First Snow

Walking home from milking the goats tonight was very peaceful. Snow crunched under my boots and flakes brushed my face. All was quiet. Everything seems to stop when the first snow comes. It’s like the world is pausing to rest. Meditate. Listening to her breath. I think the snow creates a buffer for sound vibrations.

I went to Hawthorne Valley Farm in NY State where Susan presented to a small class of beginning farmers how she started the business. I noticed the group was mostly young women- another piece of my senior thesis about women farmers. Lots of the young farmers today are women, like me. It feels good to know I’m not alone in this endeavor when I’m sitting in a room full of people who share a similar interest. Also like me, they were lucky to be listening to Susan tell her story. It is remarkable, inspiring, funny, sad, hopeful, scary, and surprising all at once. Bottom line- she is awesome. And I am so grateful to be working with her for two seasons in a row.

We moved four young goats over to the herd this week. It’s like graduation. I’m actually really attached to the babies that are now 9 months old, so not really babies anymore. They are getting big and once they start eating the dairy goat diet and are pregnant, they will look like the adults. Mariposa, Shelly, Eunice, and Ursula were the most sociable so we will let them be leaders for the others when it’s time for them to join the herd. Half of the young ones have been bred so there are only five goats left!

Breeding is almost over and I will not miss the stink. However, I did enjoy walking the bucks down and watching how they interact with the does. Their behavior is very entertaining and I love getting to say, “Ugh, men!” when they go around sniffing butts, peeing on themselves, and snorting.

It’s hard to imagine I only have 20 more days left here. Then, I go home for the holidays, visit with family, and get ready for my winter expeditions. For January and February I will be driving cross-country with friends. When else in my life will this be possible? I might as well do it while I can, right? So off I will go…hiking, camping, exploring the wonderful beauty of the American Southwest. Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, California. Ah, the beauty of seasonal jobs when you’re young and don’t have huge bills to pay or prior commitments.

Thanksgiving feels like months ago, but it was really lovely. I had two big meals. One with family and one with farm folk at Susan’s house. Some food highlights are captured below: sweet potato buttermilk rolls, chocolate goat cheese truffles, pecan and squash pies, baked brie with cranberries, stuffing, mashed potatoes, parsnip soup, cranberry relish and sauce, and of course a turkey from Taft Farms.

Another food note is that the garden is still giving plenty. Yesterday in anticipation of snow I harvested carrots, beets, leeks, brussel sprouts, spinach, and salad greens from the greenhouse. I’m eating lots of potatoes, squash and onions from the back room, which stays cool enough so they don’t rot. The fridge is stocked with greens and the porch has buckets of veggies from the garden that like to be kept really cold. I have to keep remembering where all my food is scattered. This reminds me of squirrels burying acorns in the fall. Food storage is tough because each vegetable likes different moisture and temperature levels. Unlike the squirrels, if something doesn’t make it to March or I am tired of eating roots, I can go to the market.

So, life is good. Eating well and plenty. Celebrating with people. Staying warm with the wood stove. Simple.

The water at the cabin was turned off yesterday since it’s getting way below freezing at night. I actually find is quite nice. I make fewer dishes when I cook so there’s less to wash. I have to strategize each meal to minimize messes so there’s less to clean. Surprisingly, it makes life more simple and relaxing. Just what I need. Entering hibernation. Winter. Sure, I can do winter. For a few more weeks…then I’ll go south and escape the harsh months.

Cozy Cabin, Chilly Nights

It’s that time of year when I just want to eat warm stew, drink hot tea, and read a novel by the fire. Things are slowing down here not only because there’s less daylight, but I’m also more sluggish. I have less energy to start new projects and stay up late with friends. Today I went back to eat lunch after packing cheese even though it was only 11 a.m. because I was cold and hungry. A little beef stew, green tea, and chocolate did me good so I headed back to work on building nest boxes for the hens we’re getting in the spring.

I warmed up and was down to a long-sleeve shirt after raking leaves this afternoon. As soon as the sun hid behind the tall pine trees, on went the jacket, hat, and gloves. Sadly, it was only 3p.m. The darkness creeps up on us. Last night we worked with flashlights for a bit, then used our car’s high beams to let the goats back to the other barn. I think tonight is their last to sleep in the ‘summer barn.’ From now on, they will be in the milking barn where it is more shielded from the wind, rain, and snow.

