little farmhouse in the big city

end of an era

December 12, 2020

I first saw the farmhouse when it was covered in snow, and it’s always the most magical scene.

It’s official: This little farmhouse will soon be someone else’s to love. In a few days, I’ll be handing over the keys to its new owners, and I’ll be moving on to a house that could not be more opposite of this one. It’s been a lot of work and stops and starts, but I’m so excited for the new adventure!

Want to see all the before/after photos from 2010 to today? You’re in luck — I updated the room-by-room page with photos taken after staging.

I’m writing this from my usual spot in the corner of the couch, gazing longingly out the picture window. It’s such a lovely view.

How it all came together: I started prepping for a “someday” move in 2018, including investing in new windows and siding repairs. Boyfriend and I had been talking about finding our own place in 2020, and then coronavirus put a wrench in almost everything. I had met with my realtor a while back to do a walk-through of the house and yard so that I’d know what needed to be done, and spent this summer working on those projects. When we were ready to start looking for a place this fall, we met with the realtor again and decided that instead of selling both our houses and moving into a new one, the best move in the market right now would be to sell mine as quickly as possible and then spend a few months making more updates to his house. So, we hit the gas pedal and got mine ready to list in just under 5 weeks. It went on the market Nov. 13th, accepted an offer Nov. 14th, first buyer backed out Nov. 20th, accepted a second offer on Nov. 21st, and now we’re in the final stretch before closing!

One of the biggest pre-listing changes my realtor recommended was painting the kitchen gray (Agreeable Gray, Sherwin-Williams). Farewell, cherry red!

What’s next: We’re consolidating households at the house my boyfriend has owned for a number of years, and taking on some DIY interior renovations this winter. When the weather warms up again, we’ll tackle the exterior. We plan to sell it in a year or two, but we have built flexibility into the plan so that we’re not locked into anything too overwhelming while the world is still feeling a bit chaotic!

It’s definitely bittersweet to leave this house and this neighborhood. Both have been so good to me the last decade. I’ll miss walking in the park every day and being able to ride my bike to the office downtown (I miss going to the office, too.)

This front porch has been a dream. I may never have one as amazing again! I just love it.

The new house will be different in so many ways. Instead of a 120-year-old farmhouse in the middle of the city, it’s a midcentury ranch-style house in a first-ring suburb. Our street doesn’t have a sidewalk (which I find bizarre), but I can walk to Target and Hy-Vee, so in those ways it’s even more walkable than my current neighborhood. The house itself is only one level with a basement, so there will be a lot less running up and down stairs. It’s completely different in its design and layout and amount of natural light (ahem, virtually none), not to mention we’ll be living through a remodel for at least six months. But: we’ll be together, and I love a design project! I’m going to learn a lot more DIY remodel skills than I did on the farmhouse, and I won’t be doing it alone.

I’m spending these last weeks in the farmhouse feeling incredibly grateful for all it has given me — independence, shelter, a chance to learn new things — and for all the incredible memories made here. It’s the longest I’ve ever lived anywhere. I’m sure there will be days when I miss it very much. And, I’ve moved before and survived it, and I know the new place will be great too.

I’m not decorating for the holidays this year because the move falls right before Christmas, but I loved decorating for the photos and seeing these bright berries out my window the last month.

Thanks to all of you who have spent time making memories here with me. I wish we could give her the send-off she deserves! Cheers to the little farmhouse, and onward. xoxo

Comments: 0 Posted by: admin Categories: house tour, moving

bread, bone broth and bacon

May 11, 2020

That, my friends, is homemade bacon and homemade bread for breakfast on a Sunday!

The last few years, I’ve either been staying at Boyfriend’s house or traveling for work … a lot. Some weeks, I’d only be back here at the farmhouse one or two nights to change bags and whisper hello to my plants. Who am I kidding. All the houseplants died.

I hadn’t necessarily been planning on spending a lot more time at my house this year, but I’m not complaining about the opportunity to sink in and enjoy this place I love so much.

