Ohiofarmgirl's Adventures in The Good Land is largely a fish out of water tale about how I eventually found my footing on a small farm in an Amish town. We are a mostly organic, somewhat self sufficient, sustainable farm in Ohio. There's action and adventure and I'll always tell you the truth about farming.


Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Minnie Rose Lovegreen's Recipe For Raising Chickens

Has everyone seen this amazing little book, Minnie Rose Lovegreen's Recipe For Raising Chickens? I was thrilled to find out its been re-released and is available on Amazon.com. If you have clucks or know someone who does, please run right out and get this most helpful, most wise, most incredible book.

"The main thing is to keep them happy"

Mrs. Lovegreen had an amazing story and she lived a long and wondrous life. And she loved her chickens. She wrote this little how-to book with a friend. Its hand written with charming illustrations. She really knew her stuff and she embraced the old-timey way of doing things that I love so much. She says about chickens, "Then main thing is to keep them happy."

The book has beautiful, simple illustrations like this - and lots of simple wisdom.

A while ago I discovered I had this little book in my possession -  from its original printing in 1975 no less. A relative knew Mrs. Lovegreen and I vaguely remember visiting her farm as a little kid. I received the book when my relative passed away. At the time I had no idea I would one day be raising my own chickens - which was why the book was forgotten in a box.

I recently "found" the book again in that box of things. I was delighted to have it and then shocked to my shoes when I read this little poem, hand written in the back of the book:


The apple trees and early peas
Are Mrs. Lovegreen's pride
Her cabbages and marigolds
Are growing side by side
Memories and honey bees
Are living in her barn
Its just a mile down the road 
To Mrs. Lovegreen's farm


Feeding chicks and herding ducks
Make Mrs. Lovegreens day
And planting seeds and pulling weeds
And watching kittens play
Lots of work and lots of love
And lots of country charm
Its just a mile down the road
To Mrs. Lovegreen's farm


Children like to visit her
And spend a sunny day
And when the evening sun does down
I often stop to pray
God bless each little place like this
And keep them all from harm
The world is so much better now
For Mrs. Lovegreen's Farm

I don't know if my relative wrote the poem or not. But I think they did. I'd love to think they were looking down on me - on my little farm with my clucks and ducks and beez and weeding and working and playing and apple trees and peas. I think I would have their blessing on our funny little farm. So I'm praying this blessing out to all of you - the world is so much better now for all of our farms.

Happy Wednesday everyone - The main thing is to be happy!

10 comments:

Robin said...

How wonderful that you found this book! I'm sure that they are all looking over you on your wonderful little farm :)

Mr. H. said...

"Then main thing is to keep them happy."

I couldn't agree more and will have to look this little book up.:) Happy Wednesday to you too.

Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

Wah! I ain't got no chickens! it just ain't fair :o( I ain't even got no duck or no goat or cow to milk to make my cheese! Wah! (bawling my eyes out).
Hush up! you got greens galore :o)

David P. Offutt - The Gastronomic Gardener said...

Thanks for that! I'm getting three copies, Two for freinds and one for me to dream the dream!

Mandy said...

What a great poem and book! Thanks so much for sharing them. The world is a better place with all the little farms and the common goal of happiness. :)

Ohiofarmgirl said...

Thanks Robin, it was a great find.

Hi Mr. H! I think the main thing for most of us is to keep happy.

Now now, Ginny, you do have beautiful greens. I did some livestock snuggling for you today.
;-)

Great, David. Its a little but might book with just about everything you need to know.

Thanks Mandy, we really all are in this together.

Mama Mess said...

How wonderful! That does look like a charming book and what a blessing to have that poem in the back! So glad you got a new goatie and are milking your brains out!

Ohiofarmgirl said...

Hey GW! Its a total "milk-a-palooza" here!

Sara said...

Love the poem!

Ohiofarmgirl said...

Thanks Sara, it was a great find.

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