My friend of over 20 years and her family acquired a piece of property 5 years ago that had been completely neglected and overwhelmed with negativity for over 16 years prior.   I remember when they moved in and she and I talked at length about how sad the property and home were but I KNEW that if anyone could turn it around this family could.  And boy have they!   Now I'm going to tell you all - this family is super special and I wish I had their knowledge (which they share completely) and energy and love for Mother Earth!

I would love it if you'd pop over to the farm page first and read about this amazing place before you scroll on through to the photos and read more about the 2 "tours" I attended this year.  Their page is HERE as is the introduction to this amazing family.  I'm so truly blessed to have had them as part of my circle all these years.

I signed up to travel down to the Bozeman area twice this summer and attend the farm tours.   The timing was great as I try to work on getting my yard and gardens squared away.  I knew that Nancy plants all their gardens in raised beds because basically they live on top of rocks so that was a bonus.   I didn't do photos the first tour but rather videoed on my phone so I have a reference to go back to.   It focused on the gardens and what was planted, why, compost, just sooooo much information.    The July tour  was focusing on their structures both in the garden and for their animals and greenhouses which was also extremely informative and gave me some ideas for the future.   BOTH times there was fantastic food, conversation, knowledge and the weather was divine!   

Since we have warmed up and the sun has come out I KNEW that the gardens would be in abundant flower for this July tour and took my big camera and lenses and used the opportunity for "practice".   You all know I've  not had them out much in the past few years and boy do I ever need that PRACTICE!   I was able to get a bunch of lovely photos -- most of them macros. I'll put descriptions below the photos.

I did also got to shop their Farm Store afterwards and came home with seeds, quail eggs (which Nancy introduced to me in pickled eggs and I'm loving those), duck eggs, a gourd bird house, teas and herbs.  YUMMMO!

Nancy, Spore, Renn and Piper - it was a JOY and privilege as always to come absorb your knowledge, work and love!   I can attest that the energy of your home and property has take an 180 degree turn for the best!   The Universe knew that it needed you all to turn it around.

Nasturtium - One of my favorite edible plants

Nasturtium - so many happy colors and a favorite edible flower.

Cosmos - oh so many lovely cosmos.

Calendula (I think) and Nancy uses this is a number of the balms she makes (and I love).

Corn Flower - I got some of these seeds!  YAY

ABUNDANCE  (and compost).   They create and manage all their own compost and look at these plants!  Yup, it's working!

Echinacea - this is one of my favorite plants and I will be incorporating more into my raised beds with my blanket  flowers.

Mexican Marigold (the 2 photos above) I was so enticed by these and I WILL have some in my garden.   I've been just stunned at the numbers of marigold species that are around now - remembering 50 years ago when you got the little orange/red ones and that was it.  Am falling in love with them again.

Every Quack Shack needs some class!  I love this so much.

Some of the Quack Shack ladies who were wondering why we were invading their home space and why we weren't bringing treats!?!

This young man had the ladies in his spell.  His Mom was saying he volunteers to come help at the farm and that the ducks are his favorite while the goats are the favorite of his sister.

Chamomile (I think) - on the end of one of the raised beds.  So cheerful.

Potato Blossoms - The seed potato fields as I drove down were also covered in blooms.

Such amazing hollyhocks out in front of their driveway.  I love the look but I won't have them in my garden again (unless I figure out how to not have them take over). 

Dill blossoms.  Thank you Renn for introducing me to the taste of these.  I would never have thought it would be so refreshing.  It literally cleanses your mouth!

Raspberries!   I  got rid of all mine and I am so so excited to find out that there is a thornless, great producing Zone 3 raspberry and when I get ready to do the gardens out  back, I'm putting some of these puppies in!

Squash - so many amazing squash all growing vertically.  Something else I will have in my future garden out back and yup, space will mean using this  T-post/hog panel system to grow them!

Cedum - another plans that I've got but mine is the ground cover variety while this grows up and I love the structure it has (and the rich dark color).   When I redo the back slope I'm going to add more varieties of this as well.

The many faces of the sunflower!

Glass Corn

Is this not the prettiest butter you'll EVERY spread on your fresh made sourdough bread?!