Category: Little House

As you know by now, Union Grove Farm, where I live, is about to go into the freeze-dried grape business in a big way. But who, you are no doubt wondering, invented freeze drying in the first place? No, it wasn’t NASA, which is finally back in the business of sending men and women into… Continue reading Incan Potatoes, Raw Juice from Motown and Ice Cream on the Moon

(NEWS BULLETIN: : Union Grove Farm has  become the first vineyard in the nation to achieve Tier 5 Regenified™ Certification—the highest level of verification awarded in regenerative agriculture from the certifying organization.) This is really big news. To get to Tier 5, you have to spend a lot more money, employ a lot more workers… Continue reading Things That Are Hard To Count

“A child, a child, shivers in the cold. Let us bring him silver and gold.“ NO! Bring him a blanket! I’ve been shivering in the cold here at the Little House by the Vineyard, but nobody brought me any silver and gold, or a blanket either. Ben Bohlen, however, did come by and unfreeze my… Continue reading Christmas 2025

(AND OTHER EXCITING TALES) Did you hear the one about the dowser whose divining rod kept leading him into Chelsea’s Tap Room on 4th Street? A coalition of scientists, nimbies and his competitors tried to get his dowsing license revoked until he proved in fact that Chelsea’s was watering down their whiskey. Dowsing, which used… Continue reading The Dowsing of Little Cheek

Is it just me, or is there some mean, vindictive spirit in garden hoses that makes them always want to bend the wrong way when you are trying to wind them up? Many, many years ago, when I was in the prime of life, I owned a lovely country house in Maryland behind which I… Continue reading Hoses

The word “plant” is a very versatile word. It can mean a dandelion or an oak tree, or the stuff they make Beyond Meat from. It can mean a giant steel manufacturing factory. It can mean a CIA double agent inserted in a key Politburo agency. You can plant a rosebush, an idea, a kiss… Continue reading Planting Time

Actually, I’ll take a hot chocolate. They serve a very delightful one at the Blue Heeler Coffee Shop, which is a food truck permanently located right across the road from Maple View Farm Ice Cream at the corner of Dairyland and Rocky Ridge roads in Hillsborough, NC. Right there in the heart of the Union… Continue reading Coffee, Tea or Me?

When it comes to handyman stuff, mark me down as poor to medium. Maybe about the fortieth percentile. I mean, I can rewire a lamp, do simple carpentry – as long as it doesn’t involve power tools, blow leaves and paint anything I can reach. I used to be able to clean gutters, but old… Continue reading Fixing Things

Well, it’s Christmastime here at Union Grove Farm, and here at the Little House by the Vineyard, the spirit of the season is being enjoyed by one and all. Of course, one is all there is here at the Little House, but that one – me – certainly is just bursting with holiday cheer. I’ve… Continue reading Christmas on the Farm

Ever since old Noah checked the weather report on his cellphone and saw there was a 100% chance of rain for the next 40 days and nights, mankind has had this love/hate relationship with water. Here in North Carolina this year, it’s been mostly hate, We have had devastating floods that have brought tragedy to… Continue reading Water, water