Greetings from the farm!
It is an exciting week as I prepare to celebrate another year around the sun and launch my small batch of rare, heritage breed farm wool this weekend.
This year, I will launch it exclusively via my website, before sharing it more widely on social media.
I am also very pleased to have the possibility to offer 50 gram skeins of the natural, light gray wool in collaboration with my local co-op of shepherds. This offering is in addition to my own specially designed, 100 gram skeins of natural, dark gray, Yellow Year small batch colourway.
Both batches of wool have been milled traditionally at the Selbu Spinneri and together offer the historic wool colours found within the original Selbuvotter from 1857.
Look for that launch November 6th.
These photos are only samples of the Grå Trønder wool from the Selbu mill as an example of the natural colours - light and dark gray.
A sharing from the farm….
Late autumn has arrived here on the farm and with it shorter, darker days.
People always ask me how I manage this long, dark period - and, it is true, it can be challenging.
What I find is most important this time of year, is to keep wellness and self-care in focus.
Keeping up with my knitting bag book daily ritual, but also mindful to maintain my energy level, focusing on eating well, short intervals of movement and getting lots of fresh air outside. Negative ions make such a huge difference this time of year.
So, as the season progresses, I thought I would share some of my own wellness routines and recipes with you.
I hope some of you will find them delicious and supportive of your own self-care routine.
Last week, in anticipation of the time change, I transitioned my summer green smoothie recipe, to the recipe I blend at this time of year.
It is full of the vitamins and the micronutrients that are needed to maintain energy and motivation throughout the day. One must really increase the Vitamin D intake and the Omega 3s, and I like to take them in naturally, through a whole food, plant based approach.
Give this smoothie a try!
Late Autumn/Winter Green Smoothie Recipe
Combine all ingredients using a high-speed blender – blend and enjoy!
½ frozen banana
½ cup frozen pineapple or mango (I use a combo of both)
1 tbsp raw coconut flakes
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp peanut butter (I make mine homemade, no additives)
2 tbsp hemp seeds
100 grams of baby spinach
pinch of sea salt
½ cup of oat milk or your favourite plant based milk (I make my oat milk homemade, no additives)
Enjoy!
Weekends this time of year, we seem to have more time to make a special Sunday brunch and enjoy a long, lazy morning.
Keeping in mind eating well, I have perfected my plant based pancake recipe!
Sunday Farm Pancakes – serve with a fruit or berry compote. We are currently enjoying these with our homemade applesauce, apple butter and a dash of cinnamon.
I have finally perfected this recipe - it is a keeper!
1 cup of buckwheat flour
½ cup of whole wheat flour
½ cup of spelt flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp salt
1 large, ripe banana
2 cups water
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (I make mine homemade)
Add all the ingredients into a high-speed blender, pulse to combine. Blend for 30 seconds.
Do not over blend!
Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes and cook in a hot, ungreased, (no oil needed) non-stick pan.
Note: If you do not know how to make your own nut milk, nut butter or cider vinegars, I will be happy to share. Each will take you less that 15 minutes. The apple cider vinegar, once prepared, just needs a quick stir once each day for a short window of time. Then you have your first batch and you simply start it again to have a continuous supply. I use it in SO many ways, in recipes, but also, medicinally for winter wellness. For example, it is the base of my homemade fire cider, which is simply a winter must!
As late autumn turns to winter, my three times a day journey with my little flock, into the forest and up the mountain slows down. There just isn’t enough food to keep my little flock going full time. So, we spend more time here out on the farm, munching on the autumn grass harvest.
This means, I must find other ways to keep myself moving and break up my day.
Lately I am enjoying a fun, short (sometime longer) step break, a couple of times a day using GETFITWITHRICK on YOUTUBE.
I share this because it is for all ages, all fitness levels and it is so.much.fun.
Each year I focus on some sort of movement activity for winter, besides long walks and this is my go-to this year.
On the GETFITWITHRICK channel, you will find a range of short and long step breaks.
So, a break during your knitting, weaving or making time, or to simply break up your workday.
It really gives you that mental boost that you need this time of year.
Remember one should never sit more than an hour weaving or knitting for that matter.
Check it out!
Winter Advanced Course Poll and Upcoming Courses!
Below I have posted the link to a poll, which allows you to cast your vote for your top three traditional garment possibilities for my advanced, winter course, with interest.
Please only vote, however, if you are interested in joining and if you are eligible, after completing the basic kofte course.
I will take the top 3 or 4 choices, create the planning guides and organize the kits ready for us to make a start after the new year.
The other choices we can use for an advanced course 2, if all goes well.
I am still finalizing the Siggerud – choose your own path, spring course and I am working to gain permission to access the pattern for my Setesdal summer genser course.
I am writing other courses along, but for now these courses are my main focus at the moment.
For those of you that are new to my offerings, I am also working on the possibility of repeating another basic kofte course. As one must have taken a basic kofte course to participate within the advanced courses. We will see if there is interest. I have a beautiful Kofte in mind! :)
Right now, I am especially enjoying the thought of weaving through the winter within my traditional Norwegian plukkebånd band weaving course. I am just overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, progress and beautiful bands participants are weaving.
We are moving into Module 2 soon, which means we focus on the most historic bands of all!
I cannot wait!
If anyone from the summer course is interested in knitting the Marius genser during the Christmas holidays, let me know! I have already gathered my supplies.
Have a beautiful start to November and this new season. I will be back with more news
and sharing from the farm soon again. There are always so many farm stories and things I wish to share.
Warmest regards from the farm,
Patricia x