Naturally, I Love Farms.

I never cared much for nature as a child, or so I thought at the time. Trips with my great-uncle Arthur around the Deep South, to visit the nurseries to whom he sold seeds, were punctuated with great displays of yawning and the petulant boredom of a suburban brat. I was so out of touch with the natural world that I was probably in high school before I realized the moon's phases were sequential, and not some random moon that had been thrown up into the sky. I didn't garden, I didn't have houseplants. I once killed an air fern.

As I grew older, I always envied people who grew things, as I knew nothing about planting or caring for houseplants.

And then I met Bob. He loved to garden, he said, but no longer did any planting when I met him. I begged him to grow things for me: it was a miracle to me that he could garden.

We moved into in a house with a deck, and he bought a tomato plant and a rose bush, a pink Floribunda called "Sexy Rexy." Soon our weekends were filled with trips to nurseries, and the deck was covered in rows of pots. Begonias, ranunculas, and his favorite, the iris, soon crowded the steps. He was so happy to make me happy that we kind of went nuts.

Then we had to move, and left many of the plants behind. We brought the six big redwood planters with us, though, and wound up a year later on three acres in the heart of Santa Cruz county. This house, too, has a deck, and we filled the planters with herbs, and punctuated them with large potted roses. Joy of joys, I no longer killed every plant I touched. My roses thrived, and the herbs were wonderful in the kitchen. Still, I told people, "Bob gardens. I point."

He planted a vegetable garden, which was infiltrated with gophers within weeks. He began planting in wire baskets, and we got a kitty. The next plague took form in the deer who marauded, and he got so angry I thought he'd buy a gun. Instead, he built a fence, and the deer couldn't get in.

All this served to increase my interest and amazement in the natural world, and the world of making things grow. My own love of cooking was soon to take a turn for the better when I hooked up with woman who herself grew over 200 tomato plants. She was also a web designer, and was working with Mariquita Farm. She told me about something called Outstanding in the Field, and I went to their web site.

Whatever it was that they were doing was not immediately apparent, but chefs and farms were involved. I e-mailed for clarification, and asked a couple of questions. "Our web master is getting married and he doesn't have time to update the site," I was told. But then I grew to understand what it was they were hoping to do: take groups of people out to farms and cook for them there. The chefs were Tom King and Jim Denevan. Tom had owned a place revered in Santa Cruz, Papa's Church, but it had recently closed. Jim was then the chef at Gabriella Cafe in downtown Santa Cruz. At the time I encountered OitF, Jim was out of town. Tom and I talked, wrote (he was a fine writer) back and forth, and awaited Jim's return.

We all met, appropriately enough, at the downtown Santa Cruz farmers market. I told them I had a digital camera, and would take pictures of the farms and the dinners in exchange for $100 and two seats at the table. The next thing I knew, we were piling in Jim's jalopy and headed out to the countryside.

Several dirt roads and wrong turns and hairpin turnarounds later, and we found ourselves at Happy Boy Farm. We climbed a big flattop hill that turned out to be covered in cow pies, and decided not to set up a long table with white linens there. Tom, who speaks Spanish, could converse with the workers easily, and he also turned out to be a walking lexicon of plant names and facts. He said that knowing the names of everything growing around him made him feel like he was visiting with old friends. And there I was in a roomful of strangers. But I started learning things, and it was lovely.

I was hooked. For five years, I visited and photographed farms, farm tours, farm dinners, growing farms, and fallow farms. One of my favorite parts of photographing farm dinners was that the farmers got to see their place dressed up, so to speak. Decked out, spruced up, and the setting for a glorious celebration of their own hard work. It was very moving to see them take it all in. Talk about your thankless work.

UPDATE: April, 2007. I gave one more year of my life last year to photographing farm dinners with Outstanding in the Field. But I came to the conclusion that it is not a sustainable business model—too expensive, too elite, and more—and I have separated myself from the organization. The women in it are GREAT, though.

