It's been so long,

but I promise I'll try harder to keep you all updated in the coming season, and given that our last Ewe(sorry Rachel) gave birth yesterday at ten in the evening, things might be slightly calmer in the coming weeks. Probably not really, though. My schedule involves two full days of farm work a week, and a day of classes and chores. It really is great because I'm allowed plenty of time to work on my own projects. Linda is free with the scrap wood, and her tools and her expertise so I've been doing some building, and anticipate doing much more over the course of the summer. So far I've built some bins for planting potatoes, our new beehive(painted to match the farmhouse in a lovely shade of light green with dark green trim[not even joking]), and just yesterday Linda, Jen, and I finished planking out the bridge over the pond.

Potato Bins:


Bridge Pics:

Our new beehive, which has since been loaded with a queen and her drones:

A little recap, because I'm not sure what we've been over, and what I've forgotten to share. I've learned some really cool things during my weekly field classes. We started out doing Ag building with Linda, and we've all been really excited by any projects we can think of since then. We visited Dick Schneider at RainCoast Farm, who grows tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers, in an attempt to find what varieties work best for the climate here in Jefferson county. He's a really cool guy, with a beautiful experimental farm, and some of the most attractive Ag buildings I've ever seen. He donates all the food he grows in his gardens to the local food banks, and supplies starts for anyone who wants them(obviously farming is not a way for him to make money, but a way for him to give to the community he is so deeply involved with). He taught us about seed germination and transplants. Unfortunately I forgot my camera and so failed to get any pictures of his operation, but I'll be sure to get some next time I'm there.

We also took a trip to Oatsplanter, where we met Steve Habersetzer who grows seed which is adapted to thrive in our microclimate, and who has a totally different sort of operation from any I've been on before. He's an accomplished word worker, and has built all of the buildings on his farm(a recurring theme around these parts), and the crafstman ship is impeccable. He and his partner farm using as little in the way of gasoline powered machinery as they're able(he showed us his scythe), and his style of building beds using copious amounts of compost and windrows of weeds from the garden was really fascinating. He made us a lunch of produce from the farm, and we helped him plant his greenhouse with chili peppers some of which he'll harvest for seed late this year.

Some pictures, including his kitchen, and the gypsy wagon he built over a decade ago:


Olivia, Tassie, Kay and Steve in the greenhouse, which felt more outdoors than any I've ever been in, although I'm sure that makes no sense:

This, like all the farms we've been to, is a beautiful and happy and exciting place to spend time. Truly inspirational.

This past week we went to Mystery Bay, on Marrowstone Island, where they keep goats and make chevre and ricotta. It was a fine day, which I also failed to take many pictures of, but you can check these ones out, at least:(a collection of the photos from my phone...I hope). It was another example of a place where people have made a life for themselves, doing something they love in a way that enriches not only themselves but the community around them. Scott and Rachel have ten goats they milk, and another ten baby girls born this year. They practice very careful pasture rotation using movable electric fencing, and in addition to the goats they have fruit and nut trees all over their property, and garden where they grow food for themselves. Within ten minutes of our arrival all of the FIELDies were echoing my sentiments, I want a goat(or ten). So, Miguel, when you're ready to take up cheese making; I'll be ready. We helped out by cleaning out a winters worth of hay and poo, and in return received a thorough tour, and an afternoon in the sun by the wood-fired oven eating homemade pizza, I made a couple with rhubarb compote and their chevre and ricotta which were delicious, and we got to pick their brains on everything from the logistics of a dairy operation, on whether to milk through the winter(they don't), and how to be able to afford to purchase a farm(deal directly with the seller, rather than the bank). It was yet another unbelievably beautiful day(the first truly hot sunny spring day we've had, really). Kay even jumped in the pond. If I have a chance to visit them again, I'll bring the camera along so you can see what I'm talking about.

Each and every farm we visit just gets me more and more excited to find a piece of land and see what I can do with it. If you want a more in depth explanation of what my hopes and dreams are in that regard, take me out for a drink and I'll promise to get all excited and spew idea after idea.

More pics of the farm, and some of the things I've been spending my spare time on:


Bouncy, and bottle, babies,:
Radishes, French and Japanese:
Our garlic crop:

Asparagus(oh yeah, it is springtime):

My llama nemesis(not really, I actually really want the llamas to like me and think I'm cool, but they just ignore me, and then escape, and have to be herded back into the pasture...jerks):

Some pics of my knitting:
A shawl for Mindy:

A hat for mom:
Matt's hat, inspired by the Seattle public library:

Our newest livestock on the farm, a dozen weaner pigs:


Another fun project, helping the conservation district with fish counts, to see the efficacy of the CREP program. Which is designed to help restore the salmon runs. This is especially appealing to my inner five year old boy scout/scientist:

What's that? A baby coho salmon:
This last weekend we had a going away party for my friend Maggie, who has been a huge inspiration to me since I came to the maritime northwest, and I'll be forever greatful for the role she played in bringing me out here, and making me a part of the community once I arrived. Thanks Maggie, good luck on your journey, which I look forward to hearing all about, if you can ever find yourself an internet connection. Her journey makes mine seem tame by comparison, she's off for three months in Madagascar then Malaysia and Thailand, and who knows where after that. I'm really excited for her.