While working from home and sheltering in place, I’ve been experimenting with a gluten-free sourdough starter the last few weeks (start here and then try this). I know there are a lot of sourdough starters out there nowadays, but I haven’t actually seen a lot of GF versions! I’m loving this recipe. It takes some planning and some dedicated time, but the bread is delicious and the sour is getting stronger as the weeks pass.

sourdough starter in progress — keeping a scale and a bag of flour on my counter: not things my house has ever experienced.

slice of bread with loaf in background — good crumb, perfect crust (not too hard) and great flavor

It’s also been really interesting living in a state with a lot of pork production, and numerous meat processing plants closing and reopening due to covid-19 outbreaks. For a while recently, thousands of hogs were being euthanized every day because the processing plants weren’t open to receive them. Boyfriend’s family has the equipment and know-how, so we (and I mean a royal We — there were lots of hands helping on this one) located, picked up and butchered seven 250-lb hogs (for $50 apiece) in the meat shed on his parent’s homestead. I’ve had exposure to deer processing over the past few hunting seasons, so I knew some of what to expect.

What I did not expect was finding that anyone would throw out the feet — the most nutritious part of the hog! So while the brotherly assembly line tackled the big stuff, I learned how to skin and clean pigs feet so that I could bring them home and make myself some rich, gelatinous bone broth. It’s going to save me a ton of money at the grocery store, based on how much broth I go through.

Lauren holding a skinned pig's foot — Very proud of my first solo skinning job

roasted pigs feet — My method for bones is 1) blanch to draw impurities to the surface 2) roast for 2 hours at 450 3) low simmer for 24 hours with a bit of apple cider vinegar in a pot of water just covering the bones

bread in the oven, blanching bones on the stove — Bread in the oven, blanching bones on the stove. I bake the bread in a cast-iron skillet with a small pan of water next to it for steam.

Bone broth after 24 hours on a barely-there simmer. I know it’s done when I cool a spoonful and watch it jiggle like jell-o.

Boyfriend and I got one hog for ourselves, which yielded probably $500 worth of meat for the $50 we paid:

Eight bags of bones and feet
Seven racks of ribs
Eleven roasts
Ten hams
Pork belly and bacon
Many pounds of ground pork
One tenderloin and one loin roast
Seventeen chops
Six t-bones

slabs of bacon in a smoker — Bacon in the smoker, courtesy of Boyfriend and his very patient dad

The bacon is being cured and smoked now, and the hams are up next. I got to try the first batch of bacon this weekend. This particular cut is chewy, kind of like brisket burnt ends — more pork chop than crispy fatty bacon. And so delicious!

slices of bacon in butcher paper — Bacon fresh from the smoker

I’ve always been interested in meat processing and fascinated by the cuts and techniques. It’s one of Boyfriend’s particular skills, so it’s been a lot of fun to work alongside him on this project and start to learn how to help.

We now have pork recipes earmarked to last us a long while — probably a good way through the year. We’ll still buy beef and chicken occsionally, but have plenty of venison still in the freezer to cut in with the pork (they balance one another nicely – one lean, one fatty) so I don’t think we’ll run out of ideas before we run out of meat.

Next up: broiling the bacon with maple syrup from this spring’s harvest! Which was, entirely, another adventure…

Comments: 0 Posted by: admin Categories: cooking, DIY, kitchen, projects, recipes

seedling season

May 4, 2020

I said a few weeks ago that this stay-at-home spring feels a lot like the first few months as a homeowner. A lot of this is because that was the first — and last — year that I tried starting my garden from seeds instead of purchasing seedlings from a nursery. As soon as my employer told me, in mid-March, that we’d be working remotely until at least the end of April, I thought “well … I would finally be home to water seeds!”

And so, friends, I jumped in with basically no plan. I visited the neighborhood hardware store the weekend before Minnesota’s stay-at-home order went into effect, and I grabbed a bunch of seed packets, seedling trays and a grow light. It wasn’t until a month in that I realized my grow light situation was probably only 1/10 of what the seeds really needed … like I said, no plan. But it made me feel better about giving them a try, since spring weather in Minnesota means we don’t plant outdoors until between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day.

I’m excited about the herbs and veggies for sure, but I’m especially hopeful about the perennials. Buying a packet of seeds for $3 could yield dozens of plants that otherwise cost $15 or more apiece from a garden center. I know that’s because they’re time-intensive to nurture, so we’ll see if it works out in my favor by the end of the summer. But if I can fill my side yard with bee- and butterfly-friendly flowers that will come back year after year, I’ll be happppppy.

