A New Year, a New Plan, a New Journey...of sorts...

A new propensity for using too many ellipses...well I suppose that's not something new, actually. I know it's been too long in between updates, but I've been waiting until I had some news about my plans, and I've gotten the response I've been waiting for, and know what I'll be doing this coming season. You want to know what that will be? We'll get to that, in good time. First, however, an update on what I've been doing, the holidays, and general goings on.

As most of you know I spent Christmas in California, seeing the whole family, and enjoying the bright sunshine, and blue skies, and...wait, it wasn't like that at all. In fact, it was like David and I brought the PacNorWe with us; so that we could share with our families what we've been experiencing. Despite the rain and the gray skies, La Jolla was as wonderful as it always is, and I got the chance to do many of the things I had hoped to do, and some others that I hadn't anticipated being able to.

California in the rain...:




and the sunshine:

Spent several days checking out the museums, as I always love to do when visiting Saba and Grandma Pooh. There were countless wonderful meals. Both at our grandparent's home, and out at restaurants. There wasn't nearly enough time for walking on the beach, but I did have the chance to do a little knitting while sitting atop the bluffs in downtown La Jolla.

Mostly the time I spent in California was nice for the simple reason of being able to see and spend time with so many of my loved ones who I don't get to see nearly enough of. If you were there, rest assured that we did not get to spend as much time together as I'd have liked. Even something as simple as an afternoon walk, whether full of conversation or mostly silent can be an outing to remember if you're with someone special, and all of my time during this too short vacation was spent with people who are special to me. My favorite place in La Jolla(maybe on the planet)?:

The journey back from California was an interesting one. I rode the smallest plane I've ever been on to Los Angeles, where I had a substantial layover, and where I met a pair of farm folk who were also on their way back from San Diego to the peninsula where they live and work at Nash's. I spent another night at the Green Tortoise in Seattle, and began an epic public transportation journey early the next morning. A view from the ferry:

Four buses and a ferry ride later and I made it back to Port Angeles in more or less one piece. It took a while, but cost almost nothing, and it gave me the chance to do some knitting. Being away from internet left me to my own devices as far as knitting projects went, so I devised a pattern, which actually resulted in a hat(which while too small for most heads) I think is really cool.

The Walzes returned safely from their trip to Minnesota, and I've been staying with Maggie and the Athairs since. I'm finding it challenging to find a place to live, since I'm only going to be here for a month or so before I take a trip eastward to do some visiting and learning before I start in on my new experience.

I spent New Year's Eve in Port Townsend, contra dancing. It was a relaxing low-key way to spend the holiday, and got to spend some time with some other really special people, who have become an important part of my life.

I have spent most of my time in the last weeks researching opportunities for the coming season, and found a few that suited my needs and desires for a position. It wasn't until the new year, however, that I found the perfect posting. It fit every one of the points for a place to spend the coming season living and learning. To ignore my impulse to make it seem like a mystery, I've been accepted by Jim Rueff and Linda Davis, who run Solstice Farm and Bed and Breakfast. You might have heard me mention them in connection with the FIELD internship program. This is an innovative learning program for aspiring young farm folk, and is an especially perfect opportunity for me given my desire to learn about agri-tourism. I went on a visit to the farm last week, and spent an afternoon with Linda and their interns flipping sheep, trimming hooves, and assisting in any way I could. It was great to spend an afternoon with them, and I'll freely admit that I spent the rest of the week, grinning like an idiot with excitement at the prospect of being able to learn from them, and the other farmers and teachers involved with the FIELD program.

I've been waiting to write a blog all this time, but find it hard to convey how excited I was when I opened my e-mail this morning from Jim informing me that he and Linda were willing to take me on for the season. This internship program is very different from how I spent the last season, it's more formal, and although much of the learning is experiential, it is doubtlessly going to be incredibly educational for me. I'll have the opportunity to learn from a number of different farmers, and I'll have the chance to learn about many of the business aspects of the small scale agriculture industry that I didn't have the opportunity to learn last year. Not to mention the fact that in addition to being a master gardener Linda is a passionate teacher of building, and will give me the chance to do some of the sorts of construction that I'm very interested in learning.

At Solstice they have sheep and chickens. They raised pigs for the first time last year, and will be doing so again this year. They have a beehive, but are planning on installing another(I'm excited at the prospect of this, and not just for honey related reasons; bees are incredible and fascinating creatures, and I'm looking forward to learning more about them). The farm is thirty three acres, and they grow as much of the feed for their flock as is possible to do. This focus on the stewardship of their land, and the care and thought they put into their operation are apparent even from the short time I was able to spend with them. As far as the bed and breakfast, located in the home they built for themselves after years on planning, the only thing I can really say about it, is that it's stunning. It's simply a beautiful home, and I feel truly lucky to be a part of their lives for the coming season.

