Indholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2024 i Country Living

Every year, my family spends a weekend in Fairhope, Alabama, a charming coastal town that has long lured artists and writerly types, including Rick Bragg, Jimmy Buffett, and Fannie Flagg. As soon as we turn onto Scenic Highway 98, where the two-lane road is dripping with Spanish moss, we roll down the windows and breathe in the balmy air of Mobile Bay. If the azaleas are in bloom, all the better. With every trip, I look forward to wandering a sandy, off-the-beaten-path boardwalk just off the water that hosts a stretch of historic houses. It’s particularly magical at dusk, when the porches are warmly lit and you can hear the hum of music and activity from the houses, intermingled with the waves lapping on the bay. Along the path, there’s…

IF YOU HAVE… Strawberry Jam Shake 2 oz. vodka, ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice, ½ oz. (or last of jar) strawberry jam, and ice in jar until chilled. Garnish with a strawberry and lemon wedge. IF YOU HAVE… Orange Marmalade Stir together 2 oz. bourbon, 2 dashes bitters, and ¼ oz. (or last of jar) orange marmalade in jar. Top with ice and garnish with a cherry and orange peel. IF YOU HAVE… Blackberry Jam Shake 2 oz. gin, ¾ oz. fresh lime juice, ¾ oz. (or last of jar) blackberry jam, and ice in jar until chilled. Top with soda water and garnish with fresh mint.…

No country property is complete without this trusty predictor gracing a barn roof. The iconic instrument dates back to 48 B.C., when Greek astronomer Andronicus of Cyrrhus designed a rotating arrow atop four fixed horizontal posts to signal the wind’s direction. However, we have Pope Nicholas to thank for its classic rooster topper. In the 9th century, he decreed that weather vanes featuring the bird, a Christian symbol, be placed on church domes and steeples. Luckily, its shape, with its light tail to heavy body ratio, made it perfect for catching wind.…

Post-WWI, a perfect storm of declining birth rates, ballooning debts, and dwindling needs for U.S. agricultural products abroad left farmers desperate to sell surplus produce. At the same time, city dwellers were eager to hit the freshly paved roads that newly connected urban centers to the countryside. During the particularly bountiful 1932 cherry season in Door County, Wisconsin, area farmers arrived at an ingenious idea: turn the hard labor of fruit picking into a leisure activity. Vacationers were heavily encouraged to detour to nearby farms for an afternoon of fruit-focused fun. The coordinated efforts of the Door County cherry farmers paved the way for similar U-pick experiences across the U.S.…

WHEN GANY BERNAL (far right) first spotted the wise old banyan tree gracing the 10-acre Florida farm (bluestallionfarm.com) she now calls home, she knew this was the spot to put down roots. Situated on the eastern edge of the Everglades, the property afforded plenty of room for her four now-grown children, as well as ample space for a true animal menagerie, including the family’s roughly 60 chickens, four beloved horses, three dogs, two roosters, two cows, and a pig. The year-round warm temps encourage four-season outdoor entertaining (animals always welcome!), but the backyard is especially magical come spring, when the pergola is covered in fragrant jasmine vine and the table is set for celebratory brunches (Easter, Mother’s Day) featuring sentimental dishes inspired by family recipes. “There is a soulfulness to…

Inspired by: Sugaree’s Bakery in New Albany, Mississippi Local Flavor: Strawberry-loving southerners can slip into the brick-front bakery for the best fruit pie this side of the Mississippi. At home, the rest of us can whip up owner Mary Jennifer Russell’s family recipe, with its butter-lard crust and ribbons of whipped cream supporting a mountain of jam-coated berries. You know what they say: The higher the pie, the closer to God. Recipe, pg. 97…

