Milk is political? You're kidding, right?

Saturday, I headed over to Sequim (pronounce Skwim) with a friend, who’d never been. There’s a lot to do over there, but we hit what were (for us) the high points. Sequim’s claim to fame is that it’s in the rain shadow of the Olympics, so although it’s in the PNW, they get so little rain that they have to irrigate (and proclaim it with an annual Irrigation Festival.) They also grow a LOT of lavender (and have a Lavender Festival, as well.)

On the way into town, we stopped off for a lavender mocha (well, I guess that’s not my drink of choice, but it was worth a try) & then stopped at Sunshine Herb & Lavender Farm, which is always terrific. The fields are just coming into bloom now, and the nursery is full of different lavenders and other herbs. Their gift store is amazing, and they make everything themselves.

Then on to the Co-op, which is always fun, even though I’m not really a farm girl. But they do have cute Farm Girl brand jeans & Bogs. And lots of good lawn furniture. Then down the street is Over the Fence, which is always fun. Lots of home-type things, and candles. By this time, I had tried about every tester known to mankind, and my hands were soft and… let’s say “fragrant.”

We had lunch at the Oak Table Cafe, just off the main drag to prepare for a hike on Dungeness Spit. Good homestyle cooking, and a lot of it.

Then off to the Spit, but we made two stops on the way. One was to the Dungeness Valley Creamery, which provides the Puget Sound area with raw milk. I hadn’t had raw milk before coming to PT, and was amazed at the difference. Raw milk is illegal in some states, and even in WA, where it’s legal, they come under all sorts of attacks. (Read their testimonials page to see what I mean.) This operation was spotless, and filled with people going about their work with smiles on their faces. The cows out in the field looked contented & well-cared for, which is quite a change from “normal” dairy operations that I’ve passed, holding my nose & despairing for the animals that have to live that way.

Another quick stop at Nash’s Organic Farm stand. It was amazing all the vegetables and fruit they can provide this early in the season. I’ve seen a lot of hoop houses, so that’s probably the secret. The store is very well-organized, and displays the work of local artisans, as well.

Finally, on to Dungeness Spit. The tide was coming in, which pushed us up onto the rocky parts. We may have walked a mile, but it was a rough mile. The weather was gorgeous, though, and mountains, ocean and big driftwood is a wonderful combination. Renewed my intention to camp overnight there sometime.

More pix here. And recipe for Lavender Lemonade…

Leaf-peepers

Well, after a very long day of travel yesterday, I woke up in VA.

While I was gone, the maple outside my bedroom window went from dark green to caution-light yellow. I’ve heard people complaining about leaf-peepers. Now I know what they mean. How would you like to wake up to this? I wish I could describe the quality of the light in the morning. (Kind of like regaining consciousness in a highway construction zone? Without the noise?)

Anyway, I’m taking it easy today. Went to the library & paid my fine. (Heck, they needed a new wing anyway.) Got some more books, and the soundtrack to My Fair Lady. Just wait, I’ll be in Mexico, all by my lonesome, learning all the words to Wouldn’t It be Loverly. (Have I mentioned that I totally heart Julie Andrews? I know, I’m hopeless.)

It’s chilly & rainy, but not nearly as deathly cold as it was when I left. A good day to dust off the crockpot & fill it with something yummy. I’ve been wanting to try Kalua Pork for a long time, and finally found Hawaiin Salt @ WholeFoods. So this time tomorrow, that’s what we’ll be eating.

After lots of angst & drama, resolution on a couple scores-

1. I have decent health insurance, that even covers pre-existing conditions, and I can actually afford it! Virginia can be my home base, although I still plan to be mostly nomadic. (And yes, I still believe strongly that we need a national single-payer system. I would not wish these last few months of uncertainty on anyone.)
2. We finally got rain, after a REALLY long dry spell. We could use some more, but at least it’s a start.

So, thanks to all who have been so supportive thru all my whining & moaning. I appreciate all the hand-holding (& patience!) Once again, things do have a way of working out.

And now I’m going to take a nap…

George Bowers Grocery, Staunton, VA

Staunton (that’s “Stan-ton,” not “Stawn-ton”) Virginia takes pride in its blend of reverence for the old, with modern twists. Like the trolley car buses that minimize downtown traffic, while allowing easy access to landmarks and shops.

