Farm Archives - home is where my story begins...

60 Acres of Sunflowers

Becca — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 05:22:00 +0000

A few weeks ago we made a trip over to my cousin’s farm in Kittitas. My cousin and uncle usually plant hay, wheat, corn, and the typical Eastern Washington crops. This year, my cousin had a contract to plant 60 acres of sunflowers.

I really love our Farmcation every year, but I was absolutely giddy this year with the thought of taking pictures in the sunflower field. I have over two hundred pictures to sort through and edit. The kids were all great sports, posing for many photos. I haven’t had time to edit those yet- too many vacations and too little time! Here are a few of my favorites that are straight out of the camera. The sun and the field were so beautiful they really don’t need editing or filters.

Seriously, is there anything happier than a field of sunflowers?

Ok, one thing might be happier than a field of sunflowers…

me – taking pictures in a field of sunflowers – and also having permission to pick a huge bucket of sunflowers to take home for my table!

Just happy.

The post 60 Acres of Sunflowers appeared first on home is where my story begins....

Farm to Table Photography

Becca — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 15:00:00 +0000

Last week I got to put my learning from my food photography classes to work. A couple of friends are opening a restaurant in Downtown Snohomish in a few days. It’s called Roger’s River View Bistro and it has a local, farm to table, theme. They are using local farms and shops to buy their meat, flowers, and produce. It’s just such a “down home” type feel and I can’t wait to eat there.

We headed to four different farms and took a few pictures for the website that is being put together. It was so much fun to meet the farmers and hear about their products. I’ve decided that farm photography is my favorite. I absolutely LOVE taking pictures on our Farm-cation every year, and this was like taking a mini-farm-cation while taking pictures of the farmers in action.

If you love farm to table photography as much as I do, feel free to scroll on through. If you’re not into the photos, just visit my friends Roger and Shannon down in Snohomish at the end of July. I can’t wait to have dinner on the deck!

Happy farm-photography!

The post Farm to Table Photography appeared first on home is where my story begins....

Remember When

Becca — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 22:25:00 +0000

Remember the good old days, way back when I was a blogger? I used to write about projects I was doing, new recipes I tried, daily life stuff, gardening, and sewing projects. Ahh. Those were great times. I would wake up early on a Saturday morning and type away, as my kids slept. My camera was rarely in its case, always around my neck instead. I’d “plate up” our dinner and snap pictures before my kids could take a bite.

Good times. Yes, good times.

Then school started again. I’ve barely been able to keep my head above water. I feel like someone is standing by my bed in the mornings, with a stop watch, hovering over me, about to yell, “AND GO!!!!” I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. My soccer-mom-friends and I share our sob stories. We all know how it goes. I’m just afraid I’ll forget to pick up the kids somewhere one of these days!

Anyway, back to that blogging thing. It’s been a while. I haven’t even shared our Labor Day Weekend Farmcation photos. There weren’t quite as many this year.

My kids were less than cooperative.

As a matter of fact, for the first time in about 5 years, I didn’t even get a picture that was Christmas card worthy. I think I need to raise the bribery a bit.

The kids were busy riding motorcycles and four wheelers again this year.

My youngest even learned to ride on her own.

I wrote about the owl pellet collection and disection on my literacy blog, if you’re interested in that. Pretty cool stuff!

Well, here’s hopin’ that life settles down a bit! Maybe I’ll find time for blogging again soon!

The post Remember When appeared first on home is where my story begins....

Farm Life

Becca — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 23:35:00 +0000

I’ve never made a secret of my desire to live on a farm. I’ve convinced my hubby that Eastern Washington is definitely the place for us. He’s agreed to move there, when the kids are out of school and we’re ready to become farmers. I won’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen. I’m counting on my cousin and uncle to find a great deal on farm land for us, so the perfect home can just “happen” and we can actually make the move.

There’s just something about wide open spaces that I love. Well, I love the sunshine too.

Yesterday I asked him if he was ever going to let me have chickens (meaning that I want them now and I want to put them in my small backyard). He said I could have chickens when we moved to the farm, but that the coyotes would probably eat them. I guess I’ll be needing a really great barn to go along with my little farm house. (By the way, anyone have any great ideas on how to build a cute farm house that is a rambler? I’m assuming that we’ll be old and gray by the time we get around to this, so we’ll be looking for a single story home. I haven’t seen any rambler/farmhouse plans that I love.)