Don’t you think we have enough going on? This was my husband Fred’s logical response when I suggested that we add a flock of baby chicks to our already expansive brood of four children, two guinea pigs, a 15-year-old German shepherd mix, and one tetra fish. But I had already been wooed by the backyard chicken lifestyle. (Thanks, Instagram.) I could just picture it: me in my prairie skirt (that I didn’t yet own), holding a wicker basket (ditto for the basket), and my darling kids plucking fresh eggs from the coop each morning and tossing the chickens feed as joyfully as one tosses rice at a wedding. The image did not woo my husband with the same fervor, so I instead appealed to his wallet. “Eggs are six dollars…

The Classic English farmer Georgie Newbery’s beloved guide includes essential advice on growing, displaying, and selling flowers. The Flower Farmer’s Year $40; amazon.com The Primer Lisa Mason Ziegler of educational website The Gardener’s Workshop shares steps for creating and maintaining a cutting garden. The Cut Flower Handbook $30; bookshop.org The Deep Dive B-Side Farm’s Lennie Larkin gets into the nitty-gritty details of building a profitable and efficient cut-flower business. Flower Farming for Profit $45; bookshop.org…

Botanical Interests Illustrated seed packets offer detailed tips for growing success. botanicalinterests.com Seed Savers Exchange This nonprofit safeguards and shares heirloom seeds. seedsavers.org Renee’s Garden Packets include a quick-view planting chart and harvesting info. reneesgarden.com Seed Needs Choose from more than 280 flower varieties (some packets can also be customized). seedneeds.com…

Cosmos Bring a graceful addition to arrangements with these delicate petals and wispy foliage. Daffodils Spring’s cheerful, reliable herald also attracts pollinators. Celosia Blooming in June, the bright, feathery plumes add instant interest to gardens. Zinnias Hardy and fast-growing, they come in a dizzying array of shapes, sizes, and hues. Dahlias Romantic, textural, and a fall wedding favorite, forms range from 76 COUNTRYLIVING.COM / APRIL–MAY 2024 tiny balls to plate-size.…

For a more patinaed approach to potting tool storage, turn to a piece likely already stashed in the shed or easily spotted at an estate sale: a garden rake. To make, remove the rake’s handle, turn the tines down and out, and secure to the wall with a screw. Loop leather cord or burlap twine through the handle holes of your most-used clippers and trowels, then hang from the rake tines. The next time the urge to garden takes root, your go-to tools will be hanging at the ready.…

Asparagus White Pizza with Prosciutto and Gremolata WORKING TIME 25 minutes TOTAL TIME 25 minutes MAKES 4 to 6 servings Unlike its South American cousin, chimichurri, Italian gremolata doesn’t have any oil and gets its tang from chopped lemon zest versus vinegar. ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 clove garlic, grated 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Cornmeal, for pizza peel 1 pound fresh or frozen pizza dough, at room temperature Olive oil, for brushing dough ¾ cup fresh ricotta ½ pound asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced into wide coins 5 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated (about 1 ¼ cups) 4 thin slices prosciutto 1. Combine parsley, garlic, and zest in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Preheat oven to 475°F with oven rack…

1 Dreaming up as many strawberry desserts as your U-pick bounty can accommodate 2 Petal pink climbing roses that feel plucked from a storybook 3 Perusing the real estate listings and fantasizing about a new old farmhouse (Find yours on pg. 20!) 4 Reacquainting oneself with the pleasures of porching 5 Stumbling upon country scenes—laundry on the line, flowers in bloom—that make you want to paint en plein air 6 The pitter-patter of spring rains on a metal roof 7 Swapping out the winter gear for breezy dresses and your trusty cowboy boots 8 Thoughtfully appointed guest rooms with freshly picked wildflowers on the nightstand Be sure to follow us on Instagram @countrylivingmag for a daily dose of Simple Country Pleasures.…

