On the Farm

When I was growing up we had mules: Big Red, Little Red, Rock, Kit and Mary. There were other mules before my time, but I don’t remember their names. We have spiffed up our mule Mary’s quarters and we call her home the Mule Room Suite. Much discussion went into what to call it. A… Click to read more about the Mule Room — past and present …

The most easterly Barn Quilt on North Carolina’s Quilt Trail is on the Pack House barn at Big Mill B&B in Williamston, NC. I just love it! I used to go to Quilting Bees with my mother when I was a child. I would play under the quilt all by myself. There were no other… Click to read more about Barn Quilts and Miss Chloe’s LaMoyne Star …

Blueberries are a gift – they speak “Summer” If you can pick your own blueberries that is the best. I have blueberries growing right outside my kitchen window and I try to use them any way I can. Local farmers’ markets also have good berries. I love cooking with fresh blueberries and this is the… Click to get Chloe’s Blueberry Cinnamon Jam Recipe

All the cows at Simply Natural Creamery dairy in eastern NC  have a name – and they are all women. This wonderful North Carolina dairy and creamery produces some of the BEST ice cream around. And to think – it was started as a project for the children of the owners. Neil Moye bought three… Read more about Cupcake and her life at Simply Natural Creamery

October is cotton picking time in eastern North Carolina Some things change, but  fall is still harvest time on the farm. I woke up today and the big tractor was outside my window picking cotton. We have words for all the farm jobs — we pick cotton, we dig peanuts and later we pick the… Read more about growing cotton

I grow blueberries and blackberries here on the farm and I love to use them any way I can. Homemade Blueberry Bread Recipe with Blackberry Cream Cheese Spread • 1 large egg• ¼ cup corn or vegetable oil• ¾ cup sugar• ½ cup fresh (mashed blueberries (about 4 ounces whole blueberries))• 1½ Tablespoons blueberry or… Read more about Chloe’s Blueberry bread

We folks in eastern North Carolina celebrate our farm heritage Every year since 2003, we have a big Farm Heritage Fair at the Senator Bob Martin Ag Center in Williamston, NC. Sadly, this fair happens no more, but it was fun while it did. Our “old timers” who knew how to bale hay, make cracklins… Read more

It’s time to save seeds for next year’s flower garden.  These datura or Devil’s Trumpet seed pods will dry out and turn brown. That is the time to harvest them. Georgia O’Keefe liked Devil’s Trumpet or Jimson weed as it is often called. ~~~~~~~~~~~ To everything there is a season. It’s late September and, like… Read more

If you like figs, you will love this Fig Bread – I bet you will like it even if you don’t like figs! I love figs and fig trees; I now have four fig trees planted in my orchard. That might be a bit obsessive, but this is a farm and I can share. When… Click to get the Fig Bread Recipe From Big Mill BB innkeeper Chloe