Category: Farmhouse Living

Farmhouse Living, Rappahannock Neighbors, SFH Food Talk & Recipes

Local Orchards Complete the Picture

It’s a weekend in August. You live near our Nation’s capital, and you’ve decided to spend a day sightseeing near Shenandoah National Park. As you’re heading west on US 211, the road narrows down to two lanes and the display at Jenkins’ Fruit Stand catches your eye. You can’t resist the thought of taking home some fresh apples, or cider, jams, and jellies. So, you slow down, pull over, and park near the stand. After all, this is what your daytrip was all about. – And by doing so, you will also take home with you the memory of your welcome to Sperryville and the orchards of Rappahannock County.

Our Farmhouse in a Food Oasis series of posts has shown you where we get our vegetables, meat and dairy. Now we will show how local orchards complete the picture. But the story of our local orchards is bittersweet. Long in decline, Rappahannock County had gone from nearly 1,000 acres in apple production in 1992 to only about 300 acres in 2004. Ironically, a global pandemic has revived interest in this once fading local food resource.

(For background on the history, decline, and revival of our local orchards, read these two stories: The Sweet, Sad State of Cider & Rappahannock orchards bask in robust apple season — thanks to the pandemic!)

A farm store with more

From our daytrips starting in the late-1980s, we knew that Rappahannock County had wonderful apple and peach orchards. So, Serendipity Farmhouse wasn’t going to have a problem sourcing those products.

For example, Jenkins’ Fruit Stand is just across the road from us. Just a little further down the road, but still within walking distance is Roy’s Farm Market. While the Jenkins’ Fruit Stand is a seasonal attraction, Roy’s is available to us year-round. – And Roy’s place is a farm store with a little bit more.

Rather than write what’s already been written about Roy’s, we’ll just give you some pictures taken a week ago. What’s important to us is that, in addition to fresh fruit and vegetables, the store is stocked with an array of grocery items that you might find in an Aldi’s store. That became an invaluable asset during the pandemic. – If you want to read the history of Roy’s Farm Market, check out the Rappahannock News story Roy’s Orchard: A farm store with more.

What’s on the inside at Roy’s?


And if that isn’t enough for you, as you enter the small complex of buildings and sheds filled with food, you will also find freezers containing beef, pork, fresh baked pies, and ice cream. – It’s all there.

Farmhouse in a Food Oasis – Summary

So, there you have it. We thought we might have made a mistake by moving to a rural county, where travel to major stores would be inconvenient or even dangerous. But I think you can plainly see from this series of posts that we had actually been blessed with more food options than we could have hoped or prayed for.

That, dear Friends, is the nature of ‘serendipity’ – it is the answer to the prayer you should have prayed for but didn’t. And that is why ours is a farmhouse in a food oasis.

A view of peach trees and the Blue Ridge Mountains from Roy’s Farm Market
natural farm products
Farmhouse Living, Rappahannock Neighbors, SFH Food Talk & Recipes

Natural Farm Products – the Reality

From the beginning, we wondered where in Rappahannock County we could find the best natural farm products. We needed a reliable source for quality dairy and meats, but we didn’t know where to look. True, we were slowly learning that Serendipity is a Farmhouse in a Food Oasis. Nevertheless, it was surprising to learn that some of the best natural farm products were just a stone’s throw away. Let’s take a look at how Blondie and I found Reality Farm.

The story begins with goats.

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for goats. While still in Idaho, I developed a taste for goat milk cheese, and I wanted to learn how to make it myself. Unfortunately, goat milk is seldom available at local grocery stores. – One might say, I was a frustrated old goat.

It was in March of 2015 when dearest Blondie came to my rescue. Amazing internet researcher that she is, she soon found that a farm offering goat milk was located only 2.8 miles from us. – We made a call and scheduled a meeting. Within minutes after our arrival, I was the proud owner of half a goat (actually a half share).

Teri Guevremont then gave us a short tour of the farm. We learned that, in addition to goats, Reality raised dairy and beef cattle. It was an eye-opening tour, highlighted by a chance meet some of the new kids on the farm.

More than just a farm

Regular readers of this blog know well that Blondie and I have developed a great appreciation for Reality Farm and the collocated Quievremont Winery. There are many reasons for that. For example, the farm has become our primary source for grass-fed beef, eggs, raw milk.