I look forward to returning to the cabin with the wood stove keeping it at a comfortable 68 degrees. Time to snuggle up with Oliver under a wool blanket and jump into the Jodi Picoult novel I started last night. I hear they are addictive and I’ll end up reading the whole series this winter if I don’t pace myself. So what if I’ve replaced gardening and preserving food with books and knitting? It is practically winter.

Yesterday Susan and I put bigger collars around the young goat’s necks, which are yellow and white, signifying a yearling. Soon they will be bred and move into the herd where they will have to learn to associate with the big goats. I imagine it is like starting a new school where you don’t know a lot of people. At least the ten have one another for moral support.

We also de-wormed the young goats before they go into the herd so they don’t transfer any parasites to the adult goats. And when we dry off the herd we will de-worm all of the goats to make sure they are worm-free for the winter.

All of the adult goats have been breed successfully! Only two out of 40 came into heat again, which means they weren’t bred the first time, so we serviced them again. Come March, there will be a few days of lots of births because we bred 22 goats in 2 days. It was like they all came into heat at the same time.

Now, their milk production is decreasing and we have less milk than during the summer. We have gone to a regular cheese-making schedule and there is a little less cheese. However, the milk has a higher butterfat content this time of year when it is colder, so it takes less milk per pound of cheese than in the summer when the milk was leaner. The cheese is quite rich! Just in time to put on my winter weight.

Other awesome happenings are the field trips we’ve been taking to nearby dairy farms. We’ve been to Old Chatham Sheepherding Company in N.Y. where they milk 500 out of 800 sheep; Coach Farm in N.Y. which produces goat cheeses (hard and soft) from their 600 alpines; Blue Hills Farm down the road from us in Monterey, a cow dairy that sells raw milk, provides eggs, and raises chickens, pigs, and goats for meat to a restaurant in N.Y.; and Ronnybrook Farm in Ancramdale, N.Y. which makes yogurt, ice cream, butter, flavored milks, egg nog, and cheese from cow’s milk.

Standing in the large refrigerator at Ronnybrook last week was like a kindergartener’s dream come true when we were offered to try whatever products we wanted…chocolate milk and blackberry yogurt! I was in heaven…until the dairy wary and sugar rush set in on the ride home. Visiting these farms has been educational and lots of fun, especially tasting all the quality products. I also feel very grateful for the size of Susan’s dairy operation with only 50 goats. Working at a small dairy operation allows me to know each goat individually. It feels more humane giving each animal individual attention and getting to know their unique personalities. It is another reason to support small scale farming operations and ensure their economic vitality.

In My Head

I have been very “in my head” the last two weeks, meaning my mind is processing lots of information. All this serious thinking recently is a stark contrast to what I have been doing this summer. I often assume farming is mostly physical work and neglect to realize the immense amount of mental and emotional work that goes into raising crops and animals, not mention running a small business.

I started this blog to share not only what is happening at the farm, but also why I am choosing this path. Lately, I have been asking myself why I am getting out of my warm bed to milk goats when it’s dark? Why I am letting my fingers get so cold I can’t feel them while driving the tractor? Why I have moved each piece of wood six times now? (As Susan says wood warms you at least a few times before you burn it). I’m sure we’ve all wondered at times why we do what we do when certain moments are challenging. Of course each action is part of the larger picture and has effects, that’s why we do them.

On Saturday October 17 Susan asked me to attend three lectures put on by the Schumacher Society in Stockbridge, MA. I’ll give you a report. Bill McKibben spoke about climate change and the day of action, which was last Saturday Oct. 24. Today the world emits 390 ppm of carbon into the atmosphere and there is a large movement to reduce that number to 350 ppm, or else the arctic will continue melting rapidly. Yes, this is a very scary and controversial topic, so let me pinpoint some interesting ideas relating to farming.

By supporting our local farmers and encouraging more people to grow their own food, not only does this reduce carbon emissions, it also builds stronger communities. McKibben says our reliance on oil has reduced our reliance on our neighbors. This makes me think about how my relationships to people are improving because of our growing awareness of local food. We spend more time cooking together, working in the garden, and stocking up for the winter—and less time driving to the supermarkets alone to buy conveniently pre-made foods to eat in front of the TV.

