2/5/11 - Clear Skies = Frosty Mornings

It is true, the wonderful clear skies we have been enjoying make for some frosty mornings. This is a picture of what our windshield looked like when we stumbled downstairs this morning to head to work.

Inspiring.

I can not comprehend the detail and pattern that surrounds us everyday. The Lord is truly creative and blesses us with the creativity. All we have to do is look around.

~Christina...who wishes she were more creative

2/4/11 - Good Evening

Yesterday it was sunrise, today it is sunset.

After a long day at work I run by the store to see my wonderful husband. Quick picture in the rearview mirror demonstrates what the end of the working day looks like for us.

~Christina...who is not fond of Fridays but does enjoy sunsets

2/2/11- Clearing Snow Farm Style

Around the Ellis Family Farms when snow falls, which is very often, Mom clears it out with an awesome snowblower mounted behind the tractor. Shovels just don't cut the mustard around here...still getting used to that myself.

~Christina...who grew up with a shovel

2/3/11 - Good Morning

There are a lot of stories and images and moments that haven't made it to the blog. I'm working on a few of them but before I get any further behind...

This morning I woke up on the farm. I spent the blizzard at Grandma Ellis' and when I got ready to roll this morning the sun was rising over the orchard. It was SO awesome. Had to snap a few before heading to work.

~Christina...who is in LOVE with the fact that the sun was up before I went to work

New Website!!!

We have a new website! How much fun is that?

I will warn you that it is still very much in the construction phase but go check it out...

ellisfamilyfarm.com

~Christina...who hopes this site will be a fabulous as she is imagining!

11/21/10 - Talking to the birds

I like this picture.

the end.

~Christina

11/20/10 - A toast

At the end of a long season it is a tradition to have a party with everyone who worked markets. This year mom had all of the hard workers come to the farm and served dinner there. No end of the season party would be complete though without a toast.

~Christina...who takes pictures instead of toasting

10/30/10 - Gold Coast truck

Mathew had to run over to the Gold Coast (Division) for something so I sent my camera along asking him to get some pictures of their market. He doesn't even want to know how to turn on my camera so he didn't snap any pics but Cliff did. It was dark so the images aren't fabulous but here you can see the back of their truck.

Way to go Marc, Maritta, Al and other assorted workers for rockin' that market all year!

~Christina...who unfortunately can not take pictures everywhere because she can only be in one place at a time!

10/24/10 - My siblings

Thought I would throw a picture of my family on here, especially since over half of us in the picture work markets.

~Christina...love them so much!

10/23/10 - Through the raindrops

Since it was rainy (meaning not busy) and I was exhausted from a long week and an early drive into the City I took a bit of a rest in the chilly (but not wet) truck. When I woke up I watched the action for a time through back window of the truck. It is an interesting perspective.

~Christina

10/22/10 - The road home

This is the road we both travel every day. The road back home to our cozy little apartment. I love how beautiful it looks in the fall.

~Christina...who will likely one day live on the farm

10/18/10 - Wild grapes

Sometimes in farm country grape vines will take over in places you do not want them. They are not profitable by any means but they an be beautiful.

~Christina...who is posting fall pictures while the snow is falling outside

10/14/10 - Out with the old...

The landscape is changing at the farm....in more than one way.

This fall several older trees were dozed out but next spring new trees will be planted in their place. The "new" orchard will be more efficient and a good move overall but it makes me sad to see trees that are still living taken out.

~Christina

10/11/10 - Light and Leaves

I love fall. This is one of the reasons why.

~Christina, who took that picture in the yard behind our apartment

10/9/10 - Politics

Our market was suddenly crowded with people that seemed to come out of nowhere. Why? Rahm Emanuel was the why. He had just left Washington and come back to the city to campaign as a mayoral candidate and he was at our market. Complete with fans, onlookers and reporters.

Tommy went to tell him what he thought of the City.

Mathew tried to tidy up our stand because of the camera crews.

I tried to make the best of it by selling to the unexpected crowd.

Such excitement.

~Christina...who has shaken Rahm Emanuel's hand

10/04/10 - Rhubarb in the fall

The sun hitting the rhubarb plants as they turn color in the fall was just beautiful.

~Christina

10/02/10 - Saturday evening

Cliff's awesome truck looking quite rural

My handsome brother unloading the egg cooler from the Green City trailer.

Dad tilling up the sudan grass with a big borrowed tractor and disk...green fertilizer.

I took these after we got back from market and used them for the whole weekend worth of daily photos.

~Christina

9/30/10 - Wild and Free

This post was also queued up quite some time ago. The wild sunflowers made me smile every time I passed them during the fall months.

~Christina...who has a deeper love for sunflowers since they adorned her wedding with loveliness

9/28/10 - A boat...really?

I have had this picture post in the queue for over a month and didn't even realize it. The boat picture was me wondering one day why so many farmers seem to have a boat in the back forty.

Since that time the boat has been taken care of and is no longer cluttering up the landscape...makes me super glad I took the picture when I did.

~Christina...who just doesn't get it sometimes

Catch up pictures

I was sick and working and just gave up. I stopped taking pictures for about a week because I just couldn't handle one more thing. I felt really bad about it though...guilty and upset because I was letting the 365 Days project lapse. I really do want to make it through the whole year but I have come to a couple of conclusions.

There will be days when pictures don't get taken. This is especially true as the days get shorter and it is mostly dark out when I get to the farm. That is just part of our farm year and this project will reflect that.

I am also going to get sick sometimes and I will likely to continue to be overwhelmed by all I have to do. That also is a part of our life here and will be reflected in the final results of the project.

I may, when I have the opportunity, take several different images on one day and stretch them over several days on here. I will try and make that clear when I post.

This group of images was all taken on September 27th and will stand in for the week I didn't shoot. :)

Nothing like morning sun after a heavy dew. I cannot get over the wonderful scenery every morning as I drive to work.

Chestnuts are so intriguing.

Apple drops make us sad but they are just a part of farming fruit.

More of that awesome light in the field behind one of the apple orchards.

Because the temperatures have cooled considerably apples can sit in bins outside if need be. That is very much unlike many summer fruits that must be put in the cooler right away. This allows us to grow and sell a much larger quantity of apples.

~Christina...who needs to get going so she is not late for work!