But Reality is more than just a farm. It’s become a place where I can take my grandchildren and show them real farm life up close. For Blondie and me, the weekly trip to pick up our goat milk is a welcomed peace-filled moment. It’s a respite from the day’s routine. – Everybody should have moments like that.

What’s in the freezer? – What’s in the Fridge?

We’re reminded daily of our ties to Reality Farm. All we have to do is open up the freezer or the fridge.

High-quality, Economical Beef – How to keep the freezer full.

natural farm products

The SFH Test Kitchen has learned that buying a side of beef is much cheaper than buying individual cuts of meat. Buying in bulk saves money in the long run, but it requires a substantial up-front investment.

That’s why having a good friend like Tom is such a great blessing. Tom and I pool our purchasing power to buy an entire side of beef from Reality Farm. We then evenly divide the various cuts. – Here you can see a year’s worth of beef stored in our pantry freezer.

Fresh Dairy and Eggs for your fridge

On Monday mornings, Blondie and I make our weekly trip to Reality Farm. That’s when we pick up our half gallon of goat milk. – There it is on the bottom shelf, the second from the right. It was made just for us, and it has our name on it. – You can be 100% sure its fresh and wholesome!

By Wednesday, or Thursday morning at the latest, that half gallon will become tasty chèvre. – Check out this post to see how we make the cheese: Yes, now!

Who are your real friends? – The Reality

Just like the rest of you, Serendipity Farmhouse experienced hard times over the last three years. Here in Rappahannock County, friends and neighbors reached out to each other to give a helping hand. Blondie and I can’t think of one place that did more for the community than the combination of Reality Farm and Quievremont Winery. – Through the worst of times, their friends and neighbors always came first:

Reality Farm wants to assure all our friends and customers that we are continuing to operate and fulfill deliveries at this time. We are taking extra precautions at the farm and during our milk runs to ensure optimal safety of our employees and our patrons. … We are in this crisis together, but with hope, mutual support, and proper hygiene we’ll make it through. From all of us at Reality Farm: be safe and well!

It’s more than a food oasis.

Blondie and I left Idaho and the house of our dreams. We bought and old farmhouse “as is” and it became the house of our realities. The longer we live here the more we learn that ours is a farmhouse in a food oasis. But there is something more important here. These realities of our life here are blessings from God. – Reality Farm is one of those great blessings.

Reality Farm – The perfect backdrop for our 50th anniversary
Farmhouse Living, Rappahannock Neighbors

Can Joining a CSA be a Good Deal?

Moving to Rappahannock County forced us to answer the question: “Can joining a CSA be a Good Deal?” We had to consider food cost and quality, travel time and expense, diet and menu changes, and a host of other significant factors. In the end, our answer to the question was, “Yes.” But that ‘yes’ comes with interesting qualifiers. Let’s talk about what a CSA is and how joining one has helped us.

In early 2014, Blondie made it quite clear that we (mostly I) had a problem. Grocery shopping and provisioning our pantry at Serendipity Farmhouse was, to say the least, ‘inconvenient.’ She ended our conversation with her oft used words – “Fix it!!!” (See post Farmhouse in a Food Oasis for details.)

Those were my marching orders. That’s when I set off to find convenient, food sources here in Rappahannock County. Little did I know at the time that would lead me to a CSA named Waterpenny Farm. Ironically, it was just across US211, within walking distance of our farmhouse.

What’s a CSA?

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a production and marketing model whereby consumers buy shares of a farm’s harvest in advance. In exchange for this, farmers commit to supplying sufficient quantity, quality, and variety of products. The consumers and farmers share the risks and benefits of food production.

If you’re interested in a how a CSA works, check out Waterpenny’s website here. Eric Plaksin and Rachel Bynum give a great rundown of how their CSA came to be and they highlight their service to the community. They also talk about pricing for shares and half shares, describing what products are available over the course of a season. – There’s a lot more to running a CSA than you might think, and Eric and Rachel provide many valuable insights.

SFH and Waterpenny – An Interesting Relationship

In a sense, CSA members support the CSA farm as if it were their own. And that means, through the lean years as well as through the good years. – And that’s been our relationship with Waterpenny Farm for the past 7-8 years. There are times when our half share overwhelms us, and we have to give away excess produce to our children and friends. There are other times when we wish the weather had been kinder to our CSA.

But here’s the secret to what makes the Serendipity Farmhouse – Waterpenny Farm relationship so worthwhile to us.

If you’ve read our posts, you know we grow our own herbs, and vegetables. We can or preserve most of what we grow.

