Love is in the air and so is the richly enticing smell of freshly baked bread! Today on this April Fool's Full Moon, I like to think that we've got it all wrong about the fools amongst us. Instead of a foibled failure, the fool is the leaper, the one willing to take risks, the fun one who rises with spontaneity and is happy to relish life to its fullest. And that full moon! Wow! It kept me awake all night last night trying to teach me how the world should be. It told me to pr

Maple Cooking & Roasting Weenies It's all getting so confusing, isn't it? During COVID, gas prices plummeted and people from the metro areas FLOCKED to the farms for a sense of space and freedom and safety. Now, we feel like we're in some sort of lock down again, but people are staying close to home this time. They feel compelled to remain vigilant observers - protectors of their neighbors and the fragile collective - and also worry about overspending and gas prices. We're no

Happy Year of the Fire Horse William and I were talking over coffee this morning about the pull technology has over the body and mind. Out here on the farm, often by necessity, real bodily adventures are required. Yes, sure, we gleefully and robotically sit in front of our phones pondering answers to questions, following our favorite content creators or triangulating the weather forecasts (!), but we also spend a lot of time with our physical bodies building, making, and doin

One thing that has become very apparent since I bought my little farm and moved to Western Wisconsin is that no matter the chaos and noise in the outside world, here I am calm, quiet and peaceful. Being in nature and breathing deep into the long views and pastoral landscapes has centered and regulated my nervous system, and since my first days away from the city, I have wanted to share this magic with others. This year I intend to offer a variety of FARM EXPERIENCES for guest

This morning over coffee, William and I were discussing a variety of farm frustrations. Calves can be born and not "take" to mom, rooster brothers can suddenly fight, sheds can collapse under snow load, wood stoves can start puking smoke into the house when the chimney is plugged, sewer pipes and water lines can freeze...the list of these at times sudden and chaotic farm problems goes on and on. William handles all of these mishaps with calm composure. He expects them. He fix

Brenners Witness Kilauea Eruption #40 2025 was a year of quiet contemplation for me. A year of observing and strategizing. A year of living in worry and frustration. A year of feeling homeless despite being home. Funny, I've felt that way before in my life. Let me explain. I’m from St. Cloud, Minnesota - a place sometimes called “White Cloud” because of the inherent everyday racism pervasive there. In fifth grade, 1979, a Vietnamese family moved into my neighborhood. That was

I've had a few friends and family reach out to say, "Are you okay? You haven't been blogging...what's up?" Oh, I'm sorry! Yes, I'm fine. I'm resting, snuggling in, slowing down and nesting. I'm great...just taking cues from Mother Nature. After the insanity of what felt like a non-stop Fall harvest, I needed a little breather is all - the chance to move in my own directions rather than sloshing around in the waves of farm demands. I don't think I stopped picking raspberries u

Lady Liberty Cap It's been said that the eggs at Lake View Organic Farm are the absolute best! Yes, so true, but diggity dang if they aren't our biggest rarity! Our new flock is finally starting to lay, but before you go and get all excited, know we're looking at a dozen a day if we're lucky. It's that time of year when chickens start to slow down their laying altogether, so eggs are a major luxury here on Lake View Farm. First come first serve only. We don't take egg reserva

We've all heard the expression, "Make hay when the sunshines," but have you heard the expression, "Got window?" This one I had never...

A couple years ago I started listening to audiobooks with my library card and the Libby App. This pairing has dramatically changed my...

Sometimes I just can't bear to harvest veggies from the garden because, well, they just look so durned cute right where they are! A row...

In the Spring when we set out to plant, the land looks so vast and barren. "Oh, another plant in this row will be fine," we think. Then,...

Come to view our SUNFLOWER FIELDS August 8-18th this year. LOCATION:   Our viewing field is to the NORTH of our big red barn along 200th...

John Deere Dilly Beans - What Summer Means to a Wisconsin Farmer I love the questions we hear from the tourists. "What's growing in that...

I'm making a prediction here. I suspect that subsistence living, where we work mostly for ourselves to provide basic needs like shelter...

In Europe agritourism experiences can be found when you venture off the beaten path. You can help pick olives or oranges, stay in a shed...

July Storms Wisconsin Farm People are curious about what farmers do for fun. They are also considerate to ask about personal time when...

Unless you have some sort of groovy car that turns into a refrigerator when you stop at all your favorite summer hangouts, I'd suggest...

You want a farm visit? Here are some ideas. This weekend (June 20-22, 2025) is a great chance to be outstanding in a field! Come for the...

To all of you art crawlers out there you know that one of the most fascinating things to do is to step into an artist's studio for a...