The next speaker was Benjamin Barber. He talked about the debate between politicians and scientists over global warming. Some key points that made my mind light up were about the transportation system in the U.S. Americans drive their cars on highways to get most places, rather than take trains or buses because cars are often more economical (cheap fossil fuel), give us more freedom (which we just can’t seem to get enough of even when we end up feeling lonely), and there really isn’t much of an option when public transportation is so limited. The down side is we created suburbia, polluted the environment, and became locked into the oil companies. Barber says that these economic decisions we are making have externalities or collateral damage costs that are very well hidden. If all the true costs were visible, gas would be more like $12 a gallon! He says we need to make wise decisions, which science dictates and politics overlooks.

Another point he made is that capitalism used to be for the people, meaning when there was a need (like manufacturing garden tools), people filled the need and made a profit to support their families by starting business that made the tools. Today, most of our basic ‘needs’ can be met (food, water, shelter, heat) in America. Whether they are met for everyone is another issue. In order to keep capitalism afloat, there has to be a ‘need’. Now we have iPhones! Don’t you really need an iPhone? No, you don’t. But, marketing sure makes you believe you do so that Mac can profit off of your frozen need (something that is not being met so this product is a substitute). Now we are manufacturing NEEDS to sell more unnecessary GOODS for PROFIT! Tricky, tricky.

Barber suggests reconnecting capitalism with democracy, nature, sustainability and real human needs like mosquito nets, renewable energy, and clean water. He says, “Capitalism should serve us, we should not serve capitalism.” In order to begin combating global warming, he calls for restoring democracy, the commonwealth, citizenship, and public thinking. “We can’t support private wealth at the cost of the commonwealth,” he states. I like this guy.

The last speaker of the day (Believe me, sitting all day is tough when you’re not used to it), was Alisa Gravitz from CO-OP America. The title of her speech was “Small is Indeed Beautiful.” She began by labeling herself a ‘troublemaker,’ and indeed came though with her fiery passion for creating a holistic economic system. She believes that measuring our economic system by GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is totally ridiculous and we need a structural change so the system can be more mindful of the environment.

Whoa, system change…those words made me feel hopeless. Sounds impossible, right? Gravitz quickly trashed my negative thoughts by saying, “Humans do extraordinary things every day! System change is easier than is looks.” She outlined five solutions:

 

1) Thrift and Shift

2) Reduce Energy Use

3) Grow green, local economies

4) Fire the GDP

5) Examine the structure of $

All of these require major value shifts and finding more holistic ways of measuring ‘growth.’

I think I’ll save the report from a lecture I went to last week called, “Closing the Food Gap,” by Mark Winne until next time so you can soak in this information. I don’t want to overwhelm my audience although I have done a really good job of doing just that to myself.

Ok, got that off my chest. See, there are hundreds of reasons why I want to farm and listening to Barber, McKibben, and Gravitz speak reminded me that what I am doing is really important. My actions do matter and they are closely connected with the rest of the world.

Back to working outside in fresh air. No more lectures in churches and synagogues for a while. Whew, felt like I was back in college taking all those notes.

Change of Season

Ok, fine. I surrender. It won’t be summer forever. Even the colorful fall leaves have blown away during the wind storm last week. And, the frost last night was serious. Fortunately I have stacked my wood and the stove is keeping me warm when the temperature drops at night. Additional blankets are necessary along with the flannel sheets again. Didn’t I just take them off in July?

It is much cooler here in the hills of the Berkshires than the Pioneer Valley where I am from. The last two years in a row I went backpacking over Colombus Day weekend with friends, but this year I stayed home and read by the fire instead. As the air turns cool and our garden is put to rest, I also feel like I could start slowing down.

This may be the last time I have motivation to can anything. I am very well stocked up for the winter between frozen and canned goods. However, pink applesauce would be delicious so I think I’ll go pick some macouns and macs this afternoon.

Breeding season is beginning. The bucks stink horribly and they are standing at the far end of the fence near the does as if they are in a Romeo and Juliet production. The does also, thought less frequently, appear to be grazing near the fence closest to the bucks. Pretty soon with all the leaves off the trees they will be able to see one another, not just detect their smells.

We had our first goat go into heat yesterday. Astra, an older doe was yelling and standing off from the rest of the herd- a sign she is ovulating and wants a buck NOW. Soloman was the lucky one. As we walked him down to the barn, crowds of visitors watched. I felt somewhat embarrassed, but don’t know why. I suppose since it’s not a regular occurrence on the farm and usually there aren’t hoards of people watching, it was kind of a form of entertainment for them.

