Picking peanuts always takes me back to my childhood in eastern North Carolina. My nephew Barney and I spent countless afternoons playing hide-and-seek among the peanut fields. Back then, farmers dug the peanuts and stacked them on poles to dry before harvesting. The fields carried a rich, earthy scent that seemed to linger everywhere, a… Click to see video of Peanuts being Picked
On the Farm
All Good Southern Cooks Have a Sweet Pickle Relish Recipe We don’t buy the relish, we make it ourselves from old family recipes. Each family has its own recipe; some add peppers and onions. I like the simple one. Often we just chop up last year’s sweet cucumber pickles. Sweet Pickle Relish is a main… You just can’t make southern chicken salad without Sweet Pickle Relish. This recipe is the best!
As that famous Georgia bumper sticker says, “It is time to Brake for Boiled Peanuts.” Just-dug peanuts – green peanuts – are one of the first signs that summer is quietly giving way to fall on the farm. And every year in early fall, we boil these green peanuts in the shell with lots of… Click to learn more about Boiled Peanuts
Sweet cucumber pickles are as southern as iced tea. Not just any pickles either – they must be homemade and preferably homegrown. It is alright if someone gives you the cucumbers, or you pick them up fresh from your local Farmers Market. We all have a sweet pickle family recipe that has been passed down… Click here to get Chloe’s Sweet Cucumber Pickle Recipe
Strawberry Picking Time Strawberry picking is a spring tradition in eastern North Carolina. Guests at Big Mill B&B Extended Stay have several great options nearby. For pick-your-own strawberries, visit Griffin’s Farm Market on US 17 in Washington, NC – about 15 miles south of Big Mill – or SouthSide Farms in Chocowinity, roughly 25 miles… Read more about strawberry picking in eastern North Carolina
Back in December 2012, Scott Simon from NPR’s Weekend Edition called to interview me about my snow cream – and just like that, it became famous. When it snows in eastern North Carolina, we absolutely fall to pieces. The moment the weather man whispers the word “snow,” folks rush out and clear every shelf of… Click to get Snow Cream Recipe
October is cotton-picking time in eastern North Carolina I imagine this field is the most photographed cotton field in Eastern North Carolina! Every year, I get calls from folks who want to be photographed in a cotton field. I might be a little biased, but the cotton fields at Big Mill Bed and Breakfast Extended… Read more about growing cotton
Crispy, sweet, and lightly salted, these honey-roasted pecans are the ultimate Southern snack and so easy to make. Perfect for holiday parties, hostess gifts, or everyday cravings, this easy recipe delivers big flavor with just a few simple ingredients. Made with fresh pecans, golden honey, and a touch of sea salt, they roast to a… Read more
My faithful purple martins have left the farm. Where did you go? The silence is awful – their chatter was so soothing. Now they are gone. They have started their long journey south. They don’t head straight to South America. They “hole up” for several weeks in places just south of here like Mann’s… Click to follow the Purple Martins
We try to keep up with all the tech changes – it keeps us busy. I was on the waiting list for Starlink for 15 months, so when they wrote and said, “Yea or Nay?” I said “YES!” So far, so good. For those of you asking, “What is Starlink?” it is Elon Musk’s Satellite… Click to see how fun the Starlink is on the Farm