I go to the farmers market whenever I can, usually once a week, but twice a week in the summer. I like to spread the love around: I'll pick up things from four or five farmers in a visit. They're not all Certified Organic. Andy Griffin of Mariquita, for example, doesn't believe in paying a board of strangers to tell him that he's farming honorably (sustainably, and consciously), and that's fine with me. That is the thing about these farmers: I really trust them. I can't speak for big farmers, or "conventional" (pesticide-using) farmers, but the farmers I've met on the small farms around here are all really smart people. They bear a multitude of degrees and have broad educations. They're good to their workers, as near as I can tell--some of the kids who run the farmers market stands have amazing light in their eyes. They're so enthusiastic about what they're doing.

This blog has grown out of my love for these farms, and my appreciation for the hard-working people who choose that life. I can't think of more important work on the planet, and I hope that my appreciation, and yours, somehow rewards them. Get to know your local farmers. They're raising the food you love.

P.S. I still have no houseplants. I'm surrounded by nature and have big windows overlooking a hundred acres of open space—the only plants in my house are the tomato seedlings awaiting their planting in the garden. Here is a summer sunrise looking east from our deck.

© 2007 Tana Anderson Butler, all rights reserved, period.

Comments

[Suzie]

Bravo on the blog! I am an aspiring food writer/photographer on the East Coast, but I feel connected to the greener West Coast through your posts. Thank you, thank you for your work and your inspiring rants. Should you ever find yourself in the Boston area, check out The Food Project (www.thefoodproject.org.)

[jason]

I think your site, from what I've seen so far, is fantastic. If you don't mind, I'm going to link to it on my blog, where I dabble with farming, culture, faith, ramblings and musings, and so on. Hope you don't mind.

[robinann]

Dear Tana,
I started this off by going to Google to find "air fern's" and your web site popped up so I went to it thinking I would find "air fern's" but to my delite I found your lovely family, what a nice surprise. I forgot all about the "air fern's" and went to the pictures of your beautiful grandson Logan and his Poppy I can't thank you enough for the peace you gave me, not only with the picture's but with wonderful words that went along with them, thank you Tana and may God be with and your's.
Alway's looking's
for "air fern's"
Robinann

[amy rathbone]

dear tana,

i've been reading a lot from your "i heart farms" site lately and loving it! it's been very inspiring and  helpful in my quest to learn more about the small organic farms in the santa cruz mountains. the more i read the more i realized i'd like to introduce myself to you.

so hello and thank you for all the good words and images!

i'm a 35 year old working artist and teacher in the mission of san francisco who has been researching my next phase of life. i'm fully interested in being a part of the local organic and sustainably grown food community and quite sure i would like to do this on a small farm close to the bay area. one problem is... i have no experience! this is truly a new path i am investigating and i have a whole lot to learn.

obviously with all of your knowledge and visits to these farms i was drawn to you in hopes of learning from your perspective. i wonder if you still visit these farms and how often? do you need any help with photographing, organizing or the like? if i may, i'd like to offer free labor on my part in exchange for coming along on some of your farm visits. i'm interested in seeing a variety of farms, meeting farmers and discovering how i would best fit into this world. would that be something you are open to?

thank you kindly for all of your enthusiasm and inspiration.
how lucky we are to be in an area with people that care deeply about farming, eating and living green.

in hopes to join the green revolution,

amy rathbone
[email protected]

[David Howland]

I use to have moles (not Gophers) and problems with slugs and snails. Here is what worked for me:

Caster Oil for moles. I mix Caster Oil with water and Cayenne pepper and flush down their holes, and I do one more thing. I mix Caster Oil and water alone in a bucket and cover the ground with a small amount over the entire area. Moles just leave the gound alone and the plants seem fine. It works!

Low voltage for slugs and snails: I put two side by side rows of any conductive tape around either the entire garden (on plastic or wood edging), or the plants I want to protect (in pots for example). Then I place 3 or 4 each, 9 Volt batteries in series to increase the voltage to 27 Volts or slightly higher, and connect this low voltage DC from one of the conductive tape borders to the adjacent conductive tape boarder. 27 Volts DC will not hurt you or kill the bugs, but they turn around and get out.