We know we can’t grow everything we want or need. So, we stick to our favorites – tomatoes, okra, garlic, green beans, and hot peppers.

love your garden

Although our garden production overlaps with what Waterpenny provides us, Waterpenny grows a host of other products that are not within our capability to grow. – And when we’re one pound short of tomatoes for canning, Waterpenny always comes through.

The bottom line is, come canning season, we have everything we need. There are no trips to Walmart for veggies during the summer. – In essence, Waterpenny becomes a virtual extension of the vast 1.203-acre Serendipity Farmhouse Estate.

What does a half share look like?

I think you’ve got the picture now. By working with products from our CSA, we’ve managed to solve a large part of our original food procurement problem. In answer to the question “Can joining a CSA be a Good Deal?” The answer for us is ‘yes.’ As an illustration of that, here are two pictures showing our half shares from last week and the week before.

If there’s a downside to all this feast of plenty, it’s difficult to find. But when this much fresh food comes into our kitchen every Thursday, we have to plan meals to ensure nothing is wasted. It’s amazing how many innovative recipes we’ve developed to make the best use of this great bounty.

So, let me end with some pictures from our last visit to Waterpenny Farm. As we said in our last post, we live in a wonderful food oasis.

Farmhouse Living, Miss Blondie, Summer

The Delight of Bread, Berries & Shallots

The delight of bread, berries and shallots are just part of a summer day at Serendipity Farmhouse. In the course of a day, any number of surprises can fill our home with unexpected joy. And this day, joy came in the form of a fresh loaf of bread, a container full of wild berries, and a basket of our own garden-grown shallots. Each serves to remind me of why Hubby and I love our life together in this little old farmhouse.

Shallots Bring Flavor to the Table

bread, berries and shallots

Whether it’s Julia Child, Jacques Pépin, or just good old-fashioned American cuisine, shallots bring a unique flavor to the table. Last year, we planted shallots, and this year we harvested. – This was success on a first try.

Last night, some of our shallots joined us for dinner and today some joined us for lunch. – They were welcomed guests!

Sourdough Bread – Almost Ready for the Great Reveal

Hubby was up at 4 AM today. With Mr. Monte’s help, he continued his series of sourdough bread recipe tests.

Once, Hubby is satisfied that this recipe is foolproof, he’ll provide a post with all the details.

bread, berries and shallots

Hubby Beat the Bear to the Berries

Bread, berries and shallots

The last few days, there have been several sightings of a black bear in our neighborhood. Perhaps the bear is looking for the patch of raspberries that Hubby spotted while mowing today. – Well, today, Hubby beat the bear to the berries.

As soon as he saw the berries, he ran to the house and yelled to me. “Give me my camera and a plastic bowl! – I’ve got to get those berries before the bear does!”

Within a minute, my brave (sometimes foolish) Hubby was out picking those berries. He had his signature gnat net covering his head to protect him from ticks. He put on his rubber boots to protect himself from snakes. And all the while he picked berries, he kept checking to make sure his multitool knife was close by. Who knew when the bear might come?

Hubby’s bravery was rewarded. He came back to the farmhouse with a container of the most beautiful raspberries. There wasn’t a single one of them that had a flaw.

My knight in shining armor, having been most successful in his quest, presented the berries to me. – In his own way, he showed me that to him Serendipity Farmhouse is his castle, and I am his queen.

Baby Back Ribs
Main Dishes, Ol' Fuzz Face, Recipe, SFH Food Talk & Recipes, Test Kitchen, Traditions

Back Porch Baby Back BBQ

What could be better than baby back ribs for the 4th of July? Here at Serendipity Farmhouse, the answer is nothing could be better. For eight years, we’ve used our special back porch baby back rib recipe. We’ve enjoyed it, refined it, and perfected it.

Whether it be for honored guests, for close family, or just for Blondie and me, this recipe has never failed. And today, I’m going to share our family tradition with you.

Let’s Get Cooking!

Okay. I’ve donned my official SFH Test Kitchen Chef’s apron. I’m ready to go out onto the back porch. It’s hot and humid out there! (After all, this is Virginia in July.) But I’m not worried about that. Nope! – With the exception of little bit of up-front tender loving care, I won’t be out on that hot deck for long.

Allow me to lay out for you our baby back rib BBQ cooking secrets using Persnickety Pierre’s Criteria of Excellence.

