Fundraisers & Fun!

Next weekend is a good weekend to be in Santa Cruz: two wonderful fundraising events are taking place for farm lovers and foodies, young and old.

Saturday, September 27, between noon and sunset, Freewheelin' Farm(a little less than six miles outside of Santa Cruz, just off Highway One) is hosting its third annual Farm Art Show. I heard about the previous two from organizaer, Melinda Lundgren, and from plenty of people who attended that this event is a blast.

Freewheelin' Farm is the subject of adoration with locals: they run a CSA with 40 shares, bicycling the six miles into town to deliver their produce. I'd written about it after a stop on the Eco Farm bus tour a couple of years ago.

Amy, Darryl, and Kirstin work the farm together, and they run a great show—figuratively and literally. Check out the details on the flyer: organic brew, wine tasting, wood-fired pizza, kids' table, and more. All for a $5-$10 donation, and there is also art for sale. Great stuff!

The next day, a high-end culinary event is taking place in honor of The Vanilla Queen, my friend, Patricia Rain. Read on for "A Culinary Event Fit for a Queen!" It should be wonderful.

You've read more than once on my weblog about my friend, Patricia Rain, known internationally as an expert on vanilla: she is The Vanilla Queen. Her work with small farms in warm climates has helped preserve their farms, and to preserve REAL vanilla in the face of synthetic vanilla substances which are encroaching on the demand for real vanilla.

As I happen to think that real vanillia is as important as any crop on the planet, I particularly love not only what Patricia does, but how she does it: with unfailing cheer, and with a vibrant spirit that is generous and kind and laugh-seeking. Even in the face of multiple surgeries and chemotherapy.

So next weekend, a bunch of wonderful people are donating their time and talents to a culinary event in Patricia's honor.

Next Sunday, September 28, between noon and 4:00 PM, at Long Marine Lab's Seymour Center, you can enjoy endless tastings and wine, from some of the best chefs and dessertiers (is that a word?) in the region: for only $65. Skip the wine, and it's only $50. (Both of these is with advance purchase of tickets, add $10 for "day of" sales.) More details are on the flyer posted here.

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One other tiny announcement from me: I didn't get the grant I'd applied for—very disappointing for one day, but I'm fine now and have a lot of good possibilities and opportunities coming up.

I'll be getting out to some new farms soon, and that's always a joy for me.

Meanwhile, the garden's throwing out tomatoes like mad, and I've been making lots of sauce. It really doesn't get better than that.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "What fun it would be to be poor, as long as one was excessively poor! Anything in excess is most exhilarating." — Jean Anouilh

I hope he was being ironic and not moronic. Hard to know.

And to leave you with a truly tasty treat: The Garden of Eatin'.

Thanks for visiting.