I Heart Farms

Wordle, and an Awakening to Organic

Pictured here: my visit to "Wordle.net" produced this themed art of my own words about loving farms. Go try it out. You can enter a URL for your weblog, or any text you want. I used custom colors and a friendly font. Experimental play is the key. Make your own.

And now for something harvested after planting the seed, in a hostile climate, many years ago. It gives me hope for my (or your) relatives who think everything we do is crazy, expensive, or "too California."

Some time back, we shared a holiday meal with Some Family Members. While these people are good and funny and fun, they are essentially afraid of real food. My offering one Thanksgiving of an organic turkey with an herb crust and shiitake mushroom stuffing was greeted with skepticism: the turkey skin was discarded (to the dogs) from some plates, and few would even try the suspicious gravy or stuffing with the shiitakes. 

Time's Running Out: Raw Milk ACTION ALERT!

SHORT AND TO THE POINT:

Make 17 phone calls to save raw milk in California, please.

LINK.

These are some of Jean and Bob's cows out in Watsonville at the very beautiful Deep Roots Ranch.

Well, Jennifer Started It!

Pictured here: some of the pigs at TLC Ranch, taken in March. Yes, there is an explanation about its deliberate appearance.

Yes, another two weeks go by, and here I am, bedridden with one of the ghastly colds that is being shared by a broad userbase in Santa Cruz county. So between downing cups of tea and Vitamin C tablets the size of bricks, I have been scanning some blogs. I don't have the energy to catch up on reading all of my favorites—one of which I am currently 47 posts behind on!—because it's just too strenuous. You know, the contests, the solicitation of our thoughts on certain topics, and so on. Things I enjoy when I'm feeling great, but not when half the air is out of the tires in my brain. Too demanding.

There are a handful of blogs that I scope out first, and will always click in if I see a new post has been added. A couple of days ago, I saw that my friend, the beautiful and über-creative Jennifer Jeffrey had added a new post to Jennifer Jeffrey: Writer/Editor. (She's selling herself short: her design skills are fabulous, too.) At the top of the post is a photograph so brimming with life that my mouth dropped open. And true to herself as ever, she finds something to inspire on an otherwise miserably hot day in the city.

You would not think that the statuesque and lovely Ms. Jeffrey and I share a host of addictions, what with her doing yoga and all, but under the skin, we share an insatiable craving for at least four things: cheese, typefaces, the election of Barack Obama in this year's presidential election, and playing around with images. (Read my comment on her post, if you like, to see where we're going here.)

Getting My Ducks in a Row

How much fun was it the other day to hear a clamor outside my front door, and open it to find four white ducks snapping up bugs in our front yard? They've come back every day since—they live across the lane—and Logan and I are loving it.

So yes, long time no post. Life's been large. No real complaints, but there are a lot of moving parts, as a friend puts it. Lots of work, lots of happenings in our family, and lots for me to pay attention to.

One thing I'm excited about, and that I'll be spotlighting here, is the upcoming development of a new project in Santa Cruz that is VERY exciting for anyone involved in [real] food in our region. That is, in part, the Monterey Bay Culinary Arts Institute, as well as some other food-related businesses, in the very large complex on the west side of town, formerly owned by Lipton. It's 38,000 feet, and there is quite a vision being brought along, largely by Cynthia Jordan, an energetic and talented woman who, among her other talents, is a certified Master Gardener. The space will involved chefs, authors, farmers, artisanal producers of all things culinary and potable, as well as host a variety of other food-related businesses.

I will be posting details about city council meetings in which locals can have a voice: it's amazing how little of an awareness most of our local bureaucrats seem to have about culinary tourism in general. From what I've seen, the vision of this center is something that will serve to put Santa Cruz on the map as a culinary destination in much the same way Sonoma and Napa counties are.

Like I said, VERY exciting.

I should have the opportunity to get out to a farm soon, just as soon as I get my most recent project launched. Speaking of that, I finished the website for my landscaper friend, Ben Bording, who made the sweet "Tana in the Sunshine" stone piece for our garden. His site is Cool Earth Gardens.

And lastly: tomorrow's my birthday, Me and Willie Nelson and Kirstin Dunst. None of these things are much like the other.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "April is a promise that May is bound to keep."  —Hal Borland

Thanks for visiting.

AB 1604 Passes: Sing "Hallelujah," Ye Masses

Pictured here: some of the beautiful milk cows at Deep Roots Ranch.

I am posting this update on the raw milk legislation action this week. It's from Mark McAfee, director of the Organic Pastures Dairy and Creamery. I'm not sure yet what the upshot is: it sounds like there was some kind of compromise. And it's gratifying to read that Assemblywoman Nicole Parra "read the riot act" to the CDFA.