1. Level of the challenge

We originally came across the basic recipe for Foolproof Baby Back Ribs at Food.com. It worked well for us, but we soon realized tweaks and changes were in order. We had a good recipe in hand. Our challenge was to make it better.

A large part of our testing would be focused on documenting the proper cooking temperatures. That’s because the original recipe was not specific. – If the goal is to have a good recipe that’s repeatable, it’s necessary to eliminate as many variables as possible. Temperature is a tremendously important variable. So, our big challenge was determining and documenting the cooking temperatures that would bring about consistent results.

2. Selection of good-quality ingredients – It’s the Baby Back Ribs

Our Test Kitchen staff emphasizes that proper sourcing of the baby back ribs is critical. We’ve found that the ribs sold at Sam’s Club are consistently high in quality and they are affordable. – Make sure you shop around and get the best in quality and price.

3. Use of cooking techniques

Earlier, I talked about not being concerned about the heat on the deck. That’s because the first steps in cooking the ribs are minimal. The ribs will spend an hour cooking, and they should remain covered. All you need to do is check the temperature of your covered grill periodically (Every 10 to 15 minutes).

When you preheat the grill, try to get to 450℉. Once the ribs are on the upper rack of the grill and the cover is in place, let the temperature drop to about 350℉. That’s where the temperature should remain for the entire first hour.

Note 1: Suppose it’s a rainy day or a blizzard is heading your way. This recipe can be adapted for use in your kitchen oven.

Note 2: If you want to cook some corn on the cob like we did, feel free to open the cover and quickly place the corn on the lower rack. When you do the periodic temperature checks, quickly turn over the corn and close the lid immediately.

Except for a few temperature checks, you can vacate the hot deck and seek out a cool place to relax.

For sweet Wife and me, that means it’s time to enjoy the SFH signature drink – The Serendipity Cocktail! (See: French Cuisine & GRITS)

4. Development of superior taste and flavor

Pay attention to the spices you choose for the rub. For example, my dear, sweet Blondie has trouble with some types of garlic powder. To avoid this problem, we have substituted onion powder in the rub. – Voila! That solved Blondie’s problem and good flavor is retained.

Consider the personal tastes of your guests and their dietary preferences. Be prepared to modify the ingredients for the rub accordingly.

5. Presentation of the Baby Back Ribs

Remember, this is a 4th of July or other summer holiday meal. Presentation is not the primary concern. However, keep a large supply of paper napkins or paper towels nearby.

Happy cooking!

What could be better than baby back ribs for the 4th of July? Here at Serendipity Farmhouse, the answer is nothing could be better. For eight years, we've used our special back porch baby back rib recipe. We've enjoyed it, refined it, and perfected it. - Whether it be for honored guests, for close family, or just for Blondie and me, this recipe has never failed.

Be Prepared, Farmhouse Living

How to Prepare – Graceful Degradation

Sometimes, words get in the way when explaining how to prepare for whatever might come. Our recent post No Need for A Farmhouse Nightmare could have been read in many different ways. Based on the questions we’ve received, we learned that each of our readers understood what we had to say. But they understood what we said in their own individual way.

So, in keeping with our promise, here is the first in the series of posts explaining what we do to ensure lifeline functions resilience. We will try to keep the concepts simple. You will learn why it’s much easier than you may think.

Why Prepare? – Bad things happen.

How to prepare for a flood

The flooding of our vast 1.203-acre estate in September 2018 opened our eyes to one of the realities we face here at Serendipity Farmhouse. But, as you can read in our post Monte’s Bug Out Buggy to the Rescue, we had a plan and the plan worked.

Likewise, when the lights went out and the phone went dead this May, we were not overly distressed or inconvenienced. We had plans and the plans worked. (See No Need for A Farmhouse Nightmare for details.)

How to prepare for loss of power and communications

Be Prepared – It’s Nothing New

How to prepare - Be prepared

Here’s a picture of yours truly during his scouting days in 1962. The red circle shows that I was a Second Class at the time. The badge of rank declares the motto “Be Prepared”.

When you study the origins of that motto, you find a scout must be prepared to do his duty. – That is, my duty to God, my wife, my children, and my country. And my duty dictates that Serendipity Farmhouse must be prepared.

How To Prepare – Understand Upgradation

Our farmhouse came into being sometime around 1927. Our historical research indicates it was originally a very simple structure. It did not have indoor plumbing. The first tenants used coal and wood to heat the house. Of course, it did not have electricity. – Despite all that, many people called it home.

