6-19-10

INDY! COVER YOUR HEART!

HENDERSON'S STAR

NECTAR DRINKER

MADRONE TREE

THE KING WAS IN THE GARDEN PICKING
FLOWERS FOR THE FRIENDS WHO CAME TO PLAY

EVERYWHERE THE SUN TOUCHES IS OUR KINGDOM

Living with people who have different diets is often challenging. When people are eating meat around us, we are sometimes replused. When we are eating cheese around vegans, we somehow feel like we are the repulsive ones. With three raw vegans around, there is lots of juicing going on, so this morning we concocted some green juice of our own to make peace with ourselves and our raw vegan friends. Our juice included a head of kale, an apple, a lemon, three carrots, a bunch of spinach leaves, and a bunch of beet greens. Diluted with a bit of water, it was a delicious and nutritious breakfast.

Taking advantage of our Saturday off, we went on a morning hike across the creek to explore some of the 280 acre property. We attempted to take Coda with us, but she lasted only as far as crossing over the handmade drawbridge; the minute we unleashed her, she brought herself back to the house. Without her we hiked to the apex of the tree lined mountain and enjoyed studying and smelling a multitude of wildflowers along the way. Unfortunately the wild strawberry bushes had no fruit; either they aren't ripe or the bears are on top of their game.

Back near the house, we hiked around a bit more of the property before helping set up for Ryan's birthday/summer solstice party. Jen and Eden made raw vegan mousse, which turned out great and people who didn't know it was vegan never would have known. There were nearly 100 people here tonight, and with plenty of good food, libations, and dancing, it was a success. A few friends lead everyone in a summer solstice ritual contra dance to welcome in the summer and hopefully, fingers crossed, the warmer, sunnier weather.

6-18-10 **RECIPE INCLUDED**

DOUBLE TROUBLE

TARA. OR MAYBE TALIA. HARD TO SAY.

NEGLECTED BLUEBERRY PATCH

I AIN'T NO HOE!

MATT ON HIS TRACTOR

I AIN'T NO CURVED PITCHFORK!

The kitchen here is reminiscent of the kitchen on Cumberland Island. They're both commercial kitchens, which as far as we seem to understand, pretty much just means there are lots of large stainless steel sinks with plenty of buckets for dish washing. They both feature walk in refrigerators, which are so cold you have to psych yourself up before entering. You have to plan what you want and visualize where it is before you go in, and you race to open the tricky door to exit out into room temperature. The stove in the kitchen has 6 gas burners that all reach really high flames, and the bread oven cost over $100,000, which was hand built and assembled by three Spaniards. There are mixers and blenders and juicers and food processors and immersion tools and any other kitchen tool you can fathom. Any culinary wizardry failure can only be chalked up to lack of imagination, for all the appliances are at our fingertips.

Outside, there are a few garden bed areas scattered about the 280 acres here, and for most of the morning and into the afternoon, we worked in the blueberry patch. There were a total of 13 blueberry bushes, but we should really say 12 because one was pretty much totally dead. Overtaken with weeds, the super professional wwoofers that we are came to the rescue! First we hoed the area clear with the heaviest hoes we've used since our journey began. They were so heavy, that after an hour our arms were feeling noodle-like. It makes us wonder if we could be out there, in the heat, all day for the rest our lives having our arms feel the fire of using manual tools and never relying on machinery. With talk of "peak oil," it's hard to know whether to remain reliant on gas powered machines instead of trying to segue into alternative sources of energy. And of course hand tools never require refueling. But after we finished manually hoeing, Matt drove up in his huge tractor carrying fertilizer, compost, and mulch for us to spread accordingly. Without the gasoline powered machine, the delivery task would have taken so, so much longer. We just guess everyone has to pick their poison.

Jen made delicious cookies tonight, and here is her recipe:

makes 3 dozen small cookies

1 1/4 cup flour
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
little more than 1/2 cut white sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 salt
1 egg
bunch of small pieces vanilla bean
handful or two of cocoa powder
bunch of handfuls of chopped almonds
bunch of handfuls of shredded coconut

1. preheat oven to 350
2. in a small mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt - set aside.
3. cream together the butter and sugars. then add egg and vanilla bean and mix to combine.
4. in a few small batches, add the flour mixture.
5. separate the batter into two bowls. in one bowl add cocoa powder and mix it in. in the other add chopped almonds and shredded coconut and mix thoroughly.
6. roll dough into small balls and place on a baking sheet. they don't grow big so you can place them close together.
7. bake for 8-10 minutes.
7a. if you accidentally burn part of the bottoms scrape off with a butter knife.
8. enjoy!

