that this is just how my body deals with nature.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      It sounds like you are very in tune with nature, Susabelle! It’s cool to hear about how your body responds to the seasons. My sleep also gets a bit restless…however I cannot function very well on little sleep, so it can be a struggle. There are the ambient sounds in the mountains, for sure. I did notice a few moments of dead silence before the birds were okay with my presence though. Really amazing! As for huffing bears–what a life affirming sound to hear :).

  7. Sandi King says:

    Alex, Silence is so peaceful and calming. The only time I can get close to “silence” is very early on Sunday morning. Here no one is up that early and I go across the road to let my girls (hens) out to run in their enclosed area. But before I do I savor the silence. It is better during the colder months as many sleep in or already gone for the day. It is not true silence but close. I also long for that ‘truly deep silence’ that being away from all noise of life activities brings. The only other silent time I remember was on the farm in NYS late at night and the only sound was the lonely call of the whipporwill. I haven’t heard one of them in over 50 years. I sure miss it.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Oh! I love whippoorwills, too. I haven’t heard one since spring evenings in Wisconsin about ten years ago. I love the imagery of your Sunday morning ritual. Here’s to more peace and calm!

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Mmmm, Altitude

Happy February Farmgirl friends!  I hope you all had a lovely “Love Day” as Ava calls it.  We’ve been plastering hearts on things for awhile now in anticipation of the holiday, but I’m afraid it passed without much fanfare.  Heart-shaped pancakes are very good though!

Opal having a blast at Ava's birthday party!

Opal having a blast at Ava’s birthday party!

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  1. Marlene Capelle says:

    Thanks for taking me to a place I’ll never go. It was an amazing and interesting trip.

  2. Sandi King says:

    Alex, I loved every word of this blog. Wanderlust!!! My mom always called my dad a Gypsy because we moved so many times and as a child I traveled across the US many times between the east coast and the west coast. The old Route 66 was our road for many a year. I loved traveling and seeing the many sites and towns we drove through. Our route changed over the years and we traveled the higher Interstates across the US. It was an adventure for a young girl growing up ‘on the road’ sort of. I saw many places I would have loved to stay in and spend some time but we were always moving on to new places until we reached our destinations where members of our families lived. Traveling around in the late 40’s and 50’s in old cars and pickups across miles of lonely roads, through deserts and small towns and mountainous areas and valleys was to me a great way to live. But I was just a young child and memories are distant but welcome today. Thanks for stirring up a memory of a time past of a safer and friendlier world than we have now. May many more adventures await you.

  3. Carol says:

    I am extremely jealous of all you have accomplished while I sit here in front of my computer wondering what I will make my hubby for dinner. I have only been out of the states once and that was to go to Canada and yet, look at the magnificent things you have learned and explored.

  4. Lorrie MacKenzie says:

    Thank you for sharing your story. Walking with you let me experience something I never could have otherwise. You are a charming tour guide!

  5. Hedy King says:

    Thank you for sharing your remarkable experience. I relished every word and photo. At 67, I’m not an adventurer but I enjoy reading the journals/diaries of those who are. No wonder you are so well adapted to live in Alaska, you’ve experienced life in CAPITAL letters. Again, thanks for sharing.

  6. Krista says:

    Your adventure sounds like an amazing experience. I’m glad you shared your stories and personal journal. It’s very interesting to hear what others experience and how they experience those moments. I definitely agree that children change our experiences. Many things that I use to do are now altered because of my boys. Just getting out of the house is a whole new experience with boys! Thanks for sharing.

  7. Micha says:

    What a great post. I enjoyed reading about your adventures.

  8. Joan says:

    Thanks for the superb trek! May this have raised you high. Love them babies. God Bless

  9. Becky Lee says:

    That was very brave of you taking that journey by yourself. I can’t imagine going that far out of my comfort zone. Kudos to you, Alex. Now you’re on a different kind of journey. Good luck and happy times for you and your family.

    Becky

  10. Judy from Maine says:

    What a treat to read parts of your journey and what a journey it was. Thank you so much for sharing. All beautiful memories to last you a life time, a place you can always revisit in your day dreams, truly a treasure.

  11. Rowena Philbeck says:

    What a great memory. What a trip you had. Thanks for the travel adventures with your past.

  12. maureen bruner says:

    Alex, what an amazing adventure! Thanks for sharing!

  13. Kay says:

    Thanks for sharing this amazing journey. This coming weekend we will be leaving for a month to explore “alternative” winter habitats. It pales in comparison to your trip, but has helped set the stage for an exciting journey nonetheless!