That, I would have liked to have seen, but Logan has been very sick for three days, and I couldn't go. I suppose I could have taken him, but his runny nose would not have presented the assembly with the picture of health of a child drinking raw milk. (Why call it "raw"? Call it "real"!)

Read on for MacAfee's e-mail.

• • • • • • • • • • •

Take a Bow, Kid: Saying Good-Bye to Justin Severino

Pictured here: farmer (a goddess, in my book) Betty Van Dyke is one of a long table of people, dining family-style (feet on the coffee table, reading books and fast-forwarding through commercials?) at River Cafe & Cheese Shop, where Justin and cafe chef-owner, Heidi Schlecht, had prepared a fine meal.

I've been too sad and in denial to write about our community's great loss—Pittsburgh's gain, if you can believe that—but Justin Severino, Community Butcher (whoops, Justin, I almost typed "Bitcher"), has left Santa Cruz. I've written hundreds, if not thousands, of words about him, and taken more pictures than I can count of him, his food, and his life (wife, co-workers, and various stages of the hair growing on his head and face).

At age thirty, obviously concerned about his mortality and the diminishing chances to replace Tony Randall or Anthony Quinn (or even Anthony Bourdain) as the World's Oldest Father, Justin and his beautiful wife ("Can you believe she married me?"), Hilary Prescott, have moved back East to be near their families and start one of their own. (Good luck with that, Justin: there are instructional manuals out there.)

Oh, I kid, but let me tell you, tears have been spilled. The loss has rippled through our food community, and the sadness is huge. HUGE.

Hilary herself quit her job and went through any number of workshops and bureaucratic rigamarole, and a huge freakin' learning curve that I'd have feigned death to avoid, to be a partner with her husband—they've been together since they were eighteen. Let's just see that again: they've been together since they were eighteen. Of course, eighteen, twelve years ago was kind of like thirty was, thirty years ago. (If you follow me. If you follow history. And eighteen-year-old now is pretty much a fifth-grader, in terms of knowing how to navigate society and responsibilty and things that we had to learn Too Young three decades ago. But I digress.)

The partnership with TLC Ranch (also a star subject on these pages) has dissolved, and I'll have some (good) news from TLC's Jim Dunlop and Rebecca Thistlethwaite as well: a write-up of the farmers markets and restaurants in the Bay Area where you can buy or taste their sublime meat products. For the uninitiated, "TLC" = Tastes Like Chicken. Take that, PETA.

I'll have that TLC Ranch write-up soon—I owe them (and just about every farm in the county) a visit, but I don't know when I can get there. It will have to be spontaneous, and December is so rarely about spontaneity.

And speaking of the maturity of Mr. Severino.

I have learned so much from Justin, and from Jim Dunlop—both of whom are pretty good about not taking themselves too seriously, I think. Well, more than most of my human friends.

And I honestly grieve that I can't hang out in muddy fields spotted with pig poop and listen to them horse (so to speak) around. Being the salty old broad that I am, I rarely felt too dainty to stomp around through the stinky bits, or to join in their roaring laughter over certain "crudities" (yes, I made up that useful word—not to be confused with crudités, you fancy little readers, you), but I am aware that there are crudities that are reserved for people who can pee standing up (without removing their garments). I'm just glad neither Justin nor Jim ever exhibited contempt for my gender (or my particular self, even), and that both appreciated someone who really saw and tried to illuminate their good works.

MY OWN THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Treasure your treasures while they're here: you can't take them with you—unless they are pork fat stuck to your butt and belly. Those treasures might pop like a soap bubble at any moment.

Thanks for visiting, and for your kind support.

Justin and Hilary: thank you for everything.

That's really all for today. I have another sad farewell to two of my favorite young farmers on the earth, who are leaving our beloved farming community for other pursuits, but they deserve their own post.   

ACTION ALERT: About the Raw Milk Legislation from Claravale Dairy

Folks, this is urgent. Please take a little time out from your day to contact lawmakers, to undo the grave legislation that would decimate the raw milk industry in California. You can do that with information at the first link, and read more about the situation at the second link.

1) OrganicPastures.com
2) TheCompetePatient.com

Here is a letter from Ron Garthwaite, owner of Claravale Farm, which is pictured above. Well, it's his former location that I once visited: last year was rough for Claravale, when their lease was yanked unceremoniously so the owners could get a higher-paying tenant on the land. Relocating to San Benito County after having spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, trying to get the permits necessary from the visionary-impaired bureaucrats in Santa Cruz County, Ron built a new dairy facility that cost about $1M.

From TheCompletePatient.com:

What's made AB 1735 especially shocking to Ronald is that he was submitting plans and having inspections by the California Department of Food and Agriculture during recent months. “Had they informed us of this new regulation we could have made changes to the facilities in order to have a better chance of meeting the new regulation,” he says in an email he just sent to his customers. “Or we may have decided not to build at all.  Or we may have decided to construct it to produce products other than raw milk.

