catherine pond

Real People. Real Stories. Real Land.

Carols come to life at Christmas in the country

Carols come to life at Christmas in the country

Kentucky farmwife Catherine Pond shares how lines from favorite carols are truly a part of her country Christmases.

MistletoeA Most Marvelous and Mysterious Holiday Plant

Mistletoe—A Most Marvelous and Mysterious Holiday Plant

The history of mistletoe goes far beyond Christmas and kissing. There are many more uses for the plant then just a holiday decoration .

How Did State Fairs Start?

How Did State Fairs Start?

Kentucky farmwife Catherine Pond takes us to the fair and looks into the history of how state and county fairs began in the United States.

Picking the Perfect Pumpkins: A Guide to Heirloom Pumpkin Varieties

Picking the Perfect Pumpkins: A Guide to Heirloom Pumpkin Varieties

You might only be familiar with the round, orange pumpkins that show up everywhere in the fall, but there are many more kinds of pumpkins, ranging in...

Barn building inspiration from old barns across the U.S.

Barn building inspiration from old barns across the U.S.

Get your barn building ideas from this piece highlighting the charms of old barn architecture across the United States.

An interview with The Beekman Boys: they answer 10 questions about rural life

An interview with The Beekman Boys: they answer 10 questions about rural life

Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell of the TV show, The Fabulous Beekman Boys, share tips they have learned about rural life since moving from NYC to...

Friendship in a quilt  Rethink Rural Blog

Friendship in a quilt | Rethink Rural Blog

Years ago after our family moved from New England to a farm on the Kentucky Ridge, my neighbors invited my daughter Addie and I to experience...

Farmwifery: Lessons learned on a Kentucky farm

Farmwifery: Lessons learned on a Kentucky farm

Farming is not something out of the pages of a magazine, although old stuff and a big country kitchen helps. A lot. Here are some of the things I've...

Mennonites  Me  Rethink Rural Blog  Rural Life

Mennonites & Me | Rethink Rural Blog | Rural Life

Here in Kentucky we discovered a small Old Order Mennonite community in the neighboring county. For eight years we have done business with their...

Starting a farm at midlife: The 1000mile journey

Starting a farm at midlife: The 1000-mile journey

Since we moved nearly 1000 miles from New England to Kentucky eight years ago, where we knew absolutely no one, native folks often ask us, “Why...