  14. Denise Ross says:

    Thank you for sharing your adventure. I don’t know if I’ll ever do something like this, but it was a real treat to read and see all your lovely photos.
    I’ve found life is really an adventure, with some big deviations and smaller deviations from the planned path, but all life and character building.
    If you have more adventures to share, please do.
    Take care from Australia

  15. Vicki says:

    Thanks for sharing your adventures!! I feel like I have lived vicariously through your journal entries- What an amazing adventure!

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Positively Flocked!

You can’t get too much winter in the winter.

~Robert Frost

I recently sent my mother a picture of the view out of our living room window. It showed a tall spruce heavy with what appeared to be snow, but deciduous trees in the background were also coated in white. She replied, “You are positively flocked!” I had NO idea what that meant, so had to Google it. She was, as I’m sure many of you know, referring to the artificial Christmas trees that look like they are covered in snow or frost. I also learned that “flocking” means sticking little bits of fiber to a solid surface with glue…like those little hard animal figurines that are fuzzy. Supposedly flocking goes back to 1000 b.c.  #themoreyouknow.  Back to the real stuff–it’s been occurring since the dawn of hydrologic cycles and sub-freezing temperatures. Take that early civilization!

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A sometimes Frost Chime…taking a break from the wind.

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  1. Sandi King says:

    Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow! I miss the snow we used to get. Our Ohio River froze solid back in the 70’s I believe or maybe later. People walked across it. A barge was trapped in it. Anyway we haven’t had that kind of winter for a long, long, time. I always loved winter with snow, less rain, less ice, but now we get mostly rain, mostly warm temps. Like yesterday was 60 with warm balmy breezes. Not right for winter. Other states get lots of snow and keep it, we get a little snow and it doesn’t stay around long. Everything melts and turns to slush and mud. I would like to see a winter that stays white for at least two months again. Oh well, I will enjoy the warm temperatures while I get them.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Where do you live, Sandi? in Ohio? I can see the benefits of warmer temps but love the winter! I hope you get some two month long winters in the coming years. Best to you!

  2. Linda says:

    We are having such a cold winter in Idaho that I told the postmaster we need an Alaska zip code! Have had unheard-of -22F! Inversion (warm in mountains, cold below) with fog which paints every twig white has treated us to that awesome sight many times this winter. Even the icicles “had sweaters on”. My winter activity is taking hundreds of pictures. And hot chocolate! And boring family and friends in warmer climates! Love your stories.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks for the giggle, Linda! Today we had -20 and lower in places. Brrrrrrrrr! There is something a bit empowering about being out in those temps…though limiting them to two or three days per year is fine with me. I was checking out temps from last week and we had an inversion, too. Over 40 degrees at 4500 ft and in the single digits down low. Mother Nature is pretty great.

  3. Denise Ross says:

    Hi Alex,
    Loved your post and photos, simply beautiful. There is a delicate beauty to frosted and icicles on branches. I love looking a these pictures and those cupcakes look so good! I bet they tasted yummy! Happy birthday to Opal. One already?! Goodness the time flies by so fast.
    I love looking at winter land pictures because I’m in Australia and we swearing our butts off here. Yesterday was 40 deg C which is 104 F and its is horrible! Too hot to do anything! I can’t wait for winter to get here, to cool down a little. I love in a moderate temp climate so we don’t get snow here and the temps don’t usually drop below 0 deg C which I think is about 40F.
    Enjoy your winter

    • Denise Ross says:

      Sorry sweating not swearing our butts off – oops forgot to spell check

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Denise! Always good to hear from our Australian Farmgirl sister. 40 C sounds truly terrible! I hope you felt a faint chill seeing my photos. It’s hard to imagine living somewhere that experiences summer December and January. Take it easy in that heat!

  4. Marilyn says:

    HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY OPAL. Wishing you a year of fun and blessings.
    Marilyn

  5. Joy Pascarella says:

    In New York near Lake Ontario can bring lake effect snows and changing weather, so we never know what to expect. Right now warm and rainy with a little flooding going on. We did have a nice white Christmas and when it gets cold and snowy, we love clearing the path to the chickens and shop but then it is soup and knitting and Netflix for us. Good time to clean closets and small neglected jobs. Thanks for sharing that beautiful hoarfrost with us. Didn’t know it had a name. Love Nature’s art work. Love reading your stories. Keep it up! Your family sure looks cute all dressed warm and active. Even the dogs.

  6. Karen Pennebaker says:

    Brrr… I got cold reading about hoarfrost, snow and 20 below…brrrr… My favorite winter activity is reading a book, wrapped in a blanket, inside where it’s reasonably warm!! I am NOT a snow bunny…snow is beautiful to look at (through the window!!)… I live in West Virginia where we sometimes get snow that lasts a week or so – one winter the ground was covered from December to March here where I live, but that’s rare. We basically have two seasons here: mud and dust!! Right now, it’s MUD…rained off and on for days and is overcast today.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Snow in WV from December to May? I never would have guessed that was even possible! I, too, love snuggling up and reading during the winter. Hope this finds you warm after reading about the cold :).

