Garden Friends: Carolyn Binder of Cowlick Cottage Farm

Inspirational gardening friends

Because so many gardeners I know are doing  inspirational gardening I wanted to introduce you to them. In 2013 I am continuing my series all about garden friends who are interesting, amazing, and have fascinating garden stories. Here’s my friend Carolyn Binder –

Cowlick Cottage Farm is one of my favorite blogs ever. Filled with great garden and foodie tips by my good friend Carolyn Binder, Cowlick Cottage Farm is all about fabulous photos of amazing recipes and to-die-for gardening ideas like a country fountain with a view of the pecan orchard next to her home. She centers her home and her life around her passions and every word she writes on her blog reflects her love of family, home, and gardening.

Beyond her blog, Carolyn’s work can be seen in several magazines and she is a featured writer for Proven Winners. Although we have been friends for a while, the first time I met Carolyn in person was at the P. Allen Smith Garden2Blog event last year and we connected from the moment we met. She made me laugh so hard I squirt cocktails out my nose and the woman knows cooking food intimately like it’s her full time job. Carolyn discusses wine, sea salt, and olive oil like they are her long lost friends – with passion. Always the foodie, she takes tons of photos of everything she cooks and eats and provided the photo for the Sexiest Pie on Earth recipe that I wrote about last summer.

Behind her home sits the cutest little guest cottage  at Cowlick Cottage Farm (above) with a garden surrounding it that she uses for growing vegetables year round in her Florida garden. She grows a variety of herbs as well.

Recently, I asked Carolyn a few questions about her garden and here’s what she had to say –

Question: Carolyn, what is your favorite recipe you have ever placed on a blog post?

Carolyn: One of the favorite recipes on my site is for the Honey Pecan Vinaigrette. Yummy! (see photo below) http://www.cowlickcottagefarm.com/arugula-salad-with-honey-pecan-vinaigrette/

Question: Why do you love gardening?

Carolyn: That question is a toughy – I love gardening for so many reasons! I love growing food for my family, I love creating beauty (see photo right of her little napping chair garden spot), I love reconnecting to nature and spirituality, I love how gardening helps me to see the world differently and to solve problems creatively. I love inspiring and helping new gardeners. And I never imagined that gardening would connect me to so many wonderful people.

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I feel Carolyn’s blog has taught me a lot about growing, eating, and enjoying the bounty we get from Mother Nature. Her friendship and support has been pretty darned wonderful too (see photo below taken by Christopher Tidrick). If you would like to read more about Carolyn, her garden, and her absolutely fabulous recipes, please follow her blog and learn a little something to make your heart happy – Cowlick Cottage Farm(CCF).