I place the conductive tape about 1/8" apart (space between). Copper is expensive, so I find that aluminum works fine. The batteries will last one season if there are no "short circuits" across the tape. I added a 4700 ohm resistor and an LED in series so I could have a visual indication as to electrical shorts across the twin rows of tape and have noticed that watering does draw a small amount of electricity from the batteries.

After the plants get bigger, the protection is not as crytical, so even if your batteries give out over time, you'll probably be OK. I have met many people who hate slugs and snails and smile when they see what I have done.

David R. Howland
[email protected]

[lin eldridge]

I am putting together a website which is in the works. I have a 104 acre farm in Carmel Valley. We bought it a year ago in May. Since we developed the water i have planted 350 citrus trees and am selling fruit to 2 restaurants. I am certified USDA and CCOF organic. We are growing heirloom organic tomatoes in greenhouses to sell as plants in pots. We also have a growing herd of New Zealand Black Angus ,they are grass fed and all organic. I invite you to visit and i can describe the traumas and triumphs of building a ranch ,fencing developing the springs,well --------taking courses and reading all in 13 months,Best Wishes---Lin Eldridge

[Karen Rodriguez]

Phenomenal Blog site Tana!
Found you by accident in search of a high school friend who is in the S.F. Bay Area, but I'm back on the East coast where we both went to school.
I too lived in Santa Cruz many moons ago and graduated from UCSC and did have many lovely meals at Gabrielle's.
I've been a vegetarian for years and support local farmers always.
I now live in Basking Ridge, NJ -- moved so my daughter could be close to family -- and wanted to let you know about Bobolink Dairy because it's an awesome farm here in NJ. But I see you already know about it. Of course.
It's been a pleasure chancing upon your site -- keep logging the farmers on your blogging adventure. Be well, Karen

[Tharina du Preez]

Hi Tana
I found your site by accident looking for info on "little prince"... saw your photo album of Logan and fell in love! He seems to be so happy with you two...and I admire the way you captured him so magnificently... My boy is almost two now. I take photos but wish I had your talent to capture all the wonderful moments that I want to remember forever (but fear I will forget as he grows older)!!!
I then also read all your articles.... and enjoyed it thouroughly... I live in sunny South Africa and love gardening (and needless to say, little man loves 'green' & the outdoors with me)
All the best!
T

[TomatoGrowingSecrets]

Always looking for fresh info for growing my vegie garden, in paticular tomatoes, chemical free. What a lovely site many thanks for the great info.

[nakedjen]

Tana,

It is rather hard for me to believe that I don't already know you personally. Or that I didn't already know about your blog until tonight. And I honestly am unsure how I came across it.

But I am so thankful that I did. For a variety of reasons.

All of those I plan to share with you. Quite soon.

However, right now I just want to thank you for my delightful trip that I just took back to some of my most favorite farms on the planet.

I miss them. In ways I have trouble describing to those who are not lucky enough to live there and enjoy their delicious bounty.

Thank you. From Salt Lake, thank you. From my heart, blessings.

[Jessica Yarr]

Hi Tana,

It's Jessica Yarr the old pastry chef from Gabriella's. I Just wanted to let you in on my current workings.

I have recently taken over as Executive Chef of Theo's! I am very excited, we are doing some great new things with the place.

I am also currently starting my own Organic Farm with my fiance, folk singer Bud Sasse. It will be two acres focusing mainly on heirloom tomatoes. We will have all sorts of special things to come!

The Farm will be named Sierra Ranch after my daughter.

I would love for you to come check it out in the spring when things really get growing!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Jess

[Paulina Bartnik]

Tana where can I buy some of your glorious pictures of farm animals especially the pigs...they look the world of difference then the ones in factory farms. I would like to get some of those pictures and the cow pictures...beautiful.

[C Davidson]

Some of your links do not go to the websites they reference.