Not far from Downtown , New Town Staunton is also experiencing a renaissance. As old mansions and homes are being restored, so are some of the storefronts that served their original owners.

One of these is the George Bowers Grocery, originally founded in 1881. It’s been reclaimed to service by a young duo- Brian Wiedemann and Katie McCaskey- who stock the shelves with a variety of wines/beers, including many from Virginia and locally produced foodstuffs. They also grow some of  the produce they sell, in a rented city lot a few blocks away at Lush Farms.

Katie says that while they aren’t a one-stop shopping experience, the neighborhood has been very supportive of their efforts. And why not, when each item is carefully selected by the owners, who cultivate relationships with both their suppliers and patrons, and serve as a knowledgeable link between them.

In Downtown Staunton, there is another neighborhood grocery, with a slightly different slant. Cranberry’s is a natural foods grocery and deli (with juice bar, and gluten-free choices.) Like George Bowers, the accent is on local, and healthy.

While neighborhood groceries may not supplant the supermarket chains, the idea of a local grocery as a link, more accessible than a once or twice a week farmers market, and a gathering place for the neighborhood, may be an idea whose time has come- again.

Colchicums (Autumn Crocus)

Well, it’s been a long dry spell this summer. The ground is as hard as cement, and only a few things are blooming. The colchicums don’t seem to mind at all, nor do the sedums.

The quote of the week:

“If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but timelessness, eternal life belongs to those who live in the present.”

– Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein

• You, too, can have a free meditation timer from zencast.org. They also have one for iPhones. Basically a starting sound, a sound in the middle and one at the end, with silence in the middle. Now you don’t have to estimate how long you’ve been meditating.
• A proverb for every situation.
• Casa Batllo in Barcelona, Spain. (Note to self… need to go to Barcelona)
• Twitter hashtags that didn’t make the cut.

]]> http://becomingsara.com/2009/09/tgif-3/feed/ 3 http://becomingsara.com/2009/08/starting-the-fall-garden/ http://becomingsara.com/2009/08/starting-the-fall-garden/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:27:28 +0000 Sara http://becomingsara.com/?p=351

Gabalot Gardens

Well, I’ve been clearing out a couple beds for fall crops, in between peeling & freezing peaches. So decided that today I’d go get some stuff to plant in them. Fall things, like broccoli, spinach, radishes… the usual suspects.

So first I went to Southern States & messed around for a while. I did get some seeds there- lettuce, daikon radishes, etc. Also got lots of mouse & ant killer. (Whole ‘nother story…)

Then I headed for a little nursery the mater had told me about- Gabalot. As warned, Janet DOES talk a lot. But unlike many people, she actually imparts a lot of info. She’s “only” been running Gabalot Gardens for 16 years, and says she’s still learning.

Many of her seeds are heirloom (non-hybrid, which means you can save your own seed for next year) which is exactly what we’re up to here @ Mt Pleasant. Her two main suppliers are Landreth Seeds in Pennsylvania, which she also sells in bulk and Renee’s Garden.

I got some gorgeous broccoli & brussel sprouts seedlings, and then some things to dress up the planters a bit. But also got rainbow chard seeds, b/c I like them so much. (For those of you in PT, check the window boxes of the Silverwater Cafe. Those are Bright Lights chard)

What’s really exciting is that I asked her about whether she starts seeds for others in her fancy greenhouse. Not only does she, she has an interesting way that she does it. If you buy seed & send or take it to her to plant, you tell her how many plants you want. She keeps the rest of the seeds & gets the income from selling those seedlings. That’s it.

I don’t know if other greenhouses do that, but it sounds wonderful to me. Growing seedlings is really pretty labor & equipment intensive (My lettuce seedlings were a total failure… I was hardening them off & a thunderstorm hit & washed them all out. Starting over…)

Anyway, a very fun & productive day… and a new friend.

But no, I’m a total oinker, and I ate it all up before it even occurred to me to take a picture of it. (How does she do it?)

Anyway, you’ll have to imagine a salad plate covered with sliced ripe tomatoes, fresh from the garden, with slivered basil, ditto, dressed with olive oil & garnished with chunks of gorgonzola cheese & grated carrots.

Does life get any better than this? Methinks not.