After I grabbed Astra by the collar and brought her to the sectioned off part of the barn, Susan walked in with Soloman. They circled one another for a minute and sniffed hind ends. He mounted the doe and Susan exclaimed, “She’s bred.” It was so fast! They went in opposite directions and that was that. Oct 11 breeding means March 11 kidding. 5 months gestation exactly.

But, I won’t show any pictures of that. Instead, how about a tantalizing meal I cooked with my Aunt Dorothy last weekend?

chopping leeks for soup

potato leek soup with a dallop of goat cheese

crepes stuffed with veggies in goat cheese cream sauce

layering the buttercake with apricot jam

glazed apricot buttercake

dessert: scoop of homemade raspberry ice cream, cake, and berries

Don’t worry, I have been working very hard outside of the kitchen as well….

with  the help of Oliver of course.

The Color Red

Where did August go? Or September for that matter? Time has been flying this fall and I have done a lot since my last post. I’ve decided to balance my ‘To Do’ Lists with forgetting about lists and remembering all I have done already. Rushing ahead to the next project without reflecting on what I’ve already accomplished is something I am oh so good at. But, then I hardly feel a sense of accomplishment or proud of what I have done. So, here goes what I have been doing and let it be known I have been busy as the bees producing things sweet as honey.

On the Food Front: I have frozen stuffed peppers for a quick winter dinner. We have had a couple of frosts already so we picked all the basil and peppers. Instead of pesto, I dried the basil for culinary use. I also dried oregano, parsley, and summer savory. This was done both ways- hanging in bunches and laying the leaves on a screen for a few days. I’ll let you know which technique works best.

After raspberry picking at Howden Farm in Sheffield, I froze 2 pints and used the 3rd to make ice cream.  A little goat milk, sugar, lemon, arrowroot, and berries…a real treat for those warm September afternoons. Serving suggestion- it goes really well with chocolate mousse.

I made pepper and onion relish last night for all those hot dogs and hamburgers I eat….ha. My Grandmother used to make relish, which was delicious, so I tried it out and I am happy with the product. I had to strain it because it had too much liquid. The biggest challenge will be eating all the canned goods I’ve made since they are so beautiful, and really…how many pickled things can I eat in the winter? Well, they do make great gifts!

Margot brought a 15 lb bag of basil to my house last night to make pesto. She barely dented the garbage bag, but pesto all winter for sure.

I also went apple picking at Windy Hill Orchard in Stockbridge, but I ate all the apples fresh because they were delicious. Applesauce and apple butter are my next projects on the ‘To Do’ List, which I must not refer to yet.

On the Goat Front: They are looking really healthy and happy these days. All the sunshine, dry air, and good food is what they love most. As it gets colder and they are later in their lactation period, their milk gets richer with more butterfat. It’s as if they are fattening up their kid for the colder winter months. Nature continues to stun me. The cheese is higher and fat, too and very tasty. I have to watch out, I’m no kid that needs fattening up this winter.

Another positive note is I have decided to stay another season at Rawson Brook Farm working for Susan. I’m not ready yet to leave this wonderful place that is teaching me more each day. I want to be here for kidding season this spring since I have connections with the goats now. Susan and I are quite a team and we appreciate one another very much. We are lucky to have found one another.

Only one monarch hatched at the farm, but she sure was worth the wait.

Late Summer Delights: peaches & corn

I started to wonder last week if I have an obsession with food. The word “obsessed,” ran through my head repeatedly. I began to be concerned about this apparent “problem.” I reassured myself that at least it’s not drugs, alcohol, or gambling, right?

Fortunately, the next day my friend Amy was telling me about her hobby involving cooking, eating, and processing food. I realized how we both share a similar passion and neither one of us needs help about it.

Phew, I’m not crazy since Amy agrees she spends most of the day thinking about what she’ll eat next, preparing the harvest, and consuming incredible cuisines.

This month has been entirely engulfed in the season’s harvest. I have been canning pickles, peaches, green beans, tomatoes, jellies, and jams. I have frozen pounds of corn, blueberries, strawberries, and broccoli.

Even on my days off and while visiting friends at home, I manage to focus on food. Last weekend Amy and I started our day with a list of tasks involving peach picking, farm Olympics, cruising by Nuestras Raices to dump compost and say hello to the farmers roasting a pig, cider donuts from Atkins Market, and Sidehill Farm yogurt. All were achieved.