Each family left its mark. Electricity probably came during the mid-1930s. Someone added plumbing to the kitchen. – And so, it went. Now, Serendipity has a host of modern upgrades. Let’s call that process ‘upgradation’.

Serendipity Farmhouse doesn’t grow older with time – it grows better!

How To Prepare – Graceful Degradation

Many people we know love to go camping. They enjoy heading to the woods or the mountains just to get away from the rat race and the distractions of modern life. In a sense, they voluntarily live without some modern conveniences. Sometimes, they say they want to learn how to live like their grandparents lived. In their minds, they have what they need, and they enjoy their voluntary graceful degradation.

Even though Serendipity Farmhouse is situated on a floodplain, it still stands. SFH has never surrendered to the elements. And it has served its tenants well for nearly 100 years. It provided shelter and stability for families well before any modern upgrades were ever made. Thus, it only stands to reason that the best way to prepare for a breakdown in lifeline functions in the 2020s, is to learn how to live in this house the way the first residents did in the 1920s. If it worked for them, it will work for us.

Following posts in this series, will show you some of the things we’ve learned. You will see why we rest easy at night. No, we aren’t prepared for every possible disaster. But we know now that our grandparents didn’t have to live with the pesky distractions of modern life. We also know that the Scout motto “Be Prepared” is for us a most welcomed duty.

How To Prepare – Just One More Thing

The SFH motto is Pray, Prepare, Preserve. When you ask us how to prepare, we also have to let you know that our plan is not just about physical welfare. So, as we discuss material graceful degradation, we will occasionally provide details on something we call spiritual grace-filled degradation. – That is what completes our plan on how to prepare.

Pray always and God bless!

Farmhouse Living, Mr. Monte, SFH- Upkeep & Improvements

Old Farmhouse Maintenance – Ketchup

This old farmhouse always needs maintenance and repairs, and Ol’ Fuzz Face never seems to get around to doing it. Last month, Blondie and I finally persuaded him to get with the program. So now I, the world’s most amazing Maine Coon cat, will help you to catch up (ketchup) with all that we’ve been doing here at Serendipity Farmhouse over the last week.

Maine Coon Ketchup

To my 23,417 feline followers, especially my many cat cousins residing in Virginia and Ohio, without me, absolutely nothing would get done here at SFH. No, I don’t do the physical labor. Rather, I ensure that Blondie and Fuzzy do their jobs and I oversee their work.

Here’s an example of my most recent accomplishments.

Old Farmhouse Repairs – Work Breakdown Structure

Ol’ Fuzz Face is not a total misfit. He’s actually quite capable of recognizing what needs maintenance and repair around here. Unfortunately, his understanding only extends to the theoretical side of a task. He has no grasp, whatsoever, of how to maintain or repair anything using tools. – Let’s just say he knows the name of some tools, but he would hurt himself if he tried to use one.

Yep, Fuzzy has taken hours to develop a detailed Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) of all the maintenance and repair jobs at SFH. Yet, none of his plans have ever come to fruition. That is where Blondie and I stepped in.

Recently, Daughter #1 contracted Hambleton Handyman to complete several projects at her home. Son-in-law #1 spoke very highly of Matt, the craftsman who had done the work. With this strong endorsement, Blondie immediately set about the task of drilling into Fuzzy’s head and making it clear that this is how he could finally actualize his work plans. Once Blondie had softened him up, I delivered the closing threat argument. – “Fuzzy, if you don’t do this now, I will bite you!”

Not wishing to bear relentless nagging reminders from Blondie and shaking at the thought of physical harm from me, Fuzzy finally turned on his laptop and sent an email to Hambleton Handyman. – The rest is now part of SFH history.

1.3 Roofing: Roof Drainage Systems – Gutters

Blondie and Fuzzy agree that the roof and gutters have been a constant concern since the home inspection was done in October 2013. They eventually replaced both the roof and gutters. But one problem didn’t go away. Leaves and tree trash constantly clogged up the new gutters and caused them to overflow.

old farmhouse maintenance and repairs

Based on Fuzzy’s research, Matt installed gutter guards all around. Hopefully, this will eliminate, or at least reduce the need for gutter cleaning in the years to come.