What else has been going on in my life? Cooking Ethiopian food, for feasting purposes.:

Making summer and nori rolls:



So. After a long time contemplating, living my life here on the west coast for the better part of year, and spending all of my time, working on the farm, with farm folk, and parkies, and fantastic former hippies, artists, makers of all stripes, and other left coast types, can I say I've changed much? That's a hard question to answer. I don't think that I have, not really. What has happened is that this place has focused many of the aspects of my personality that were already present, and revealed some that were concealed from view, but had been there all along. We all know I'm a food person, I think it's a massively important part of life. It connects us all as human beings, we cannot do without it. It bridges cultures and unites us, it nourishes us body and soul, and it as important a thing to dedicate one's self to as exists. not to mention it simply being a way to appreciate and enjoy being alive.

I'm fully well aware of the fact that some of you don't understand my passion for this, and that's ok. I'll not try and convince you otherwise, but I will say this much: I'm excited about my life, and my prospects for the future, and while I have no doubt that to be a success will involve a lifetime of hard work...in what field would it not? I don't know exactly where this is leading. Someplace like Rockhouse? Where we spent so many enjoyable hours as children, where some of my happiest memories can be found. I'm not sure. I do know that I have no desire to be a market farmer, to grow vegetables and fruits solely for the purpose of selling them is not enough for me, but perhaps to be able to share my passion for food, and for the way that it unites us and sustains us will play a part of whatever I choose to do after I've learned what I came all this way for. To teach others, especially young people, the next generation, the importance of supporting those who support us on such a basic level is of utmost importance.

Is Aaron a farmer?

Not yet.

Have you ever found yourself nostalgic for something you never had?

That's how I feel about Lake Crescent, but that's not what brought this thought to mind. What caused this line of introspection was this...


Some pictures from the Wednesday market in Sequim, booth manned by my co-intern Ruth:


After said market, I drove East, around the sound, and wound up trying to go to a show in Seattle, but, and this I find both perturbing and absolutely hilarious; I couldn't park the van. No joke. I spent an hour trying, both on the street and in lots, and it was useless. C'est la vie. I crashed in my van, and flew across the country back to Georgia.

I almost typed 'back home', to Georgia, but as you all must know by now, as much as I love it there, and as much as I miss all my friends and family, that place isn't my home anymore. It doesn't cease to amuse me that it took my leaving to truly develop an appreciation for it, and it felt great to go back, but it felt very much like going on Vacation, not returning home. I got to do almost everything I wanted to, for such a short trip. I got to see my old work compatriots, and I got to bake them cookies. I went for a hike at Vickery Creek with Dahveed, while J and the girls got a nail-job. I made bread for my family, and I got to eat all the things I had hoped to: pulled pork and mac and cheese at BBQ1, pizza at Five Seasons, shrimp and grits at Relish(not to mention biscuits and gravy). I got to drink a beer at five seasons, and I got a Sweetwater and a Terrapin at the wedding. What can I say about the wedding aside from the obvious? It was fantastic, Rachel was beautiful, and it was great to see everyone who made it. I'm so glad I was there, and I can't wait for the chance to go back and see everyone again.

From my first bake after returning from Georgia, Triticale Flax bread, and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies:


The greenhouse, look at how tall those tomatoes are:


Thai bird chilis. These things are ridiculous. I sometimes eat one as a post-breakfast treat(or punishment):

A blue hubbard, bigger than my head, by quite a bit:

A forest of leeks:


And maybe my favorite thing we grew on the farm this season, Cupani sweet peas, beautiful, fragrant, and utterly impractical from a market standpoint. An example of how sometimes it's alright to save the best things for yourself:



From my walk this morning. I stayed at the barn dance last night until the wee hours. I even danced, or as close to it as I'm capable of, at least. It was fun as always. There waspotluck, and strong coffee, good beer, homemade wine, and of course music.

I actually am not going for a hike today, although I probably should. Instead I'm staying in, reading, writing, and making a pot of soup. Here are some pictures from my last weekend hike, up to Hurricane Hill:



It was an odd hike, once I got to the top I was surrounded on all sides by a misty bubble. It was as if I was the only person in the whole world. I couldn't see beyond ten feet, and if a bear had chosen to devour me, I would never have seen it coming. Still it was a beautiful walk, the leaves had just begun to turn in earnest, which process is continuing now, and making me simultaneously happy and melancholy.

I can't believe my summer on the farm is coming to an end, and while there is still plenty of work to be done on the farm, it's a different sort of work, equally important, and equally satisfying, but without the instant gratification of summer crops. We're getting the food harvested, and tilling, and planting cover crops, which will simultaneously protect and enrich the soil over the winter. Soon enough it will be time to plant garlic, which will be a major project.

Oh, and anyone recognize these?:

I'll get them in the mail as soon as I can. Sorry about that.