I am realizing that what makes me really happy is sharing food with people. Last night a friend and I cooked dinner, which the entire process lasted about four hours. Then the next day another friend and I canned hot pepper jelly. We dabbled the leftovers on a cracker covered in goat cheese. Before I knew it, another group of friends knocked on my door and we threw together a delicious meal after picking the ingredients from the garden. A meal always tastes better when you’ve picked the veggies a few minutes earlier. And especially when you leave the forks in the drawer to just use your hands to shovel each bite into your mouth.

It’s not crazy at all that I devote so much of my time to food. Besides, don’t most other animals spend a majority of their lives searching for food? When did humans start to do otherwise? I much prefer food being at the center of my attention rather than what’s in style and who’s dating who.

After the rewarding peach picking exertion in Whately at Quont Quont Farm, we drove to Outlook Farm in Westhampton where I bought a 20-pound box of utility peaches.
A year ago I canned their peaches in sugar syrup and they were one of my favorite winter treats, so I did it again. There’s nothing like peaches in yogurt for breakfast with a little granola on top in February.

The other big processing project this week was freezing corn. Susan and I filled the front-end loader on the tractor with corn, husked it, blanched it, took the kernels off, and filled freezer bags with over 30 pounds of sweet corn.

With the extra juice I made corn chowder- a warm treat for these cool nights in the hills. The pigs at a farm down the road enjoyed all the corncobs left over and the goats nibbled on the husks: a full-circle of sustenance.

It’s quite a process, but well worth it in the end.

The yellow corn is Sumptuous and the white is Silver     Queen.

Tomato update: the good news is that we still have cherry and plum tomatoes in the hoop house, which are plenty satisfying.

The bad news is yes, we did get the blight on our larger varieties outside so I tore them up, put them in black contractor bags, and brought them to the dump.But, oh, how lovely our tomatoes in the hoop house are! Sure makes you appreciate the small things in life…

Along with farm food comes farm flowers. The bees and hummingbirds are happy in the garden, too.

An Extraordinary Dinner

To fill the need for locally raised meat in the Great Barrington area, Jeremy Stanton has decided to open a butcher shop in the spring of 2010. His plan is to create on a modest scale a food business that is completely based on the use of local agricultural products. In addition to specializing in sustainably raised meats, Jeremy will produce his own spirits made from fruits grown in the region using a small-batch distillery. Jeremy and his wife Emily hosted a dinner to fundraise for the Meat Market and Southfield Spirits last night, which I attended with Susan.

As the rain poured down onto the event, people held umbrellas over our heads while escorting us to the dinner tent. By the time the first course was served, most women had ditched their shoes and walked barefoot across the soft, spongy grass. Most of the cooks, waiters, and organizers were soaked, but their spirits hardly looked dampened.

We nibbled on assorted charcuterie and sipped a light pink sunshine rhubarb cocktail. All the breads were handmade by Emily, which we layered with house-made salamis, terrine of pork, veal and ham, proscuitto, and mousse of pork liver.

The first course was a soup made from beef broth. Jeremy tries to use the whole animal when cooking, so his shop will offer stock for people to make soups from the animals he prepares. Blue Moon Farm oyster mushrooms were freshly cut into my bowl before the soup was poured from a pitcher. A citrus Coalescence wine complimented the delicate consommé.

Next came the famous rooster ravioli served on a bed of Farm Girl Farm field greens. At this point, I heard a man sitting nearby declare that if the meal ended now he would be very satisfied. “Jeremy has my blessings!” he confidently stated. I absolutely agree, and with a few more cocktails I may have stood up to give a speech.

Surprisingly, the sound of rain beating down on the tent only added to the intensity of the evening. It must have been very stressful to work under such conditions, but I think the guests were only more impressed by the performance. Who needs another perfect picnic in the sun? It was as if the weather was demanding that we support Jeremy’s endeavor against all odds.

I had a wonderful view of yellow sunflowers contrasted against a man’s bright blue shirt until we cleared the flowers for the next course. Although I was slightly disappointed the brilliant color combination was gone, all of it was washed away as soon as the platter of house-made sausage, mustard, pickled beets, braised cabbage, and breads arrived. The saying, “melt in your mouth” was prominent in my mind for the rest of the meal.