2.0 Exterior: Wall Cladding, Flashing, and Trim – Rear Porch

Poor gutter drainage and overflows contributed to wood rot over the rear porch. Additionally, carpenter bees, those nasty creatures (I hate their buzzing around my porch), had bored into the rotting wood. – Matt determined that the best approach to this problem was to replace the wood with PVC trim board, which would not rot and was impervious to carpenter bees. – Here’s the before and after. – The gutter guards and PVC board should clean up all the problems here.

old farmhouse maintenance and repairs
Old farmhouse maintenance and repairs

2.1 Exterior: Doors – Crawl Space Access Door

The main access to our crawlspace has weathered over time. During a furnace inspection last year, the access door broke away from its mounts. – Matt reinforced the mounts and added new hinges. Then he painted the door. Here are the before and after pictures.

farmhouse maintenance and repairs

14.0 Outbuildings Structural Components – Foundation – Critter Damage

For years, the mains shed (barn) and the woodshed have been plagued with groundhogs. They have undermined both areas and are an existential threat to the foundation of both sheds. – Let’s just say, I and the entire SFH Security Staff have spent many hours devising means to rid our sheds of these pests.

Fuzzy had devised a plan over 18 months ago to do the job. But he is so slow and inept that his plans were never carried out. – On the other hand, Matt needed only a few short hours to turn the plans into reality. Here are some pictures of the shed area and the new barrier fencing to deter these pesky varmints.

Old farmhouse maintenance and repairs
old farmhouse maintenance and repairs

Old Farmhouse Repairs and Maintenance Complete

Now, Blondie and I claim responsibility for this obvious success. We forced Fuzzy into contacting Hambleton Handyman. But there was another reason for success on this project.

Matt was the one who turned plans into realities. He’s a self-starter and capable of seeing a job through to completion. But there was one other important factor at work here.

Soon after Matt arrived on the first day, he noticed me sitting on the porch. He could see I was watching his every move. – He was heard to exclaim, “What’s that!?”

At first, he thought I was a dog, due to my size. When he learned I was a fully armed Maine Coon cat. His attention to detail noticeably increased. As a wise and seasoned military veteran, he knew my eyes were on him.

Thank you, Matt, for a great job!

Sperryville
Farmhouse History, Farmhouse Living

Why Do We Live in Sperryville?

“Why do we live in Sperryville?” – That’s a question we’ve been asked quite often. In fact, it’s a question we ask ourselves from time-to-time. Why would we want to abandon our grand view of the majestic Snake River Plain and the mountains beyond? What was there in Virginia, especially in a remote place like Rappahannock County, that would cause us to leave our large, modern home in Idaho and move here? – Let’s see if we can unravel this counterintuitive tale and provide a satisfactory answer.

farmhouse history

Hi! Ol’ Fuzz Face here.

Well, you might not have guessed it, because this the first time I’ve ever done this. How would you know it’s Farmhouse History Time? But here we are together, so let’s make this an opportunity for us to have a little chat about our move to Serendipity Farmhouse.

Over the coming months, this will be our time together to answer your questions over a cup of coffee or tea. I’m so fascinated by your questions because they almost always end with: “What were you thinking?” – Answering that question always is the lead-in to an interesting story.

A Partial Answer

If you’re impatient and just want a quick and simple answer to the question posed today, just go and read How it all began – What were we thinking? But there’s a whole lot more to it than what we said in that post. So, let’s go back and look at a couple of things.

Idaho – The Beautiful, Beautiful Mountains & Rivers

I could easily post a thousand pictures of the mountains and national parks in Idaho and Wyoming. The pictures of sunsets taken from our deck would leave you silent in awe. The mountains states are God’s country, especially where we lived. Take a look at us in places that were no more than just a short drive from our home.

Most people know the Tetons from pictures taken in Wyoming. But my dear Miss Blondie couldn’t help but being entranced by views like this from the Idaho Side.

By the way, this was pretty much the same view I had during my 15-minute commute home from work each day.

Few tourists know of the entrances to Yellowstone Park from the Idaho side. But my beautiful Spouse and I liked to explore and find places like Cave Falls. What could be better than this in Sperryville?

The Kitchen of Our Dreams

We frequently say that in Idaho we had the house of our dreams. But Serendipity Farmhouse is the house of our realities. Here we can see Chef Blondie wishing a fond farewell to the kitchen of her dreams.

How could an old farmhouse kitchen in Sperryville ever match this?

Wonderful Dreams vs. Amazing Realities

If you read our post How it all began – What were we thinking?, you know that we missed our children. Even more, we were deeply distraught that we were missing time with our grandchildren, who were growing older without us there to share with them. – Although we loved it, our house in Idaho wasn’t really our home.

