Elizabeth's Secret Garden

  What I love about Horne Creek Historical Farm is that is makes you feel as if you have taken a step back in time. It takes you back to the 1900-era of rural North Carolina. Manual labor, raising animals, producing food, and creative crafts such as quilting were a normality during that time. This time period appeals to me because of the central importance of community and family. People relied on each other for giant harvests, bartering, and fellowship. The modern busyness we all face distracts from cultivating friendships and being with family. Yes, life was most certainly harder during this time period, but it must have been more fulfilling with a greater sense of purposefulness and closeness. Website: http://www.nchistoricsites.org/horne/   We visited the farm during the 22nd Annual Cornshucking Frolic. Though it was cold and rainy, it was enjoyable to watch demonstrations of different tasks that would have been part of daily life on a North Carolina farm. This demo...

  My family went to the North Carolina State Fair on the second day of it being held. It is October 17 – 27.  Going on a weekday was a good decision. Even then it got really busy as afternoon approached. We were able to look through all the exhibits. This blog entry contains the favorite of the pictures I took since I couldn’t show all 470 of them! It is hard to pick a favorite part of the fair. The flowers and gardens were beautiful. I loved walking through and looking at all the award winning produce. As you can see behind me and my sister are the award winning pumpkins. The largest one weighed in at 900 pounds. That’s a lot of pumpkin pie! I also show the cakes with their elaborate designs in a photo album. A must see for all you Cake Boss fans. From cash registers to imitation pizza, they were dazzling and surprising. I included the different hand crafts and the vendors dressed in historic period clothing. Of course a fair wouldn’t be complete without animals. My broth...

It is in the nature parks, state parks, and national parks that history and nature are preserved. We have a chance to enjoy nature in its natural form as surrounding areas become increasingly developed. These lands of preservation are important for wildlife and native flora. A place to thrive while in other areas it is a battle just to survive. Cliffs of the Neuse State Park through donations and purchases has reached 890 acres in size. As you gaze over the cliffs it becomes easier to imagine what life would have been like in the earlier days of expeditions and settlement in the United States. The area at one time was home to the Tuscarora and Saponi Indian tribes. Their settlement spread across the land between the Neuse and Pamlico rivers. Rivers during that time period were a key source of transportation. The Neuse river was this and much more as it played a role in history. It was the river that provided transportation to the Pamlico Sound and Atlantic Ocean during the Civil War....

My family went on the annual Eastern Triangle Farm Tour  which is part of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. You can see their website to learn more.  http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org   Our first farm tour was Homestead Harvest Farm. The field is 6 1/2 acres, but the entire property is 20 acres. Jan Campbell did cancer research before she started working full time on the farm. She participated in internships and classes to gain knowledge. Her love for the farm and pride in her animals was evident as she discussed the farm’s history and facts about animal raising. The chickens are raised free range and feed on the pesticide- free lawn. They are treated with the upmost of care without the use of antibiotics. Chicken tractors on wheels are scattered about the field. They are moved around as the animals are ready for fresh grass. The farm also has ducks, turkeys, and pigs. As you can see, the chicken tractors can be moved manually by pushing back against the w...