Here is a letter from Ron, which is necessarily long: there is scientific and political information that you need to know. Ron concludes the letter:

If you want to continue to be able to obtain raw milk in California you should fight this law with everything you have. Even if you are not a raw milk drinker but want to be able to get fresh, unadulterated produce or meat or, in fact any fresh food in the future you should be fighting this law. This is only one additional step in the State’s campaign to pasteurize or sterilize everything.

On behalf of the raw milk dairies in California, I thank you.

Freewheelin' Farm's Fall Art Show: Saturday, November 4

Pictured here, some of the lovely sculpture of Cate Shelly, who is the partner of Ronald Donkervoort of Windmill Farms here in Santa Cruz. Cate is part of a group of artists who'll combine their talents at a Fall Art Show tomorrow up at Freewheelin' Farm, just a few miles up the coast from the west side farmers market.

This is Cate: ain't she great?

This little piece is my favorite, but I never had a chance to buy it. It reminds me of Jem and Scout Finch.

So the art show is tomorrow from 1:0-6:00 PM.

From the E-Vite:

 

My Friends in San Diego

Just as I felt when watching images of Katrina flooding a city I love, I'm shaking and sad about the fires in San Diego, where I lived for six years. And where I've visited twice in the past two years, including visits to three beautiful little farms. I'll show them here in more peaceful times, and may the prevailing winds soon shift. Wouldn't some rain be nice?

Here in Escondido: La Milpa Organica. I read over on Michael Ruhlman's blog that Chef Gavin Kaysen's main produce guy lost part of his farm. I know the farmer, Barry Logan, at La Milpa, supplies to more restaurants in the county than anyone else, and can only pray he's safe.

Another view of La Milpa: Barry's famous salad mix greens.

Here is beautiful Seabreeze farm, near La Jolla. For now, it seems, out of peril's way. When I visited farmer Stephenie Caughlin, she was feeding a CSA of 65 people from her two terraced, hillside acres.

Another view of the farm: the greenhouse.

Here is Barry Koral's Tropical Fruit Farm in Vista. Figs and citrus.

Ah, the green shade.

I don't have much else to say: it's hard imagining the hell.

I will say that last night, the California Federation for Poultry sent me a press release with the unlikely subject "Truth in Labeling." It seems that Foster Farms and others who use the completely meaningless word "100% All Natural" in their pesticide-laced birds are all a-twitter at "big poultry manufacturers" injecting salt water into chickens, pumping up the weight and sodium content. Well, that's all well and good, but how about if Foster Farms, who isn't quite as despicable as Tyson, comes clean on what's in the feed that goes into those chickens, or the conditions under which they're raised?

The California Federation for Poultry did not do their homework in soliciting my support for their campaign. As one of my friends who raises pastured, truly free-range, organic chickens says, "The saltwater is not what's wrong with the chickens. The problem is pesticide drenched feed and the
confinement of the birds.  To freak out about the salt injection is just silly.

"Maybe if all you've ever seen is really, really nasty cut-rate industrial chickens Foster Farms does look good by comparison, being only moderately disgusting."  (Thanks, Ms. H.)

Also scary: the member list for the federation. Bayer? "Hybrid Turkeys"? Merrill-Lynch? Whuh?

More anon on that. For now, my thoughts and prayers are with the folks in San Diego and the other folks in Southern California. I lived in Malibu for a month when our daughter was an infant, in Paradise Cove Campground. It was heaven.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance."  — Harrison Ford

Thanks for visiting.

Suvir's New Cookbook: American Masala

My friend (and client), Suvir Saran, has begun his book tour for the debut of his second cookbook, American Masala, a collection of 125 recipes with Suvir's unique take on classics like mac 'n' cheese, meatloaf, vegetarian enchiladas, etcetera. The photography by Ben Fink is luscious—incredible.

Suvir was in Seattle yesterday, and is in San Francisco today. Tonight he will be appearing from 7:00-8:00 tonight at Books, Inc. at Opera Plaza. Here are the details.

Tomorrow he'll be in Los Angeles, and you can see the rest of his touring schedule here. Laguna Beach, Austin, Dallas, Chicago, and New York follow, concluding on October 18.

Then I hope he gets a nice long break at his farm, also called American Masala.

You can read more about the cookbook and get some recipes from his most recent newsletter. Yum!

Go, please, and see his photos of the chickens and alpacas and goats and llamas in this photo album.

That's all for today. Autumn is here to stay, I think: we had our first big rain last night, and the air has changed.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."  —Thomas Alva Edison

Thanks for visiting.

P.S. If you use the Amazon link to buy the cookbook, you're helping buy "knife guys" (knight figurines) for Logan. And as he would say, "NANKS!"