Why we live here

Look at this picture a second time. It shows Sperryville as seen from Tunnel Parking Overlook on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. From an elevation of 2,510 feet, off in the distance, at the base of Turkey Mountain, you might be able to see a small section of Sperryville. If you squint, you might even see a small farmhouse there too.

Now if you are deeply perceptive, and if you’ve been following my tale closely, you will notice that there is something quite conspicuously absent from this picture. Yes, something very important that most certainly should be there is missing. – What might that be?

What was missing from our Picture of Sperryville?

We were!! – But not any longer. Because this is now the home of our realities.

love your garden
Farmhouse Living, Garden Talk

How to Love Your Garden

Frost alerts, bug infestations, pest invasions, blight devastation, black rot destruction – with all this drama, can you ever learn how to love your garden? Here’s what we do at Serendipity Farmhouse to avoid the recurring yearly dread of impending doom.

Love your garden

Several days ago, I came in from working in the vegetable gardens. It was a cold day, and I had hesitated to go out. But the tomatoes and peppers were begging to be planted.

I wish I could hear everything my plants have to say to me. It seemed that my dad could hear them, and he gave them anything they wanted. – He was a garden whisperer.

Reasons to Love Your Garden

There can be little doubt that we here at Serendipity Farmhouse love our vegetable and herb gardens. We write about them often.

The Joy of Faithful Stewardship

As the SFH Chief Gardener, I am obligated to make an accounting of our successes and failures, our improvements and our setbacks in the garden. It is my job to make a twice-yearly report to our patron, St. Isidore. We know that all that we have and every breath we breathe is a gift. That means that our humble gardens are treasures entrusted to our care. That is why I said in my post Feast Day Garden Talk this time last year:

We’ve tried to be good stewards of what God has bestowed on Serendipity. The fruits of these labors constantly bring us joy.

The Fruits of Our Labor

And that brings us to the question of what to expect from the time and labor invested in vegetable gardening. I think expectations should be based on purpose and scale. For example, if you are a commercial farmer, you need to grow enough to make a profit in the marketplace. But, if you are a homesteader, you seek to produce enough to meet your personal needs.

Hubby and I are neither farmers nor homesteaders. We merely want to supplement our other food sources with vegetables we like that are either hard to find or otherwise too expensive. The feature picture of me reaching for okra pods from a 10.5-foot okra plant is the perfect example. We are still eating frozen and pickled okra from last year’s harvest, even though it is virtually impossible to find okra in the grocery store now. – Certainly, that is a reason to love my garden.

Personal Accomplishment

I started out by listing several of the many disasters that strike fear and dread in the hearts of gardeners. Hubby and I have experienced them all. And that is where perseverance comes into play. Just as we have overcome adversity in our years of marriage, so too have we worked to overcome adversity in our gardens. There is a great deal of satisfaction to be found when you work through your problems. Eventually, you can say as I did in my post Report to St. Isidore – 2022:

The harvest for 2022 will go down in history as the best year yet for the vegetable and herb gardens proudly cultivated here on the vast 1.203 acres of the Serendipity Farmhouse estate.

One More Reason to Love Your Garden

I’m sure, if you think about what really makes you happy in your life, you will be able to find any number of reasons to love your garden. When there’s a frost warning, or the bugs invade, keep those reasons in mind.

Perhaps you will even find a reason that overcomes every fear of failure. I know I have.

When I write about my gardens, I can’t help but thinking about Dad. This is especially true in May, because that is planting season. That’s when Dad’s expectations were high, and when he worked so hard to make everything just right. – Dad passed away some years ago on May 24th. I like to think that, on that day, his thoughts were about going home to a Garden made just for him.

Dad, I know how much you loved working with your tomatoes and other plants. You were the one who taught me how to love my garden. Thank you for that wonderful gift!

2023 Plantings (So far)

Farmhouse nightmare
Farmhouse Living, Pray, Prepare, Preserve, Rappahannock Neighbors

No Need for A Farmhouse Nightmare

Wednesday morning, fire destroyed a Sperryville auto shop and nearby utility lines; it could have caused a Serendipity Farmhouse nightmare. But, due to practical planning and a small measure of serendipity, it didn’t.

According to the Rappahannock News story Explosions, fire destroy Sperryville auto shop:

A local auto shop in Sperryville was razed early Wednesday morning after catching fire and exploding, downing power lines and leaving more than 300 homes in the area without electricity.

