I’ve been actively farming in Collinsville for over a decade, and during my time as a gardener and homesteader, there have been many trials and successes. I killed most of my fruit trees by planting too deep. We’ve had predator problems with our farm animals. But we’ve also had fun and grown healthy, organic food! My journey towards self-sufficiency has had a steep learning curve, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. Frannie’s Farm Blog contains stories, some of the ups and downs of homesteading, and my musings on rural life from a doctor’s perspective.
Snake Rescue in the Garden!
Written by: Dr Frannie Koe, MD, MPH As a doctor who farms, I’m no stranger to having animals, both wild and domestic, on my property. This includes snakes! The accompanying video shows my rescue of a black snake found in my garden. My partner Tim and I left some...
Water Glassing Eggs: One Year Later
On my farm, I raise laying hens and Muscovy ducks. I had so many eggs last year I tried my hand at water glassing eggs! Water glassing is a technique which helps preserve eggs for up to 18 months. The eggs (clean and unwashed) are submerged in a pickling lime and...
Intro to Galvanized Garden Beds
Written by: Dr. Frannie Koe, MD These videos will illustrate our journey of growing food in small spaces. My personal assistant, Dulce, and I put together some galvanized beds I bought on Amazon as an experiment. I want to see how much it costs to buy these and use...
Farming with a Reluctant Partner
Written by: Dr. Frannie Koe, MD Edited by: Breanne Brazeale I bought a farm over 16 years ago when I was single but was dating my current partner. Determined to make this decision for my future alone, I did not want any input because he and I were not fully committed...
ASAN’s Food and Farm Forums: Past and Future!
Written by: Dr. Frannie Koe, MD Edited by: Breanne Brazeale One of my favorite organizations in our state is the Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network, or ASAN. Spearheaded by Alice Evans and an incredible team of individuals, ASAN is a network of diverse...
Edible Flowers in Salads
Written by: Dr. Frannie Koe, MD Today’s blog fits in both the categories of food and farming! If you are planting any flowers, or planning a garden, you may consider adding more edible varieties as well. I thought little about adding edible flowers to my food until I...
Food Finder: A Hopeful Solution
Written by: Dr. Frannie Koe, MD One of my primary drives for building the AgroshareMD website was to create the Food Finder Map. Our team wants Alabamians to find and have access to pastured raised meats and sustainably grown food, no matter where you are. Our state...
Greens are up already!
The cats did not ruin the whole greens garden beds! You can see where they have been digging in my dirt but I already have lots of greens up since Sunday. I tried to take a picture just now but it is too dark so I will add one in the morning. If I keep the beds...