To be continued …

planted 4/5: lavender, green onion, oregano, lettuce, sweet basil, genovese basil, chives, red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers; **perennials**: soapwort, black eyed susans, shasta daisies, coneflowers, butterfly flowers, hollyhock; **annuals**: cosmos, coleus, poppies

week 1 | the winner for first to sprout is … cosmos! three days!

weeks 1-3 | grow lamp and west-facing sunlight in the upstairs guest bedroom

week 4 | transition to the three-season porch

week 4 | everything has germinated except the soapwort and coneflowers

Comments: 0 Posted by: admin Categories: flowers, garden, projects, spring, yellow room

cheers to 10 years!

March 30, 2020

It’s been almost five years since I logged in to update this blog — as many of you know, I hit a major speedbump in 2015 with my health and have spent the last few years recovering. Throughout, I’ve been so grateful for this wonderful house to shelter and comfort me (especially when I was spending hour upon hour on my living room couch, enveloped in those gorgeous teal walls). At the same time, remembering how much energy I had “before” and how much work I used to do on the house, well, it made me feel pretty low by comparison. So, I took a little break from house projects and the blog, which turned into a long break. “Comparison is the thief of joy” never felt truer than during the years I spent recovering. So for the most part, I just lived here and enjoyed it and tried to spend increasing time away from the house as a measure of success in healing.

And now, it’s March 2020. I’m back to good (maybe great) physical health, and spending all my days inside the little farmhouse … thanks to the coronavirus. I just spent the 10th anniversary of home ownership conducting my day job responsibilities from a desk I’ve set up in my dining room, and raking last autumn’s leaves out of the garden beds. One benefit is for certain: my garden has never looked better, and it’s barely even spring yet.

So, I’m dusting off the blog to document a few highlights of this, the 10th year. It’s already proving to be an unexpected one. But there have already been more than a handful of deja vu moments that have transported me back to the first year. Similarities like the earlier-than-normal snow melt, the mid-March signs of spring, the stock-up trips to the grocery store and hardware store, the hours upon hours spent alone in the house tackling projects, the sowing of seeds, and the excitement of all I can cook and make in my very own kitchen. I have some more time to cook, which means revisiting recipes from my early years of the little farmhouse, and trying some new ones like a gluten-free sourdough starter (started it today … we’ll see!) And, I’ll fill you in on the few projects that I did tackle in the last five years.

Whoever might be reading this — you’re probably at home a lot these days, too. I hope your home is safe, I hope you’re able to spend quality time with people you love, and I hope you’ll reach out if you want to connect.

xoxo

Comments: 0 Posted by: admin Categories: house history, spring

the big 1-1-5 … happy birthday farmhouse!

August 23, 2015

The farmhouse turned 115 this year, and I hosted a big backyard bash in July. It was amazing to have so many friends and family members show up to help celebrate. I’ve had the idea in my head for a few years, and have been dreaming up party food ideas all year. Some awesome girlfriends helped me bring the idea to life, preparing party fare from every decade that the house has been around. It was so much fun. We rounded out the menu with home-smoked pork from my awesome cousins, Maggie’s famous German potato salad, and the most amazing ribs from Smoke in the Pit (a neighborhood BBQ place).

1900s: Jell-O salad (yeah Rachel!)
1910s: root beer floats
1920s: Rice Krispies treats
1930s: Fritos
1940s: deviled eggs (thanks aunt Mary!)
1950s: Chex Mix (great job Brianna!)
1960s: Sangria
1970s: cheese ball (way to go Mary!)
1980s: 7-layer dip
1990s: Bagel Bites
2000s: Millenium cupcakes (amazing job, Sarah!)
2010s: the best kale chips ever (thanks mom!)

And, by popular request, the white sangria recipe:

4 bottles vinho verde
2 L. club soda
1.5 c. Triple Sec
2 cans frozen lemonade
3 oranges, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
2 peaches, sliced
Bags of frozen fruit (1 of each): raspberries, strawberries, pineapple
//combine and pack dispenser in ice or refrigerate for a few hours prior to serving//

So much <3 to everyone who showed up and made it a party. xoxo

Comments: 0 Posted by: admin Categories: cooking, entertaining, house history, summer

extras in the entryway

July 19, 2014

My “everything has a place” efforts needed a bit of help in the dining room/entryway. Without a good space for a command center (aside from the secretary desk), I decided a while back that what I needed was some baskets for the wall by the front door. It took me a while to find some I liked — I finally found this set at Target, and while they’re not perfect, they’re close enough! I can now drop to-read magazines, to-pay bills, to-mail items, wedding directions cards and all sorts of other little items in the front entryway. I like that everything is close to my desk in the dining room for when I pay bills, but also tucked away and not the focal point of the room. What do you think? Want to place bets on how long I can stay tidy + organized? 🙂

Comments: 0 Posted by: admin Categories: dining room, organizing, storage solutions

2014 garden

June 2, 2014

Some of you have noticed I took a bit of a break from blogging this spring. Between work travel and some family things to attend to, I really haven’t been home — much less, cooking, crafting, gardening and fixing! But I managed to get a few things in the ground recently, and despite the torrential rains we’ve been getting, they’re doing great so far.