Roam Sweet Roam: There’s no one favorite place in my garden—I’m always moving throughout. I’m very lucky to go into the cool shadows of the woodland garden and come out in the bright sun to the parterre garden, and end up in the bird house village. Needless to say, I spend a lot of time in the vegetable garden. (See all areas of Bunny’s garden in her new book, (1) Bunny Williams: Life in the Garden $60; rizzoliusa.com.) Pastoral Page-Turners: I always find myself returning to Russell Page’s The Education of a Gardener. I love all of Rosemary Verey and Vita-Sackville West’s books. I’ve also been enjoying [Dutch garden designer] Piet Oudolf’s books about more contemporary gardening. Petal Preferences: Asking me to pick my favorite flower is like asking me…

Carry On Typically handmade, wooden berry basket totes have been used to transport precious produce from field to farmstand since the mid-1800s. These flat vessels were made to house small square baskets known as “punnets.” (Their breathable design allowed dirt to escape while minimizing handling that could bruise delicate fruits.) Most carriers found today date post-1940 and prices range from $40 to $200, with more elaborate and colorful styles fetching on the higher end. Punnets range from a few dollars for a stack of pressed cardboard types to several dollars each for enamel-rimmed wood examples. Right This Way Roadside stands, which proliferated along with the 1920s and ’30s rise of the automobile, have consistently provided an easy and economical way for farmers to profit from their produce. Graphic hand-painted signs…

“My 80-year-old mother said this was her mother’s spring quilt.” —D.D., Mt. Juliet, TN WHAT IT IS: Early-1900s Pieced Quilt Constructed of geometric pieces hand-stitched in the “Touching Stars” pattern, your family heirloom is what is called a pieced quilt—a term derived from the practice of it being made of collected fabric scraps. “Bright, multicolored cotton quilts like yours were made in the 1930s for the change of seasons from winter to spring,” says appraiser Helaine Fendelman. “Changing the bedding for spring meant lighter colors as well as lighter fabrics. Rather than rough or coarse white or brown flour sacks, which usually had company logos printed on them, the background fabric for your quilt is a soft white cotton.” Helaine adds that, because it is a rather commonly made style of…

Brothers Andy and Mateo Kehler grew up summering in Greensboro, Vermont. Still, their decision to buy 210 acres and move there full-time was entirely on impulse. “This land came up for sale, but we had no idea what to do with it,” says Mateo. They had watched as the area’s small farms were sold off one by one and, wanting to help preserve the community they loved, they decided to go all in and farm it. “We knew we couldn’t make a living milking cows. We needed to add value,” he says. The solution? Cheese. Mateo headed off to London to study cheesemaking, while Andy learned the finer points of dairy farming. They’d only been at it for three months when, in July 2003, they caught a major break: Cabot…

From a Craftsman to a Cape Cod, a Tudor to a Colonial, Casey and Jason Cashell have fixed up many a house since first meeting as undergrads at Kentucky’s Boyce College in 2004. But it was a mid-1800s Italianate Victorian-style house-turned-bed-and-breakfast in Orange, Virginia, that led them across state lines. “It needed work, but it was breathtaking,” says Jason. “Our dream became restoring the entire estate, then filling it with people.” The couple left their gigs in sales (him) and wedding photography (her) to take over Mayhurst Estate (mayhurstinn.com) in early 2020. They first converted the original schoolhouse into a guest cottage and have gradually made improvements to the eight-bedroom, 9,200-square-foot home, including refinishing floors, installing molding, and upgrading bathrooms. While open year-round, Jason declares spring is when the grounds…

Near the end of a 45-minute drive from Charleston down to a small riverfront village, there’s a speed bump at the town sign that the locals warn you about. “You had better slow down, or you’ll go flying,” says interior designer Jackye Lanham (jackyelanham.com). It’s a fitting transition from busy city life to South Carolina’s Low Country, where weekends unfold at a sleepy pace. “It’s not fancy here,” Jackye says of the dirt road leading to a white clapboard cottage that she and architect Stan Dixon (dsdixonarchitect.com) restored. “There’s no driveway; you park right on the grass.” From the outside in, the riverside house looks as if it’s lived this way for more than 100 years, tucked under sprawling live oaks dripping in Spanish moss. Its seamless renovation makes it…

