New Flower Farming Books Worth Reading; Trip to Lighthouse; Vegetable Farmer's Market

I can recommend two farming books I read lately.  Most people read novels or history or romance books.  I read about farming and flowers!!!  The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman. Great book about getting rid of waste on your farm, being smart with your tools, saving time and work.  Deadhead, The Bindweed Way To Grow Flowers by Jeriann Sabin and Ralph Thurston. This book just really appeals to me, the way it was written, size of type, direct and to the point.  It is amazing how this couple took only a few acres and has made it into a huge business with great cash returns.  Not without errors and mistakes which they gladly share.  There are very few resources out there that are so right on point and very refreshing that they are so willing to tell you where to purchase items; what tools are working for them; about marketing your flowers.  I have actually highlighted passages, earmarked pages to show my husband Frank; and read it cover to cover and it is a farming book!!!  I highly recommend both these books to beginner farmers and even long time farmers.

Once a year, my daughter, my grand daughter and several other families (all grandmas/daughters/grand daughters) get together for a women's retreat.  It started several years ago when a friend told me about a trip she made to Pt Cabrillo Lighthouse in Mendocino, California with a few of her girlfriends.

 After her telling me what a special place it was, we decided to book a date for her and her family of girls; and me and my family of girls.

It isn't a cheap place to stay, but with 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms and a gourmet kitchen, after splitting the costs, it is well worth the costs.  My friend and I went there for 2 nights, 3 days and had such a special visit, I thought we should do it on an annual event.  The Pt Cabrillo Lighthouse has several whale watching and education weekends, for several years we booked our trip around those weekends.

Then one year, the property management said if we all paid cash, ahead of the visit, we could get an additional stay.  That is what happened last year.  This year, with my original friend not coming any longer, we picked up several other families that we all knew each other.  We got the extra day and also decided to pay for an additional day.  

The end result was 4 night, 5 days and believe me, it still isn't enough days to totally enjoy all the beautiful, views and wildlife of this place.

We read together, took lots of walks together, whale watched together, ate fabulous meals cooked by all of us together; watched old movies together; had lots of laughs and a few cries together.  

One of the girls that came with her 12 year old daughter are moving to New Hampshire in a few months and she has been going with the group several years.  

While standing at dusk over looking the ocean with all the kids playing on the rocks and the rest of us watching the beautiful water and skies, it all just got to her, leaving her friends and family.

 but with much support and love from everyone, she recovered and we made plans to visit New Hampshire next year.

We saw whales with their babies and mother seals with babies in the calm inlet waters.

When I got back, Frank and I had a Wellness/Health Farmers Market School events to do.

And I also had a few flower requests.  Things are never dull here at Windmill Farm.