6-17-10

WHAT'S IN YOUR BASKET?

It was a full day at Full Bloom. We hit the road at 7:30 this morning with Matt and headed to the Pack Out for the Siskiyou Sustainable Cooperative. This cooperative CSA combines the efforts of 10 local farmers in order to make up to 140 boxes for CSA members. In addition to produce, and depending on your membership level, the boxes may also include: fresh eggs, breads, goat cheeses, meats, dried fruits, herbs, and flowers. All contributing farmers are organic and grow top notch produce. This is the second cooperative CSA we've worked with, and we find plenty of benefits with this system. For example, if one farmer is set to grow tomatoes for the CSA and for some reason their crop fails, there are surely at least one or two other farmers who are also growing tomatoes and can supply the CSA customers with the food. This method means means that different farmers can focus on a handful of crops to grow and make them excellent. Also, the customer still gets lots of diversity each week, and supports many local farmers instead of just one. The Siskiyou Sustainable Cooperative CSA offers three box sizes, mini, small, and large so there is a perfect fit for everyone. This week, the boxes included some or all of the following produce: lettuce, kale, radishes, carrots, strawberries, onions, green garlic, scapes, dried pears, kohlrabi, turnips, salad mix, braising mix, peas, broccoli, chard, spinach, and dill. Aria and Matt contributed green garlic, scapes, and some kale. Rosie and Jo provided breads and Danny sent a few flower arrangements.

With so many hands on deck, boxes were packed quickly and we were back on the farm by 9:30am. Danny was here today, so Jen spent the rest of the morning helping him weed his organic flowers while Aaron helped Eden sand the bath house that is in progress. The flower garden is nice, and although most flowers haven't blossomed yet in a few weeks it'll be gorgeous and aromatic out there. Danny sells his flowers through the CSA and is hoping to expand his business to sell cut flowers to some restaurants or other local businesses in the future. We always think of organic agriculture as it relates to food, but giving thought to how flowers are grown is quite pertinent. The vast majority of flowers are heavily sprayed with chemicals and may smell nice, but are full of toxins. Organic flowers cost more, just like organic food, but when you consider how they were raised and the special love and care they were given, they seem worth it. How often do you really buy flowers?

The communal bath house was constructed about two years ago, and has been a work in progress since. The building is cob and strawbale and has a bathtub, two shower stalls, and an outdoor shower. With the floors tiled and the tub in place, it's finally time for painting. Aaron spent the morning with Eden sanding the walls in preparation for the afternoon swap when Jen helped start painting and Aaron helped Danny in the flower garden. The primer and paint being used are all no VOC (volatile organic compounds). This type of paint contains no toxins and provides clean air as well as reduces indoor pollution, something one rarely thinks about. But paint that contains VOCs, which most do, is bad for your health because it leaches toxins into the air years after the paint is applied. Common perception is that pollution is outdoors; but your indoor environment is just as susceptible to pollutants in the form of cleaning supplies, varnishes, and paints. Danger lurks everywhere, but can be avoided with smart decisions.

We enjoyed a communal meal for dinner to celebrate Ryan's 34th birthday. Ryan and Eden are raw vegans, so dinner was mostly raw, but featured cooked quinoa. It was tasty. Dessert was raw vegan ice cream sandwiches, which really gave chipwiches a run for their money.

6-16-10

KALE & LETUCE STARTS

COB COMMON COTTAGE

SNOW IN JUNE? IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE?

So long Feel Good Farm, hello Full Bloom. The drive down Highway 5 was uneventful until we drove through Grants Pass, where we stopped to stretch our legs and check out some thrift shops. We entered both The Salvation Army and Goodwill. Jen has set her sights on finding a pair of used overalls and/or multipurpose slip on boots. Both stores had boots and overalls, but none were up to snuff.