Jeremy’s small batch “Monument Valley” hard cider 2008 deserves its own paragraph. This home brew was made from apples Jeremy gathered from neglected orchards. He explains that every farm in New England had a cider orchard prior to modern times that produced its own blend of cider. Many of the orchards have survived, so he harvests their fruits, crushes them using a hand built press, then allows them to ferment in oak barrels. Some is bottled for hard cider and the rest is distilled into spirits. He says he has been aging the eau de vie de pomme (apple brandy) in oak which, as it ages, becomes a more subtle and complex beverage.

Photo by Dan Shaw of ruralintelligence.com

He would like to use other fruits and vegetables grown in the region to create a line of spirits. “Imagine a Hudson Valley Potato Vodka and a Berkshire County Corn Whiskey along with orchard-specific vintages of Apple Brandy,” Jeremy suggests.

If you aren’t full yet, envision a whole leg of organic grass fed beef from Herondale Farm. It was spitted over an oak fire and served with salsa verde, heirloom tomatoes sliced fat from Equinox Farm, corn off the cob with grilled poblano chiles and summer onions. Everyone applauded as the leg of beef was carried to the front of the room to be sliced.

Dominique from Moon in the Pond Farm gave a speech about the importance of locally raised meat in a time of highly industrialized food production. His words hit home for me. I was a vegetarian for three years after learning about the feedlots and animal mistreatment. What is more hopeful than boycotting meat entirely is now having the option of eating sustainably raised meat. Moving one step further from not eating meat because it is absolutely repulsive the way it is raised, to finally having the opportunity to consume real meat is a very powerful change. As a young woman pointed out,  “MEAT” backwards spells “TEAM!”

Dessert was hanging from the peach tree next to our table. How much more local can you get? Skinned and halved peaches were served with basil creme anglaise and tuiles, (tiny cookie crackers). My opinion of basil not going well with sweet things was proved wrong. The house-made dandelion wine topped off the meal and the Apple Brandy put me over the edge. I left full of food, inspiration, and liquor. Best wishes to Jeremy for his dreams of combining culinary skills, local and sustainably raised foods to enrich the community.

Blueberries!

My favorite time of summer has arrived.

Blueberries!!!

There are 100 tall bush blueberries in front of the cabin where I reside. Thank you, Sellews!

They can be as large as grapes and sweeter than sugar. I have to make a pit stop there before going to work each morning and when I return.

They are just that good.

And you wonder why I don’t leave the farm very often, unless absolutely necessary.

Ah, heaven.

I grab my bucket, tie a cheesecloth around my body to attach it, then pick huge clumps with both hands. Oliver trots down to join in the festivities and show off his ability to climb just about anything. He loves the forest of blueberries almost as much as we do.

Because we did not put netting over them this year, I was optimistic that Oliver would defend them viciously. I have not seen results until tonight. As I was eating dinner on the porch, I heard a strange ‘cluck cluck’ noise nearby. It wasn’t the sound a goat makes, so I became curious. I stood up and watched a large male turkey make his way to our prized fruit.

I wonder where Oliver is and if he has seen this show? Before I could finish this thought, there was my little boy silently following close behind the bird. Turkey stops suddenly. Turns his little head and spots the hunter. “Oh, crap I’m being followed!” screams the victim who may become dinner instead of eating a dinner of berries.

Turkey darts forward and then flies (with some grace, gotta give him credit) to the tall pines trees about 40 feet high. Poor Oliver can’t climb that high (though he may try). I sighed, “Well, that was a nice little show,” thinking it had ended. But, a few minutes later I heard the same ‘cluck cluck’ noise on the other side of the blueberries.

Ha, he’s back! And…he’s gone, flying away to the nearest tree to escape what I assume is my cat. So, my wish was granted. Oliver is defending the berries from not just little blue jays, but turkeys twice his size. Well done, Oliver.

Spring Blossoms

In early spring the blossoms smell very sweet and attract lots of bees.

Then, they fall off and a green berry begins to form like this one.

Bumble Bees Love the Blossoms

July is the month the berry grows and then ripens to pink, purple, and eventually blue. It’s easy to pick under ripe berries the first time since we’ve been waiting all year for them! Patience, patience.

Green Blueberries

Oliver in Motion

Finally the end of July and early August blueberries are ready for pickin’!

Freezing and canning to savor all winter long.