Like many businesses, Dee Hall’s began by spotting a hole in the market. “I wanted locally sourced flowers for my wedding and couldn’t find any,” she says. A lifelong gardening enthusiast (her grandmother grew flowers on St. Lucia, and Dee was raised across the street from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York City), she planted her own scabiosa and dahlias in the front yard of her Norfolk, Virginia, home. “My neighborhood is really friendly, and soon the person across the street offered me growing space,” she says. More offers followed and, in 2020, Dee launched Mermaid City Flowers (mermaidcityflowers.com), which now includes four sustainable gardens totaling an acre around the neighborhood. In addition to growing blooms for her bouquet subscription service, Dee cultivates native plants and pollinator-friendly flowers. Dee…

In 2017, Deanna Kitchen was looking to foster intergenerational connections for both herself and her three young sons in their Skagit Valley community. So she loaded a few buckets of homegrown dahlias into a Radio Flyer “with a broken handle and a really squeaky wheel,” and she and the boys headed to a nearby long-term care facility to hand out blooms to residents. The gesture brought joy to its recipients, and sparked an “aha” moment for Deanna. “We could only go so far with our little red wagon,” she thought. “But what if we invited others to join us?” The idea sparked the Growing Kindness Project (growingkindnessproject.org), the nonprofit she formed in 2020. Through the organization, Deanna provides more than 3,600 gardeners with educational resources, online forums, and dahlia tubers…

It was dinnerplate dahlias that first hooked Alyssa Ward on flowers. She spotted them during a visit to Pennsylvania’s Longwood Gardens. “I fell in love,” she says. “I went right home and [my husband] planted some.” She and her husband, Allen, were already growing vegetables for their roadside stand, but they soon noticed it was the blooms customers gravitated toward. So, in 2018 when they moved to a new home with more than 11 acres in Salem, New Jersey, they reestablished Ward’s Farm (wardsfarmnj.com) with a focus on organic cut flowers, despite both juggling 9-to-5 gigs, too. “Farming is way more than a side hustle, but we find the time,” says Alyssa. “Plus, the learnings we have from our jobs in areas like customer service help our business.” They opened…

Q. I occasionally come across cattle on my rural roads. What’s proper protocol? —Annie R., Dubois, WY A. Slow down well ahead of any direct encounter, turn on your hazard lights to warn oncoming vehicles, and do not honk. (It can alarm animals and send them unsafely scattering.) If you come across a herd being directed by a rancher, await their instructions—they may clear a path or encourage you to cautiously move through the group. If, however, a lone animal is in your path, stay in your vehicle, reach your hand out the window, and pat it against the door (the sound will catch the animal’s attention without scaring it). Wait for it to move out of the way before proceeding, then alert a nearby farmer or call Animal Control.…

Q. What do you keep on hand for last-minute houseguests? -K.Miller, Sandisfield, MA A. When you’re out in the country, a quick swing by the store isn’t always doable. One of my favorite shelf-stable staples is popping corn (stonehollowfarmstead.com). Once popped, I’ll toss with finely grated Parmesan or a spice blend like za’atar or everything bagel seasoning. Olives also last for months in the fridge, so I keep a pint on hand. To serve, gently heat them in olive oil with red pepper flakes and a sprig of rosemary from the garden.…

In recent years, if social media is any indication, a perfectly organized pantry has become the homeowner’s holy grail. You know the look: clear canisters placed precisely three inches apart, artisanal snacks nestled neatly in matching woven baskets, multiple bottles of sparkling water standing at the ready. Sure, it’s beautiful—but it’s exhausting to maintain. Happily on the other end of the organizational spectrum is the laid-back country house pantry. Featuring a curious collection of packed-in provisions—the honey from your beekeeping neighbor, supplies you can only procure at the local mom-and-pop market, the Ball jar bounty of last summer’s harvest—it’s a delicious documentation of a more relaxed approach to living. You will also likely find indulgences one rarely allows oneself elsewhere (the sugary cereal, the s’mores fixin’s) because the rules are…