  7. Krista says:

    We have been having a pretty cold and snowy winter here as well. It is actually snowing outside as I write this. I love how beautiful the snow and frost make everything look but I am not a fan of the cold. You would think I should be since I’m a December baby but I’m always freezing! Your cupcakes look super yummy! Happy birthday Opal!

  8. Dori Troutman says:

    Dear Alex,

    I loved this post so much. And now I’m thinking I really need to come visit Alaska in the winter time again. It’s been years and years since we’ve been there in the winter! It is so completely gorgeous – I love your pictures. And I’m SO GLAD y’all are getting a good winter this year.

    And I’m totally looking forward to following along on the Iditarod (my favorite sport to follow!!!) and I hope its a really good year for all the mushers with the snow! Better than mushing on rocks, huh?

    Happy Birthday Opal! Where did the year go?

    Hugs,

    – Dori –

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Dori! The winter just keeps giving. I went skiing yesterday and stepped off trail to see how deep the unadulterated snow was–nearly up to my hips with skis on! Incredible. You should definitely come to Alaska!

      I’ve heard updates on a few of the other dog sled races and it sounds like mushers are excited for the snow. They save energy directing the dogs, but use more energy kicking and helping out the team in deep drifts. It also sounds like moose are more of a threat with all of the snow because they take advantage of the packed trails. One musher also said the whole experience is better because they don’t have the constant sound of metal scraping along ice/rocks/bare tundra. What a sport!

      The year went by far too quickly :).

      Hugs to you, too, thanks for checking in!!

      Love,
      Alex

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Home Again, Home Again

Seasons Greetings Farmgirl Friends,

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Joyous Festivus!

Winter has finally come and stuck around. The exciting tease of flurries and chill that begins to poke around in October has given way to snow that accumulates, temperatures that remain below freezing, and the shortening of days. As I write this, we are two days shy of the winter solstice and our number of daylight hours hovers around five and a half. The sun rises after ten a.m. and sets well before four p.m. It is winter. It is time to eat, love, create and enjoy.

We have been treated with beautiful hoar frost several times this December.

We have been treated with beautiful hoar frost several times this December.

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  1. Patsy Baker says:

    I always look forward to your post. So entertaining.
    From a Texas ranch Farmgirl ,
    Patsy
    Dirtduchess

  2. Denise Ross says:

    Merry Christmas Alex and family. Glad to read you’re all well again and what a gift from Mary Jane. Have a wonderful Christmas

  3. Joan says:

    Ohhhh’s Ahhhh’s OhNo’s but all in all it was a great post! I hope y’all stay well and have a very Merry Christmas!!! God bless.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Haha, because of all of the meat? yeah, I know a lot of your are vegetarians, and I VERY much appreciate that, as I used to be one myself. If I do eat meat I want it to be the of the most responsible kind :). Merry Christmas to you, too!

  4. marge hofknecht says:

    My husband and I lean toward a more vegetarian lifestyle but I found your post interesting in that you are working on making a dream (of being a butcher) come true. I’m sure your friends were extremely grateful for your help and others probably will be so as you grow and learn. Your post encourages me to pursue a dream I have: I becoming more familiar with herbs and their properties and uses. To me, herbs are fascinating. Ancient people relied on their herbal knowledge to get on in life whether for health or for spicing up their foods. God gave the herb for mankind to use and that’s another reason to pursue a study on herbs. Thank you for sharing how timely the emergency food came to you when you and your family needed it most. Your family’s guardian angels appeared to have been whispering in Mary Jane’s ear! Have a blessed Merry Christmas and a memorable winter. Each season has its secrets and I enjoy discovering them as the year cycles around.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks for the comment, Marge! Herbs and incredibly fascinating–I’m so glad I got to help pique that interest in you. Have you ever heard of Aviva Romm? She is my favorite herbalist. She is also a Yale trained MD–an interesting combo. I highly recommend her books, blogs and podcasts if you haven’t heard of her. Merry Christmas to you and yours, too!