Making Jam

Finished Product

Food from the Sea

Seafood. Straight from the ocean. Nothing tastes so divine.

Family vacation to the north shore is more than laying on the beach and the four of us being impatient with each other, nonstop. We had our special moments involving Hannah losing her breakfast over the side of the boat, Leah being told repeatedly to “just go with the flow,” Dad holding onto the railing for his dear life, and Mom cussing uncontrollably as she climbed a steep ladder.

Food, as usual, was the focus of our time spent together. Fortunately the young man living downstairs was a friendly fisherman.

So, we ate sushi grade tuna, freshly delivered to our doorstep  lobsters, corn on

the cob, french fries and onion rings from the famous Woodman’s restaurant.

During our fishing trip, we happened upon a playful humpback whale who gave us quite a show. Safety was little concern as we sat in a 20 foot boat, watching a 50 foot whale, 20 miles out at sea, for 20 minutes. Note which number is the largest in the previous sentence.

The radio and fire extinguisher were the only elements of security within reach, but I was distracted by the once in a lifetime show and focusing on holding onto my breakfast (which I couldn’t).

We docked in the harbor after throwing back a sand shark, sea robin, and sun fish. We used all our bait in the process of trying to catch tuna and pollock. My family and I did not prove to be the best harvesters of the sea as I couldn’t sit in a rocking boat, Dad was impatient with the pollock, Mom would rather eat her avocado and cheese sandwich, and Leah couldn’t figure out how to reel in the line. So, we relied on the pros to supply our love for seafood. We sure appreciate our fishermen now!

I’m proud that my family spent time during their vacation to learn about where our food comes from and how it gets to our plates. The fishermen we met were sincere and proud of their work. Watching my Dad interact with the lobsterman and his son who delivered our four soft shelled 1.5 pounders gives me hope. Along with transparency in farming and building relationships with the people who grow our food, we must not forget the food we harvest from the sea. By trusting this young man to take us out on his boat, we are encouraging young people to follow their own paths even if they don’t come from a “fishing” or “farming family.”

Now, shall we admire our bounties the fishermen provided for us from the ocean, the corn that farmers grew on the land, and…well, the chef’s deep fried goodies we couldn’t finish the night before?

There’s Never One Right Way

Alfalfa

Today was the first day it actually felt like summer. Then, it rained and there was a thunderstorm so my enjoyment was quickly over. This weather is weird, I’m sure you agree. I didn’t go swimming until mid July because it was just too cold and rainy. I’d rather take a hot bath.

The sun was shining for over a week and we are all much happier. I have more energy to do things all day and I can actually weed the garden with satisfaction rather than watch the pulled weeds sprout back up in no time. The goats are happier, too. Their coats are getting shiny and they may be producing a little more milk. Animals, including humans, are very connected to the weather.

Finally farmers are able to hay their fields, weed in between rows, and hope the rain holds off long enough so tomato plants don’t rot entirely. At Rawson Brook Farm, we started to brush hog the pastures, expose our tomatoes to the elements, and watch the plants soak up the sun.

“Why are we mowing the fields? Don’t the goats graze on them?” I ask Susan.

One part of goat dairying is that our goats actually don’t graze like cows. They are more of foragers and would rather reach up for their food than down to the ground. In order to keep their milk production high, we feed them a very nutritious combination of alfalfa, hay, and grain. Since they have their food brought to them, they really don’t need to graze. If they were hungry, of course they would be out in the pasture, but they are very well taken care of by us. Their meals are provided so that their milk sustains the cheese-making business.

Grain

As Susan and I are greasing up the brush hog (big mower implement on tractor), she tells me, “Once again, this if proof that there is never one right to way to do anything.”

It’s so true. While rotational grazing works well for some dairy cow farms, the goats would not produce enough milk. One time we fenced them out in the pasture and they grazed for a bit, some laid down to rest, and then they waited by the fence until we let them back over to their barn.

When I think in terms of sustainability, I should not overlook small business models. At the scale we are producing goat cheese, it would not be possible to have the goats grazing in the pasture because the business would have no income. I have come to accept that sustainability is extremely confusing, complex, and constantly changing. When I studied sustainable agriculture in college, it became ingrained in me that rotational grazing and organic feed is the best possible way to raise livestock.  Now I am learning that everything depends on hundreds of factors and there is never one equation we must all follow to be “sustainable.”