Our new hosts at Full Bloom are not technically WWOOF hosts, the way The Barefoot Farmer from TN was not technically a WWOOF host, in that they are not officially affiliated with WWOOF. But there are 280 acres here of forest and farmland, two orchards, chickens, a bakery, and a small community of 7 adults and 3 children (although today there are 2 additional adults visiting with their daughter). Our "hosts" are Aria and Matt, and their farm is Earth and Sky Family Farm. They and their identical 5 and a half year old twin daughters, Tara and Talia, share the property with Joe, Rosie and their 5-year old daughter Ocean, as well as with Ryan and Eden. Joe and Rosie run Rise Up Artisan Bread and Ryan and Eden operate Body Love Raw Foods. Danny, who used to live here but just moved because he fell in love, runs Heart of the Country Organic Flowers. Aria and Matt sell their produce and Joe and Rosie sell their bread to the Ashland Co-Op. Ryan and Eden sell their prepared raw food delights at the Ashland Farmers Market. We're not sure where Danny sells his flowers but we hope to meet him tomorrow and learn more about his flower business. We intend to stay here exactly one week, and hope to help all four businesses. Aria and Matt also have an apprentice for the entire season, who we worked beside this afternoon in the orchard and in the gardens. Waldo, the apprentice, is almost 7 feet tall, and like us, grew up in suburbia and WWOOFing changed his perspective on life.

We're excited to see how this type of communal living works here and discover if it is a viable lifestyle. The other communities we've visited have been very different than this one. It's hard to pinpoint how here is different, but it might have something to do with everyone being a bit independent from one another. Everyone lives in separate homes, and works for separate independent companies, whereas at other communities we've visited, everyone has worked towards the same goal. There is also no fundamental/political/religious affiliation here; it's just a bunch of people sharing their skills and a mortgage on a huge piece of land in a beautiful mountain setting.

6-15-10

SPINNING CLASS

TWO LEEKS AND A SPRING ONION

CSA DAY

BLOOMING ZUCCHINI

SUMMER SQUASH

SQUASH BLOSSOM

ITSY BITSY PEPPER

I WANT TO BE A PICKLE WHEN I GROW UP!

DAMN IT! HOW COME NOTHING IS RIPE?

GARLIC FLOWER GOING TO SEED

HUMMINGBIRD (CLICK HERE)

TERIN TYING TOMATOES

CHICKEN SEE, CHICKEN DO

Tuesdays are fun days around here. We wake up early and harvest, harvest, harvest. Then we wash freshly picked produce and pack the CSA boxes with plenty of time to tackle other farm chores for the rest of the day. This morning we harvested: snow peas, sugar snap peas, garlic scapes (a.k.a. whistles), butterhead lettuce, salad mix, cabbage, cilantro, baby broccoli, beets, dinosaur kale, and russian red kale. Hope the people getting these boxes like their greens!

After packing was done, we finished mounding and mulching the potato patch, transplanted several varieties of lettuce and bok choy into a newly tilled bed, and finished setting up and putting the irrigation system in place. Farmer Jen was away for a few days and returned late last night so it was fun to get to work with her one more day before we head to our next farm.

Overall, we have had a great experience at Feel Good Farm. We've done quite a lot of farm work, and our work has consistently varied. While we had plenty of guidance and were able to pick Farmer Jen and Terin's brains, we also had quite a lot of independent farming time. This balance worked nicely for us and we are learning what works and what doesn't for ourselves. With all the lessons we learned, one thing has been reiterated again and again: the notion of simply being farmers without any other source of income proves nearly impossible. Without Farmer Jen's work as an occupational therapist, having this farm would be impossible. When will society get it? Food is essential for life. Again we scratch our heads and wonder why some of the most important people in a community, those providing food, are so undervalued and underpaid.

**Andy, in response to your questions, greenhouses and hoophouses are quite alike. Greenhouses typically are bigger, more permanent structures which have stronger plastic or glass coverings. Greenhouses also only have an opening at one end, while hoophouses have both ends open. Hoophouses rarely have fans and the temperature is not nearly as controlled. Hoophouses are, however, less expensive, usually have flimsier plastic coverings, and most often are smaller than greenhouses. Hoophouses work very effectively, though.

In reply to your question about our survey, we thought taste was an implied answer, as you wouldn't buy anything you didn't like the taste of, whether it was organic or local or seasonal. Thanks for your thought-provoking comments...we really appreciate them and your ongoing interest!**

6-14-10

PREPARING POTATOES

MULCHING POTATOES

AMERICAN GOTHIC

WARRIOR ONE

OM

Learning to grow food is no fun unless you think about what you intend to cook with it. If you slave away digging a trench with the belief that you are only digging a trench, it will be drudge work.