I think I’ll grow pumpkins and market to local elementary schools for field trips. Of course, I’ll have chickens, bunnies, goats, 2 dogs, and a horse or two.

I have big plans, friends. Fortunately, my hubby is onboard so far.

Happy dreaming!

The post Farm Life appeared first on home is where my story begins....

Farmcation, 2011

Becca — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 02:34:00 +0000

Well, hello friends! We spent the long holiday weekend with family over in Eastern Washington. I think the farm is my favorite place to be. I took 300+ pictures, so I won’t share all of them. (About 200 pictures were of my kids. We always try to get the Christmas card photo while we are at the farm.)

Gotta love Farmcation!

The post Farmcation, 2011 appeared first on home is where my story begins....

Barnwood Heaven

Becca — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Last week I posted about my new-found-need for barnwood. Well, it just so happened that we were scheduled to take a trip to Eastern Washington, to my cousin’s farm. He’s a hay farmer in Kittitas.

(The kids loved the biggest sprinklers EVER.)

Such a cute farmhouse. This was the house my uncle was raised in. We always called it Grandpa’s House. Well, when Grandpa passed away, my cousin and his wife moved in. They have totally remodeled the house, inside and out. They have also just finished an addition which doubled the size of their living space. I see lots of Farmcations in my future.

Here’s the exciting news. Back behind the barn, what do you suppose might be stacked up? Yep, old barn wood!!!

I can’t wait to get started!

Here are the projects, in case you haven’t seen them.

I always end my posts with something like, “Happy gardening!” Or maybe, “Happy baking.” So today it seems best to end with this…

Happy picking through someone’s wood pile, hidden behind their old barn!

The post Barnwood Heaven appeared first on home is where my story begins....

A Great Weekend

Becca — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 04:40:00 +0000

We had a fantastic weekend. No, it wasn’t spent at my 20th high school reunion. (which my hubby and I missed) We spent the weekend with family in Eastern Washington. I can’t wait to tell you more about it. There were tractors, pigs, motorcycles, barn owls, bee hives, fishing, fun with family, and BARNWOOD! Thanks Uncle Brenty! I love the treasures hidden in those old barns!

The post A Great Weekend appeared first on home is where my story begins....

Fun With Photography

Becca — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 21:00:00 +0000

I’ve been learning a lot about photography over the summer. I reread Scott Kelby’s books, learned a bit online, and found some great resources to help me get from Auto mode to Manual mode. I now know what all of those little setting do on my camera. I know the difference between the P setting and AV setting, although I’ll admit that I still have to think about it. I’m still learning, so when I’m ready to take a photo, I have to think about what the setting does. If I want to take a quick picture, I still go right back to the little green box.

Last week, when we went to my cousin’s farm, I had the chance to play around with my camera a little. I took my camera off of Auto mode and really spent some time thinking about what I was doing. I waited for perfect lighting, played around with the settings, and even learned how to adjust add more light to the photo with that little number line thingy. (Ok, that’s not the technical term but I’m being lazy and don’t want to look up the real name for it.)

Here are a few pictures I took on our Farm-cation (that’s the term we use for our vacation to my cousin’s farm).

I tried to use the trees to frame the view of the wheat field.

I waited until sunset to capture the kids in the perfect lighting. There is nothing better than sunset on the farm.

I’d show you more pictures of my kids in the straw bales at sunset, but some freak-o stalker could be reading this. You’re thinking that’s crazy, but I know all you bloggy mamas are thinking the EXACT SAME THING, so don’t make fun of me.

This was really fun. My son was riding the motorcycle and said, “Hey mom, can you do that thing where the whole picture is in focus and you make me look like I’m going so fast that I’m just a blur?”

Oh, the shadow pictures….
The kids had a blast posing for these. I took several, but you only really need to see one to get the idea.

Gotta love the farm! I think I’m living in the wrong part of the state.

Here are a few linky parties I’m joining!

The post Fun With Photography appeared first on home is where my story begins....