Why We Love It It’s Rooted in Craftsmanship: Popular throughout northern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, bobbin furniture reflects the handiwork of country carpenters. These woodworkers, sometimes referred to as “turners” or “bodgers,” would spin freshly felled trees on their lathes to create shapely furniture legs. (The surname “Turner” is actually derived from this practice.) It’s a Close Cousin to the Spool: America put its stamp on the bobbin style with the creation of “cottage furniture,” which relied on new mechanical lathes to mass-produce turned-leg furniture sets made from cheaper soft woods. This style is often referred to as “spindle” or “spool” —think Jenny Lind-style beds. Nowadays, “bobbin” has come to mean the modern British style of stacked ball-on-ball lathing, while the American-favored “spool” allows for more range…

Farmers have long relied on the tradition of the honor stand, which includes produce set out alongside a list of prices, a ledger, and an unsupervised box for dropping payment. While not a perfect system, farmers who use it have psychology on their side: Researchers have found that acts of trust-building—even with strangers you don’t directly interact with—induce the release of oxytocin, which can cause temporary surges in generosity, hence the not uncommon tendency for honor stand shoppers to overpay!…

From the Farm to Your Table Here, five ways to embrace peak asparagus season. Recipes, pg. 92 FIELD NOTES Selecting Spears Asparagus has more flavor—and is sweeter!—during peak season from late February to late April. Look for thin, firm stalks that are not wilted. You should be able to detect a mild fresh smell and the tips should be closed and not mushy. Early spring’s pencil-thin asparagus doesn’t typically need to be trimmed, but thicker, later-season stalks tend to have woody bottoms you’ll want to discard. To trim, grasp the stalk at both ends and bend until the woody part snaps off.…

Delight in thousands of daffodils, shop for antiques in an old gristmill… …and 13 more ways to savor springtime in the Connecticut countryside. Rise and Dine: Litchfield’s Meraki spices up the morning thanks to items like its porchetta breakfast sandwich with a local fried egg, house kimchi, and Sriracha aioli. Hit the Trail: The short trek to the cascades at Kent Falls State Park takes hikers across a red covered bridge and offers photo-worthy vantage points. Hunt for Treasures: Follow the Woodbury Antiques Trail for shops stocked with folk art, early-American furniture, and more vintage finds. (Don’t miss Mill House Antiques in an historic gristmill.) In Litchfield, explore three floors of high-quality early Americana (like the stenciled 19th-century chair at bottom right) at Jeffrey Tillou Antiques. Take a Lunch Break:…

Grace Lam’s life with flowers began early (though not tenderly) in her mother’s Massachusetts garden. “I remember breaking her dahlias while kicking balls around the yard, then taping up the plants in hopes of her not noticing,” she says. Still, when Grace left a job on Wall Street in 2012, it was flowers and family that inspired a return to her roots. Soon after, Grace, along with mom Helen, dad Daniel, and siblings Lyh-Ping, Lyh-Rhen, Lyh-Hsin, and Joyce, purchased 38 acres that would become Fivefork Farms (fiveforkfarms.com). The property, which draws its name from the five kids, is now one of the Boston area’s most esteemed growers of sustainable blooms. They each play a role: Grace and Lyh-Hsin run day-to-day operations, Joyce oversees finances, Lyh-Rhen works on branding and marketing,…