Traveler on the prowl

With 8 cats on the farm (and 5 that are sociable), I’m finally getting my FPD (feline-petting-deficiency) under control. All the cats  have very distinct personalities. There’s Silky, who’s 21 years old and Doodle, who fancies herself the heir apparent. Then there’s Purrsica, who’s almost pink and seems to be a loner & whose hobby is sleeping in the shale road which she almost matches. And Hannah, who loves to be petted, but shrinks down flat to the ground under your hand before you can start.

But my favorite is Traveler. She’s a young adult tabby, and doesn’t quite fit into the pecking order of  the pack. She’s got other things on her mind, and definitely has her own agenda.

First of all, if any car is left with an open window, Traveler is likely to jump in and go along. Over the years, several farm visitors have had to make a return trip , to deliver the little stowaway. She doesn’t seem to care where the car’s headed; she just wants to see what’s out there in the big world. (Sounds like somebody I know…)

Then there’s the food thing. Silky & Doodle get fed special VIC (very important cat)  food on the porch, while all the others eat cheap-o food out on the lawn. (Silky by virtue of her ancient-ness, and Doodle b/c she was ill this winter & now seems to think that it’s her due.)

Traveler is not taking this sitting down. (The other yard cats don’t seem to notice or care that they aren’t getting the VIC food.) If that porch door is left even slightly unlatched, Traveler will claw it open, slip inside & eat every bit of the special cat food.  Each time someone comes in or out the porch door, she checks it for access.

Obviously, we started being very careful to latch the door behind us. But good old Traveler figured out that she could go around the house, open the kitchen door, go thru the kitchen, out the kitchen/porch door & gobble up all the food. Which she did several times, before we figured that one out.

The best part is when you catch her with her face in the bowl, eating that last piece of kibble. Instead of looking guilty or apologetic, she gives you a look that says, “Yeah, I’m a porch cat now. Didn’t you get the memo?”

There’s a cat who knows what she wants, and is going to get it, if it’s at all possible. I have a feeling that she’s tunneling under the porch floor as I type.

Purple Beans

Aren’t these just the cutest things? I have to admit, I do love beans, but only the kind that begin w/”B.”

Until now, my favorites were yellow wax beans, which we also are growing. And the haricots verts may be taking over the world. So far, I’ve picked & frozen (and trimmed & blanched) about 6 qts.

But these little guys are so darned cute~ and the vines & flowers are purple, too. I’m told that if cooked w/an acid (vinegar or lemon juice) they stay purple. Otherwise, they turn green when cooked. Where’s the fun in that?

So I picked about a quart tonight, and also did some weeding in the yellow wax beans. (I plan to enter the next Olympics in the chickweed toss event.)

Anyway, I can hardly wait to eat purple beans. And maybe try them out in a 3-bean salad.

The guy (Isaac Bowman) who built this house in 1812 had 80 grandchildren. So you can imagine, when they have their reunion every two yrs, how many people show up.  (And this is VA, where every conversation starts w/a pedigree.) The other local properties are handled by foundations & the commonwealth of Virginia.

Until this yr, Mt Pleasant has not been on the tour, for various reasons. But we decided this yr to allow them in. Thank goodness for cousin R.U. (Edward  Randolph Underwood) who directed parking, and friends M & S who handled the upstairs. The mater handled gardens & I did downstairs.  There were Hite-Bowmans from all corners of the earth. One had even written a book.

We were working until wee hours getting the house in order. I spent the day pointing out mantels and elbow-latches & the original hearth. Oy, I don’t have much in common w/British royalty, but one day of ppl traipsing thru the house, pointing out woodwork just about did me in. I don’t know how they do it. I wonder how many B-H’s will return home, discussing the Brad room, the Martha room & how to get heartwood pine floors.

And then in the last group, someone asked me if we were open every weekend. FREAK OUT does not cover it. “This is not a museum. We LIVE here. It’s a working farm!  We opened the house to descendents who had legitimate interest, but the next public access will be sheepdog trials in November. That will be the grounds, NOT the house.” I’m sure one of the Hite-Bowmans caught my panic, b/c he very seriously thanked me for allowing them access.

The funniest thing is that we really are FFV (First Families of Virginia); my mother is a Randolph. But we have absolutely no connection with Bowman/Hites, beyond owning their house. (Except that I think one of my Beatty forebears fought in the same unit in the Revolutionary War. See, I’ve caught Virginia fever.)

So now it’s back to normal, after I pour myself a very, very  stiff Screwdriver to savor on the screen porch & watch the rain pour down. And then start blanching beans.