It was so good to see you all, and I'm sure I'll see many of you again in December. As soon as I have any concrete plans I'll be sure to let everyone know. I love you all. Hope you're enjoying life as much as I am.

Much has happened, but nothing has changed(In which a cousin appears, and a reacquaintance is undertaken)...

And as far as I'm concerned this is just fine. How are y'all doing? I'm just fine, thanks for asking. Today is the first day of summer up here in my little corner of the PacNorWe. Sunny, blue skies, and no rain in the forecast for at least a week. I'm almost as happy about this as the plants in the garden must be. We've been planting beans for the last two days, bush beans, green, yellow, and purple, and a bunch of beautiful dried heirloom beans I've never even heard of before. It's interesting. We've gotten to a point where instead of being days or weeks behind schedule we're actually getting things done when they're meant to be done. It's pretty cool. The farm is looking really good, and I'm incredibly happy to have been able to be a part of making it happen.

The fourth of July has come and gone, and I was lucky enough to be able to spend it with cousin David, who i haven't seen in years, since before he left for Japan, at least. It was a lot of fun to see him; even though we didn't get to spend a ton of time together. I'm sure we'll do what we can to remedy that situation in the coming months. We went to Lake Crescent, and I essentially gave him the guided tour that Maggie gave me and Kay several weeks ago, which was nice, since it allowed me to sound like I had some idea of what I was talking about.My favorite moment, and Dave's I reckon, of the whole trip happened as we emerged from the woods from our unsanctioned jaunt to Superior falls.

There was a small child playing on the border of the observation platform at the top of Merrymere falls. He was watching us descend from up high where we were clearly not meant to be. There was something akin to awe on his face, wonder sparkling in his eyes. His mother called to him, told him it was time to go. He shook his head, and pointed in the direction we had just come. "I want to go up there." He said. She shook her head, mentioned erosion, obviously a lesson she had been trying to convey to him. Dave frowned, explaining his belief that it's our responsibility to say yes to the next generation, to share with them our excitement for the world and it's myriad wonders. He smiled though, once we reached the bottom of the trail and pointed out that we had ruined that child. Having seen two weird guys emerge from the woods, where HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO, he'll never be the same. He'll grow up wanting to be that weird guy, and as David said, that's pretty damn awesome.

After our hike we went and met up with some people, the farmers from over at the Lazy J, and we went into Port Townsend to celebrate the holiday there, which was convenient for David to catch the early morning ferry he needed to return to Bellingham. It was a fun time, we had dinner, and watched the fireworks at a park near the house we were staying at. In addition to the Port Townsend fireworks you could see at least half a dozen other displays being put on by small towns and islands across the bay. It was certainly a different experience from watching the show from a suburban high school. Afterward we returned to the house where we were staying and called it a night; I had to get up at five am to make it back to the Johnston's in time to do my writing before the day began.

The kids from the Lazy J, however, being infinitely more hardcore than I, went out to the weekly fiddle fest at Fort Worden, and didn't get back till three in the morning. This would be unremarkable if it weren't for the fact that Mike had me wake him at five, and I brought him back to his farm to get an early start. Their example is one of the reasons I have never felt overworked on my farm. Not even for a moment.

Not sure how much else I have to report. I cannot believe I've already been here for two months. That means it's time to start searching in earnest for what I'm going to do, and where I'm going to go next. I have some ideas, and some inklings, but nothing concrete yet. You can rest assured that as soon as I have something to report, you'll hear it here.

Some pics to prove to you that Dave and I actually were in the same place at the same time.

Lake Crescent:

Merrymere falls(I refuse to post my illicit pictures of Superior falls, if you want to see it you'll have to come to the PacNorWe, and make the hike yourself):

After our hike to the falls, we got a little turned around trying to make our way back to civilization:


And to finish a couple of shots from the farm.

The first of the garlic:

What did I do with my share of the bountiful harvest? Roasted it, and put three entire heads in a single loaf of bread. Heh. It was pretty fine.

My peas, finally ripe, and you had best believe I can't stop eating them:


The petit pois in particular are astonishing, more pics to follow, if I can ever stop eating them long enough to snap some pics.

Volunteer artichokes, discovered over by the winter squash. Talk about your happy accidents:



Ruth's birthday cupcakes, Vegan chocolate toasted coconut. I promise I tried to bake a proper cake, but couldn't find the right pan, and so I had to make do. No one complained:


I love you guys, and I look forward to talking to you all when I've got a chance. If I still owe you an email, I promise I'm working on it, but I'm trying not to spend too much of my time tied to a computer. Instead I'm reading(about farming, mostly), writing, and cooking. The things I've always loved most, which are being given a special savor because of where I am and what I'm doing. I hope you're all doing as well as I, and I can't wait until I see you all again.