Peter Elmore was just two years old when he and his father, Mark, took an evening walk in the hills of the 19th-century Maryland farm their family had just purchased. As they gazed upward and recited a familiar nursery rhyme, inspiration struck: Their home’s new name would be “Star Bright.” Thirty years later, Peter is still inspiring the future of Star Bright Farm (starbright-farm.com), now as head farmer. After studying regenerative agriculture at the University of Vermont, he returned home in 2017 to implement what he’d learned. “Perennial plants are a cornerstone, as they’re less disruptive to the environment,” he says. To that end, the farm features an acre of lavender fields, complemented by five acres of perennial herbs and flowers. “We also have fruit trees and bushes, which add…

Eleven years ago, Melanie Harrington was unloading yet another box of carnations shipped from South America at the flower shop where she worked when inspiration struck. “I wanted to start my own business and I wanted to grow something locally,” she says. She began by planting zinnias on the same Ontario farm she’d been raised. “My parents grew vegetables and a few flowers,” says Melanie. “I loved going to the farmstand with my dad when I was a kid, standing on a milk crate and arranging flowers in tins on our pickup tailgate.” In 2014, she began Dahlia May (dahliamayflowerfarm.com), and the following winter she studied flower farming. “My idea was to supply Ontario-grown flowers 12 months of the year,” she says. The farm now features four acres of mixed blooms…

PICK A BRIGHT SPOT. Most perennials require direct sun for six to eight hours per day. If you don’t have sufficient sun, opt for shade-loving plants instead. SCALE TO SIZE. Pare the plan to fit your space. No yard? No matter! Use 24-inch-diameter containers, then pick three or four plants to include. MIX UP HEIGHTS. Varied stems make a garden look full. Place tall plants in the back or middle, and stairstep shorter heights to the bed’s edges. PLANT TO YOUR TASTE. Carmen’s plan includes restful shades of pink, lavender, and white, but if hot, spicy hues are your style, do that! Grow what you love. ADD SEATING. Include some wicker chairs or a garden bench so you can sit and gaze. “You always need to enjoy your bounty,” says…

Q. How can I help my dog learn to live in harmony with our new flock of backyard hens? —Nora K., Thomasville, GA A. Begin by approaching the chickens with your dog leashed, command him to sit, and reward him when he’s calm and focused on you. Repeat as you get steadily closer to the flock. If your pup shows gentle interest in the birds, praise and reward him; if he’s aggressive, give a firm “leave it,” back up, and reward him when he’s calm again. It may take several weeks before you can trust your pooch off leash.…

Masthead PAGE 2 Horse brasses: Lynn McLamb, ebay.com/str/therefinedrebel. Country Comeback PAGE 14 Designer Whitney McGregor; whitneymcgregor.com. PAGE 15 BOTTOM LEFT Designer Amy Mitchell; homeglowdesign.com. BOTTOM RIGHT Designer Elizabeth Hay; elizabethhaydesign.com. In With the Old PAGE 27 Berry basket carriers: Genesee River, geneseeriver.com. PAGE 28 Farmstand signs: Genesee River, geneseeriver.com; Lackluster Co., lacklusterco.etsy.com; Sundries & Salvage, sundriesandsalvage.etsy.com; Wyrembelskis Vintage, wyrembelskisvintage.etsy.com; Richard Romberg Antiques, richardromberg.com. “Basque” basket; us.olliella.com. PAGE 29 Bushel baskets: Early Garage Sale, earlygaragesale.etsy.com; Tangerine Fig, tangerinefig.etsy.com; Aunt Sisters’ Picks, auntsisterspicks.etsy.com; Sundries & Salvage, sundriesandsalvage.etsy.com; The Vintage Porch, thevintageporch.etsy.com; Vintiquing at Home, vintiquingathome.etsy.com; Karen’s ChicNShabby, karenschicnshabby.etsy.com. Picnics & Parties PAGES 40-44 Plates and bowls; bluestallionfarm.com. “Jasset” dress; szblockprints.com. Crystal “Ada” whiskey tumbler; westontable.com. Wicker cake stand; chefanie.com. Creature Comforts PAGE 56 Do you have a funny or heartfelt story about life with a shelter dog you’d like…