It’s going to be a low-key summer for the garden this year. I took out some trees in the backyard last November, and I am looking forward to seeing how that changes the light in the garden. A year of observing and waiting, and maybe next year I’ll make some big changes. Oh wait, you thought that was a metaphor for life instead of my garden plan? Funny…

Parsley, Basil, Lemon Verbena, Chives, Peppers and Raspberries on the north side of the garden

Mint (three varieties), Thyme (two varieties), Oregano, Cilantro, Sage and Tomatoes on the southeast side

Annuals in the whiskey barrel out front — a purple and coral theme this year, which I’m loving so so much

Some beautiful Bleeding Hearts that have spread out in the front garden beds

xoxo

Comments: 1 Posted by: admin Categories: flowers, garden, summer

4

March 25, 2014

I forgot what day it was, and then I saw this photo in my timehop stream. I guess this makes 4 years of Lauren + the little farmhouse!

I should probably get around to finishing the paint job in the kitchen that I started the first weekend, eh?

Comments: 0 Posted by: admin Categories: house history, spring

fix it february: cabinets + closets

February 20, 2014

The latest installment of Fix-It February: tackling cabinets and closets.

This is less of a how-to post and more intended to inspire you to get out that screwdriver and fix your own crooked doors and loose wall hooks. Maybe even climb on a ladder in your closet and install some battery-powered LED lights so that you can get dressed in the dark of winter? Because that was a pretty fun project.

Cabinets: I have the kind of kitchen cabinet hinges that snap apart (with a bang) when the screws get loose. They’re easy to fix, and I took a few extra minutes this time to go around the kitchen and tighten all the screws so there are fewer loud, scary noises in the future.

I also deputized some drywall expansion screws (Twist-N-Lock) to fix this curtain hook that was falling out of the wall. Don’t know why it took me two years to think of that solution, but it definitely did the trick. These hooks hold back the curtain doors of my master bedroom closet…

…which was also the site of some new LED lights. Eventually I’d like to have the closet wired for real lights, but these help well enough for now. If you can drill pilot holes and fill battery packs, you too can add remote-control-powered lights to your closet! I got this set on sale at my local ACE Hardware for just $15.

All together with some projects not worth photographing, I fixed or installed 8 things around the house in about two hours. Much speedier than I planned, leaving plenty of time to enjoy season 2 of House of Cards 😉

Comments: 0 Posted by: admin Categories: bedroom, closets, DIY, kitchen, projects

fix it february: boots and baubles

February 16, 2014

Week two of “Fix It February” is all about accessories. Saving boots from the trash bin and necklaces from the scrap heap!

Project #1: boot heel healing

This is one of my favorite pairs of boots, but the black color on the plastic heel had worn down from driving. I’ve tried shoe polish and heel stains before, but nothing stuck to the plastic. So this time I tried black electrical tape. *Hopefully* it sticks this time!

Total time: 15 minutes

1. Clean and dry plastic surface.
2. Cut strips of black electrical tape and place vertically on heel, starting from the center and working your way outwards.
3. Trim extra tape with an X-acto knife

Project #2: fixing some favorite accessories

Each of these pieces needed just a few minutes of attention, but I had been letting them gather dust instead.

Before: broken chain on a vintage purse, broken chain link necklace, and earrings with a missing crystal piece

After:

How to fix crystal earrings: Gorilla Glue. Nothing works better. Just remember that it expands a bit when it dries, so you can’t use too much in small spaces.

How to fix gold link chains: needle-nose pliers and a patient hand. For each of these chains, I used the pliers to first open a chain link at the break site, and then to re-attache it to its neighbors. The round-nosed pliers can be slippery on metal, so you might find ridged pliers easier to use.

Total time: 10 minutes

Comments: 0 Posted by: admin Categories: DIY, tips, vintage