I'm really excited for me, too. I've been in Washington for a year now, and while I'm not certain if this is where I'll stay, it has been a wholly fulfilling time, and I look forward to what the future holds.

So that's a brief summary of the first month plus of my time at Solstice farm, I hope you've enjoyed hearing of my adventures, as benign as they might have been.In addition to the farm work I've been writing everyday(still), and participating in a discussion group about food issues, I know, who would have thought a Strich interested in talking about food? With food in mind I leave you a parting pic, hot salad of pea shoots from Midori Farms, Purple potatoes from Dharma Ridge, jerusalem artichokes from Colinwood, leeks from Red Dog and lettuce from Johnston Farms. MMmmm, wish you were here to share:

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.

Well look at what we have here:

How are you all doing, today? I'm well, thanks for asking. The farm season is over, only it isn't, not really, but it seems it is for me. Conclusions? Big paradigm-shifting existential thoughts? Sure, of course, but they're my conclusions, and my big paradigm-shifting existential thoughts; I earned them the hard way, and I haven't managed to completely work through how I feel about them(that blog will come in time, but that time isn't now). What I am willing to say? Support your local farmers, even if it's harder or more expensive to do so. Take care of them, and they'll take care of you. It's worth it.

Thanks to Christie and Kelly for giving me the opportunity, and for teaching me, and allowing me the opportunity to come to this place and have the experience I've had. I'll be forever grateful for that.

Enough soap boxery, this blog isn't about my preaching(or not only about that) it's about keeping you updated with my doings, and I've been remiss in doing that. So what has happened in the last few weeks? As I mentioned I went to Oregon with a whole crew of friends and acquaintances for Thanksgiving. It was a fantastic weekend. There was much cooking and eating, walking on the beach and in the woods, relaxing in the hot tub, and many, many games. It was a much needed rest, and the drive was as beautiful as the destination. I have no pictures from the trip, but Maggie loaned me a pair, and I loan them to you, now:

Let's see, what else have I been doing? Knitting(that's my new camera case, and a hat which I've only just begun):

Now that my season on the farm is done, I'm looking for something to occupy my time, but in the meantime I'm house-sitting, and dog-watching, in a lovely home, in town, which is certainly a pleasant change of pace. There's a kitchen:

My haven't I been busy?

And a wood-stove to keep me warm and toasty:

Not to mention Sitka and Skana to keep me well excercised:

And a whole massive stack of library books to read:


Killed some ducks and a chicken...for your edification, and future knowledge, in case it comes up. Cut the bird's throat, don't chop it's head off with a hatchet, trust me on this. Having done that, I've got legs curing for confit, and racks and feet and heads for making stock, and given what we all know about Aaron and esoteric preservation techniques, we can safely say that this pleases me, to no end. Also if you need a bird slaughtered and cleaned, I'm your man. Still slower than a professional, but I'm working on it. Another important part of this sort of farm work...it works best as a group effort; thanks to Shaelee for the opportunity, and to Maggie for arranging it, and doing her share of the work.

Went snow-shoeing up on the ridge, the other day, with Maggie. It was a gorgeous day, and as it often does in this place, everything was crisp and well-defined. It's hard to describe, and I'm unsure if it's a quality of the air, or the play of light and shadow, but it really is unlike anywhere I've ever been before, the mountains arrayed before you, the ever shifting light, the breeze, and in this case, the sound of the snow melting off the trees, each one a miniature rainstorm. It was both beautiful and humbling. I loved every minute of it. These pictures are also courtesy of Maggie, except for the one of me; I took that one:



So what's next for Aaron? That is the million dollar question, isn't it. I'm not sure, to give you a straight and simple answer, but my lack of clearly defined path, doesn't worry me in the least. I have a place here, for now at least, and friends and companions who are willing to do what they can to enable my journey. Just as many of you enabled me to reach this place(Mindy, Mike). That's how I'm spending my time these days, figuring out the next step; reading and writing, cooking and baking, and pausing, now and again, to look out the window at the mountains, and to smile, and to appreciate where I am, and what I'm doing.