Who We Are



The past few years, the area where I live, Crawford County, Ohio, has seen a wonderful explosion of younger families who are embracing the joys and challenges of living off the land. Because of them, amazing things are happening which have been embraced by our community. Farmer’s markets have been created and on-farm stores have opened. Families dedicated to growing organic produce and naturally raised meats are meeting the public’s needs for locally raised foods. And at the heart of this movement are the women.



Ohio Country Journal is my attempt to share the essence of farm life, focusing on, but not limited to, women. My goal is to bring you into our circle of friendship by inviting you to share your stories and experiences with us. You don’t have to be a full time country woman to benefit from joining us; you just have to be you.





The full-time country women featured in Ohio Country Journal are an inspiration to anyone who dares to follow her dreams, whether it is to live in the country or to bring the country life-style to their urban neighborhoods.





Saturday, January 26, 2013

A Seedy Proposition


 

A blanket of snow has painted the landscape with a monochromatic pallet, making the outdoors appear calm and serene…a perfect winter scene. But step inside just about any store these days and you’ll find a riot of color at the seed displays that pop out between main aisles. Pictured on the packages are images of yummy vegetables, beautiful flowers, and aromatic herbs. It makes the senses reel with delight.
It’s a bit early for serious seed-starting for the average home gardener, but winter-weary people (and even winter lovers like me) find it hard to resist the temptation of buying ‘just a few’ packages for fun. Serious gardeners and market growers are already planning their 2013 season and many, like Mendy Sellman and Toni Norwood have told me that they’ve already ordered seeds. There’s something comforting in that fact, that farmers are planning another season of feeding the masses, that we’ll have locally grown fresh food available again come summer.
I don’t think on such a grand scale. For now, a bit of green growing in my kitchen window with a backdrop of snowy fields and woods is enough to satisfy my need for seed. I chose a few herb packs to have fresh to cook with and headed back home. For my big herb garden I rely on buying plants from NorthSide Farmers Market vendors like Toni and Brenda Kocher, but a few clay pots of leafy parsley on the kitchen windowsill in the heart of winter are the smile-makers that this gal needs.
Marcheta *smiley faced gal

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