Little Sugar River Farm

Amiel and I just returned from a blissful weekend at the Little Sugar River Farm. We clearly needed a vacation. Much of the 130.2 mile ride to Albany, Wisconsin, was spent declaring how beautiful the view (from the interstate) was and how much fun we were already having (sitting in the car). After the sun set, the glow of the city slowly faded and the sky filled with stars. We switched on our "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?" soundtrack, and Amiel made fun of my fumbling to turn on the brights. After twisting and turning down a dozen country roads, we finally found a gravel driveway with a perfect little house at the end. We were greeted by our gracious host (Frank) and escorted inside for cheese, home-grown tomatoes and Spotted Cow beer. Frank had the lights dimmed down and a mix of low-key tunes playing. It was just perfect.

Frank lent Amiel a guitar for the weekend

This is a view from the interstate. We pulled over to the shoulder, and I poked out of the sunroof while the cars whizzed by.

The guesthouse itself is a gem. The wood floors and furniture were gorgeous. My favorite feature is the lighting. There are an abundance of windows and the natural light pours in. In the night-time, virtually every light is on a dimmer and there are little reading lamps in all the right places.

I love this shot of a neighboring farm. I think it would be fun to have an old barn for hosting big parties and sleepovers.
I was particularly curious about the carefree tendrils swishing outside the house. They looked like dill gone wild, but we learned that they are actually asparagus.

I loved sitting on our porch swing and watching the prairie grasses sway in the wind.
It was fun to just wander in the fields. We could pick whatever we wanted to eat or cook. These zucchini blossoms caught my attention, but they were too pretty to disturb.
On Saturday, we stopped by New Glarus for a Swiss-inspired lunch and bakery treats. We then drove on to Mineral Point to poke around the art galleries. We found an old area of town called Shake Rag Alley (named for the miner's wives who shook dish towels at mealtime). We had fun poking around the old buildings and gardens.

Before leaving Mineral Point, we stopped at the Brewery for an excellent dinner. En route to the farm, we were chattering away and got a wee bit lost. After stopping for directions (and an explanation of cow chip throwing), we eventually made our way back to Albany. Unfortunately this entailed a U-turn which was prompty followed by the all-too-familiar-flashing lights of a squad car. The cop greeted us casually from his vehicle. We excitedly explained that we had gotten lost, but had finally found our way. He said that was fine but U-turns are illegal on a highway. We apologized and he miraculous let us go without so much as a warning.
In addition to produce, the farm is full of beautiful flowers and industrious bees. Frank is a beekeeper; and we had a big jar of honey waiting for us in the pantry, perfect for spreading on toast or savoring by the spoonful.Zinnias have always been one of my favorites. I love the vibrant pinks and happy oranges.

A pretty garlic blossom
Frank with his dogs, Juneau (with Frank) and Tiva (in front). One night, Frank cooked us a gourmet meal fresh from the fields; corn chowder, grilled salmon, roasted potatoes, cucumber-dill salad and homemade strawberry ice-cream. Amiel deemed the ice-cream orgasmic, and everything was so amazing that I couldn't even pick a favorite. On Sunday, we took a leisurely bike ride down the Sugar River bike trail.
A highlight of the trip was enjoying farm fresh eggs. The night we arrived, Frank took us to the chicken coop to collect eggs for the next morning's breakfast. A view of the guest house from the fields. We were sad to leave and can't wait to go back.