I Heart Farms

Happy Birthday, Chez Panisse; a Visit to Crystal Bay Farm, & Other Treasures

On August 28, 1968, Chez Panisse opened its doors. Look what Alice Waters started! I haven't been up there to eat yet—the day I arrived in Berkeley with my friend, Suvir, Chez Panisse was closed, and we were forced to eat next door at César. (Everyone should suffer this kind of deprivation. César was fabulous.)

I know Alice Waters has her detractors, and that not everyone is her fan, but I am an admirer. I got to meet her and photograph her two years ago, at Frog Hollow Farm in Brentwood. It was a sweltering day, and I loaned her my giant umbrella to keep the sun off. It was nearly as big as she was. It's well known that Alice is one of the biggest fans of Al Courchesne's peaches, and the dinner was in the middle of one of his orchards.

Photographing Alice that day was a challenge: she had so many cameras in her face you'd have thought she was the Playmate of the Month. Actually, the Playmate of the Month that day was the perfect Cal Red peach served to each guest at the end of the meal.  And she wandered down to our end of the long table as twilight deepened, and talked to us about the program she'd initiated to have all California elementary schools have a garden.

Howdy, Santa Cruz: Welcome to Soquel

These lovely young women are farmers:  Kirsten and Jasmine. They have their own little parcel of land in Soquel, courtesy of Everett Family Farm (which I have seen seen called "Everett & Daughters"). I'm working on a bigger piece on the farm soon: but first a quick note. Kirsten and Jasmine want YOU to know they are both single AND straight. There are some confusing aspects to being farm partners who work the Everett family's land, and I got to the bottom of the whole business in my recent visits to the farm. Everett Family Farm (aka "Everett & Daughters Farm) is closest to my own house here in Soquel. Neither of these lady farmers is an Everett daughter, nor are they related to each other.

Theirs is as pretty a farm as I've ever visited, and Logan and I enjoyed ourselves there very very much, not only because there are chickens for him to talk to. And a "cow" to pet. Visit their farmstand on Wednesdays and Saturdays on Old San Jose Road, across from the Seventh Day Adventist campground.

Welcome to all the visitors from the Santa Cruz Sentinel today*. Nancy Redwine is a great interviewer, and I was happy to see her post links to three of my favorite blogs out there: Life Begins at 30, Heidi Swanson, and Nordljus. (I am very happy to report that Logan and I will soon be visiting some farms with Nancy ourselves. She and I met for lunch at Gabriella Cafe a week or so ago, and it turns out we are born within two days--to the hour--of each other. Yay.)

The Fragrance of Apricots: Van Dyke Ranch

When Logan and I arrived at Betty Van Dyke's apricot orchard out in Gilroy on Monday, the perfume from the apricots was breathtaking. This is easily the most fragrant place I've ever photographed, and I include Hawaii in my reckoning.