The article explains that the incident occurred just before 5 AM. That was about when I had just finished my prayer time and was eating breakfast. I had heard some strange sounds outside and noticed the lights flickering. Then the Internet went dead and my telephone flashed, saying that I should check the line.

Something was going on. Soon the sound of sirens confirmed that a serious event had happened near Serendipity Farmhouse. It was only hours later that I would have the opportunity to assess the nature of this critical infrastructure event.

Critical Infrastructure Security

I suspect that very few of you have read A Guide to Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). – – Why would you?

That publication lists the 16 Current U.S. Critical Infrastructure Sectors. It also notes that there are four designated lifeline functions – transportation, water, energy, and
communications. The crucial assertion by this CISA publication is:

These connections and interdependencies between infrastructure elements and sectors mean that the loss of one or more lifeline function(s) typically has an immediate impact on the operation or mission in multiple sectors. [My emphasis added.]

Preliminary Lifeline Functions Assessment

Here is the event scene as it looked at 3 PM. The auto repair shop was totally destroyed. Most of the fire crews had departed. Apparently, Rappahannock Electric Company had already completed their on-site work. Power had been restored.

Multiple Verizon trucks had arrived, and workers were repairing telephone lines.

Xfinity technicians were performing repairs on Internet, TV cable, and digital phone lines.

Transportation

Did the fire have an impact on transportation?

At 5:12 AM, The Rappahannock County Fire & Rescue Department reported: “Crews are working to extinguish a commercial structure fire in Sperryville. Please avoid the immediate town of Sperryville due to multiple exposures and dangerous conditions.”

Additionally, Son’s Road and Water Street were closed to through traffic. – This had some impact on Serendipity Farmhouse.

Energy

Did the fire have an impact on energy?

According to the Rappahannock News, over 300 homes in the area lost electric power. Owing to a bit of serendipity, electric power is fed to Serendipity Farmhouse via a different distribution circuit than feeds the central portion of Sperryville. But for those 300+ families, there was great concern and inconvenience.

Water

Did the fire have an impact on water?

For the 300+ families without power, this was most certainly a big problem. Almost everyone in Sperryville gets their water from wells using electric pumps. No electricity means no water. No water for drinking, cooking, washing, or flushing.

Communications

Did the fire have an impact on communications?

As I noted earlier, Serendipity Farmhouse lost Xfinity/Comcast Internet access, cable, and telephone just before 5 AM. But Xfinity/Comcast users were not the only ones impacted. Verizon telephone lines are on the same utility poles as the electric and cable lines. This meant that, with the exception of mobile cell service, Sperryville was without communications.

Consider the implications of this 11:47 AM report from Rappahannock County Sheriff’s Office: “Rappahannock County Public Safety Communication Center 911 lines are back up and operating. For non-emergency calls please dial 540-522-7355. Administrative lines remain down.“

Lifeline Functions Resilience Plan

What do we do at Serendipity Farmhouse when the lights go out? – In the words of my most wonderful wife Blondie – “Panic!!”

But she and I know that after we allow ourselves a brief moment of panic and dread, we immediately set about implementing our Lifeline Functions Resilience Plan.

At Serendipity Farmhouse, we don’t live off-grid. And, as you can see by Wednesday’s fire, we are dependent on critical infrastructure. But because of thoughtful planning, there is no need for this type of event to become a farmhouse nightmare. Although we’re not homesteaders, preppers, or survivalists, we live a practical life. And we adhere to a commonsense motto that allows us to enjoy a good night’s sleep. That motto, of course, is Pray, Prepare, Preserve. That motto motivates us to prepare for events like this.

We know what the four lifeline functions are. We understand what loss of those functions means. So, we have developed a plan to build resilience into the way we run Serendipity Farmhouse. CISA defines resilience as:

Resilience may be defined as the ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions. This means being able to withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions, deliberate attacks, accidents, or naturally-occurring threats or incidents.

Over the next few months, Blondie and I will show you what we do to ensure lifeline functions resilience. You will learn why, here at the vast 1.203-acre estate known as Serendipity Farmhouse, there is no need to have a farmhouse nightmare.

Sperryville is our community, the place where we live. Wednesday’s fire was destructive and tragic. Our prayers go out to Andrew Manuel, the owner of Wrextorations. You can donate to Wrextorations here.