Country Woman April/May 2021

Are you as ready to jump into the garden as I am? This time of year, I’m sure to have seedlings started while I count the days until the soil is dry enough to work. (Next year I have to try reader Diana Johnson’s tip on page 13 for starting those seeds in toilet tissue tubes. Brilliant!) Until then, I’ll be drawing neat rows in my garden planner, thinking about what veggies are going to go where, and sketching out a bed of tomatoes and lines of onions. Year after year I overcommit, forever trying to pack more plants into my always-too-small space. If you’re the same, this issue has a smart suggestion for when your space finally gives out—try going vertical with your garden footprint, like we did with our sweet…

STEPHANIE MORGAN EWING, KENTUCKY Tell us about yourself. My husband and I took a leap of faith a few years ago and moved across the country to raise our children on a farm. I envisioned creating a place where our kids and grandkids would gather and make memories. I also enjoy my work at the public library and have made many dear friends who share in our adventure. What are your hobbies? I am an avid reader and crafter, and I find peace working in my garden. I love to can what we grow and enjoy the fresh flavors through the winter. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since starting a farm? That there is no single right way to farm. Take the advice of others and create what works best for your situation, knowledge and…

Calling Green Thumbs Have you come up with a quick fix for a gardening problem? Maybe you’ve got a proven solution for those pesky rabbits, or you’ve fashioned a handy device for watering. Share your garden hack with us—including pictures—and it could be featured in an upcoming issue. Refined Reunions Does your family host a reunion every year? We want to hear about it! Tell us why gathering together in a big backyard, a community hall or a state park is important to your family. What are your tips for getting everything organized? What are the must-have menu items? Which games get everyone involved, from the preschoolers to the great-grannies? Help us plan the perfect family reunion!…

Q: What is your go-to activity when you need to reduce stress? An Inspiring Cover Your October/November cover was the inspiration for the November cards I made for our local Meals on Wheels program. Your magazine is one I look forward to. I wish it was monthly! BARBARA TAKACH SOUTH EASTON, MASSACHUSETTS Send In Your Smiles Why has Little Sprouts been eliminated from Country Woman? That was a refreshing page and gave many smiles. In this confusing virus time we need all the smiles we can acquire. BUNNY BUCK MISSOULA, MONTANA EDITOR’S NOTE: We agree, Bunny—we’ll take all the joy we can find! We run quips from kids on our Lots of Laughs page when we can, but we can always use more submissions. If you’ve overheard a funny thing from a kiddo in your life recently,…

Before the pandemic, about a dozen teens living near Green Bay, Wisconsin, would head to a nursing home once a month after school, nail polish in hand. There they would spend a few hours holding hands, painting nails and sharing stories. As the GlamourGals chapter at Bay Port High School, they are part of a nationwide movement connecting teens with seniors in an effort to eliminate a killer: elder isolation. GlamourGals began 21 years ago, when then-17-year-old Rachel Doyle was a high school junior in New York. Her grandma had passed away in Nevada, and Rachel was heartbroken she had not been able to visit more often. She decided to change this for someone else’s grandma; and so with cosmetics and two friends, Rachel began offering makeovers to residents of a…

Peeps House Create a sweet house for your favorite Easter basket treat. Use pastel candies or jellybeans to decorate the roof and nest. TASTE OF HOME TEST KITCHEN MAKES: 1 HOUSE 5 graham cracker squares Vanilla frosting 1 yellow Peeps candy chick Green-tinted shredded coconut, jellybeans and pastel sprinkles 1. Assemble graham cracker squares to resemble house, including 3 walls and a roof, using frosting to adhere and propping with small cans until frosting is set. 2. Arrange tinted coconut and candy chick inside house. Decorate house as desired with frosting, jellybeans and pastel sprinkles. TEST KITCHEN TIPS: To tint sweetened shredded coconut combine 5 drops of food coloring per 1/2 cup coconut in an airtight container; shake until blended. Here’s how to make our hose wreath. WHAT YOU’LL NEED Garden hose Showerhead hose attachment Zip ties Garden gloves Faux flowers Ribbon Beaded floral picks Hot glue gun Wire…