Today we spent hours of backbreaking labor shoveling compacted clay soil in the potato patch. Potatoes grow best when the majority of the plant is underground; the more leaves that are covered, the more potatoes will form underground. You essentially trick the plant, and make it believe it has a long way to go to reach the sunlight. For every portion of the plant that grows upward, the root grows downward, and with potatoes, you want to encourage plenty of root growth. In order for the roots to grow big and flavorful, either the leaves must travel through plenty of soil up to the surface, or there must be plenty of soft soil for the roots to reach down into.

On this trip we have learned a few techniques to accomplish an ideal potato growing scenario. Back in Mississippi, first we prepared a raised bed for the potatoes to be planted in. A raised bed essentially is a long, cohesive mountain of soil. When you place a seed in the ground on a traditional flat bed, it's net elevation is zero. But in a raised bed, that same seed on ground level is sort of like an elevation of positive one foot. This means when plants grow in raised beds, the roots have more room and freedom for underground growth and expansion. Potatoes do really well in this setting because the soil under the leaves is deep and soft. But digging raised beds involves seriously strenuous shovel work. Here however, the potato patch beds are smooth, level, and flat, which saved time initially during the sowing period. In order to get the potatoes under mounds of soil now, we had to spend hours covering the plants with soil and mulch. It doesn't really matter when you dig your mounds, whether during preparation or once plants have bushed out, but at some point, to have good potatoes, you have to do the digging.

The main thing that kept us smiling and going through the tough work today was knowing one day soon, we'll get to eat these potatoes, or others that someone else put hard work into. What separates humans from many animals is our ability to imagine the future, and imagining a plate of warm crispy home fries was all we needed for inspiration.

6-12-10

TOMATO TIME!

SENSATIONAL STRAWBERRIES

GOOD TO THE LAST DROP

THE PATTAPS AND THE REGALADOS

WE BOTH IMMEDIATELY, SEPARATELY BROKE
OUR SUNGLASSES AFTER THIS PHOTO :(

SITTIN ATOP SPENCER'S BUTTE

Waking up this morning was easy...we had fun plans for the day ahead. With the sun shining, we took care of a few farming chores before hitting the road to Eugene. First stop: Eugene's Saturday Market. Much more than just a Farmer's Market, the Saturday Market features local produce, local crafts, local restaurants showcasing their menus, live music, free tastings, and even a local brewery selling beers on tap. This four block fiesta happens every Saturday throughout the year and the folks from Eugene flock to it...and for good reason. Most of the farmer's selling their produce at this market were certified organic, and the one we noticed that boasted "naturally grown" food informed us he farms organically but doesn't pay for the certification. We couldn't stop ourselves and indulged in the season's first yellow cherry tomatoes and a pint of organic strawberries. Neither lasted more than 10 minutes! If the clouds give way to more steady sunshine, just thinking about what will be growing here soon is mouthwateringly magical.

After getting our share of the market, we headed across town to meet up with Jen's college roommate Kate, and her husband Oscar. The four of us spent the afternoon outside, enjoying the weather, lounging in hammocks and going on a hike. We waited until the late afternoon to hike in order to avoid the mid-day heat, which was at least 80. The climb up Spencer's Butte was steep and intense at times, and we were all winded when we finally reached the summit, but the view was excellent and well worth it. Feeling the soft breeze blow through our hair atop the Butte felt fantastic.

Later in the evening we dined at Lucky Noodle Cafe. Lucky Noodle featured an interesting menu that offered both Italian and Asian influenced noodle dishes. We find it puzzling when a restaurant tries to master more than one cuisine. Sometimes a combination seems almost natural, like Vietnamese and Japanese, but when a restaurant features Italian and any other type of food, we find it very weird. We ordered Risotto Balls, Thai Summer Rolls, and Pad Se Yu. What doesn't belong? Yea, we agree, the Risotto Balls were not in line with the rest of our meal, but we couldn't pass them up. There was also a rambunctious bachelorette party at the table adjacent to ours. Ugh. Overall, the meal was pretty ok. We are becoming increasingly critical of restaurant food. We almost always walk away slightly disappointed and unsatisfied. We went in wanting good noodles. We walked out still wanting good noodles and asking ourselves, "Why the hell did we order Risotto Balls?"