  5. Amanda says:

    Merry Christmas to you and your family!! It does take some careful thinking when it comes to butchering. We raise and butcher our own beef and pork and venison- this year our oldest daughter is raising the beef (named Chuck). Our youngest daughter would rather eat broccoli soup! We butcher in February and I make sure I label the holiday meats- ham for Easter, pork roasts for pork and sauerkraut for New Years. We’ve been dealing with some colds, too, and always at the worst possible time! It is amazing how our daughter can manage to not cough or sneeze during her gymnastics routines at a meet- not sure if a sneeze would be a deduction or not! Isn’t it also amazing how something from MaryJane shows up at your door when it’s most needed? It happens to me a lot and I’m still not sure how she knows!!! Many blessings in the new year!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      There must be an informant out there somewhere! haha. I love hearing these stories of others raising their own meat animals. I like the name Chuck, it reminds me of a pig I knew named Frank. With all of the indoor time with lots of people (many who have been traveling) and cool temps, I expect colds…I wonder if the adrenaline of competing puts your daughter’s symptoms at bay? It sounds like your feeding your little gymnast well! Can’t wait until my kids are old enough to compete! Happy New Year to you and yours, too!

  6. Karen Pennebaker says:

    I couldn’t kill a chicken but I have helped butcher deer, rabbits, etc. My sons and my late husband hunted and did the “deed” – I help after that! So far this year, my sons haven’t gone deer hunting and I wish they would! Canned venison is the best “fast food” I can think of!! 3 days of deer season after Christmas, so there is still hope!! Merry Christmas!!

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Tropical Farmgirl

The last time I wrote I was preparing to leave on a family vacation to Hawaii!  We have returned to Alaska, but I’d love for you to join me for a trip down memory lane to three weeks ago….

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A walk through paradise. Those are mahogany trees framing the left. They were planted when the farmer started this farm a few decades ago.

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  1. Krista says:

    Kauai is my all time favorite place in Hawaii! It’s so beautiful and peaceful! Your adventure there sounds like so much fun. It’s really cool hearing that they have an organic farm but it’s crazy that they only have one. All the fruit looks so delicious and I can practically taste them just looking at the photos! Nice post. Thanks for sharing your grand adventure.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Krista! It is such a beautiful place. I think many of the farms there have organic growing methods, this is just the only certified organic production. You are right about it being peaceful–it was the healthiest and happiest we have all been in a long time (maybe ever?). Magical place!

  2. Marlene Capelle says:

    As I read this and look at the fabulous pictures we are having our first real snow storm. For a minute there I forgot. Thanks. The final picture – wow.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thanks, Marlene! It was pretty wild to go from eighty degree Kauai to SIXTEEN degree Alaska. However, the northern lights greeted us on our landing, so that was pretty special :). Enjoy your snow!

  3. Susabelle says:

    I live along the Front Range in northeast Colorado (east side of the Rockies). My eggplant routinely reach 3-4 feet in height and are massive producers. We have a short season, but not as short as yours in Alaska. But still, they are great producers and remarkable when you realize that enormous bush is an eggplant!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      So neat! Growing up, eggplants were always on little plants, 1.5 to 2 feet tall. Those huge bushes are amazing! My friend mentioned that the plants were only two or three months old. Incredible!

  4. Karna Sperlin says:

    My husband and I are eating dinner talking about your blog
    My husband and I were in Kauai at the same time as you wee and spent many days walking on Anini Beach
    You don’t happen to be the ” Alaskan Mermaid”??!!!
    Looking at the pics my husband took of you sure look like your pic on your blog!
    If I had known it was you in the sand done up as a mermaid– I would have chatted ! Love your blog and Mary Janes magazine!!

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Hi Karna! That was me! How funny, I remember you very clearly. I so wish we could have made that connection on the beach, but at least we get to make it now. Farmgirls in paradise! Let’s go back…

  5. mariah says:

    I have always considered Mary Jane’s Farm a refuge from the political turmoil going on in our country. Your left-handed reference to your political views are unwelcome, in my opinion. I am not talking about a for or against opinion of the outcome of the election but The fact that this space ought to be a politics free space. Let”s pay attention to our Farmgirl values and goals…please. There is a time and A PLACE for the sharing of politics. I did not think this is the place nor the time.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      I appreciate your comment, Mariah. I wanted to be clear that this was a moment of escape from the turmoil that was happening in the media, in our relationships and in our communities. A large part of my Farmgirl values and goals is to protect the rights of us and all women. In fact, one of the Farmgirl badges is for community action, so this is not a political desert. Lately, I have questioned why talking politics is such a faux pas…as politics do greatly affect our every day lives. Anyhow..I am a politically active person, so it was on the forefront of my mind while writing my post. I have written about politics in the past in regards to living green/agriculture. I understand why it bothers you, but I tried to make the intro as nonpartisan as possible while keeping my voice. However, I can see your frustration with this intro and I’m happy to change it.

  6. Joan says:

    Oh be still my heart!! what a glorious trip you had and thanks so much for sharing it through words and pictures. My dream trip just came true. God bless.

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