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.

In which I find myself atop a mountain, and achieve, momentarily at least, enlightenment...

Or something to that effect. This past Sunday I found myself with an afternoon to do whatever I wished, and what I decided was to climb a mountain. So I loaded up my van and drove west until I arrived at Crescent Lake. The whole drive I found myself remarking "Hey, you're in the Pacific Northwest." This revelation keeps surprising me, and making me grin like an idiot. I arrived at the Storm King Ranger Station, to hike to Merrymere falls, which was supposed to be short, sweet, flat, and as easy as walking to the mailbox. It was, but that came later. First, as I was leaving the parking lot, not half a minute from my car, and five feet to my left a doe, and her faun.

Isn't that precious? ::shrugs::


I also decided to take a little side trail that went straight up the side of Mount Storm King. That trail was two miles long, and one mile straight up the side of the mountain. It was a short intense hike, and by the time I reached the end of the trail I understood, or at least felt the compulsion to make it to the top that plagues mankind under those circumstances. So despite the trail ending, and the sign posted on the tree warning of steep, rocky, unmarked paths, I trod on.

Some shots I took along the way. I broke out the camera whenever I had to stop to catch my breath, which was rather more often than I'd like to admit. This was a serious trail, unlike the suburban trails back in NoGa:




It wasn't much farther from the end of the trail to the top of the mountain, but I had no choice in the matter. I had to do it. I had to, if not conquer the mountain, share a little triumph, a victory, with it. There were several stretches that would have been impassable if it were not for the courtesy of those who went before leaving ropes strung along the several parts of the trail to allow for successful crossings. I met a pair of rockclimbers just before I made my final ascent. They seemed surprised to find me there without so much as a bottle of water, but I could only shrug. Once I started there was no way I could let myself stop until I had reached the top. Everytime I thought about it, it made me laugh, and at the same time, it made me feel more human. To share this compulsion with so many of my fellow hairless monkeys.

And here we are. Doofy grin plastered on my face, and I'll tell you I couldn't wipe it off the whole way down the mountain, or on the way to the falls. I was probably still smiling like an idiot as I drove back to the farm after the hike ended:


I didn't get any shots of the waterfall, my camera died, but undoubtedly if you'd like to see it you could search for it on Flickr. I saw plenty of people with much nicer cameras than mine taking pictures. So aside from my mountaintop adventure, how am I? I'm really quite well, thank you for asking. The work on the farm is hard. Really hard. I have never been half so dirty, and for such an extended period of time, in my life. We're still getting this place cleaned up from the winter, but we're starting to put more food in the ground, and it's taking shape before my eyes. It's really cool. I'm eating ridiculously well, and as the seasons turn, I have no doubt the food will only get better.

I promise my next post will be more farm centric and less about taking a walk in the woods, but after all, how often does one find ones self doing the things you've always wanted to do. I've spent much time lusting after the PacNorWe, and now I'm here. Simple as that, but it still has only just begun to sunk in. This is beautiful country, and I feel genuinely privileged to be here. On the other hand, privileged my but; I earned that hike. Just ask the pigs, or that chicken that keeps escaping.

I have done it...

Well ladies and gentlemen, I set out to travel across the country, and to make my way to Port Angeles Washington, in order to intern on a farm. Now that I'm here, it's more than a little surreal. Who would have thought I would actually do this crazy thing I said I would. It's clear that there is going to be a necessary period of adjustment. This being madness, and all that. I arrived on Late Wednesday night, and on Thursday morning they put me to work.

The day started out with a little light construction work. We put the finishing touches on a sty for the piglet, eight of 'em, which we went and picked up that afternoon. The following anecdote is not for children or the squeamish, if that applies to you, skip to the next paragraph...so, as I was saying, we arrived at the farm to pick up the pigs, and the gI rizzled woman from whom they were being purchased led us over to the trailer where they were being temporarily housed. We stood to one side, and peered in at the piglets. They were larger than I thought they'd be, the size of a small corgi, perhaps. "You're standing on the testicles." The woman said, casually amused. Kelly and I looked down, and sure enough strewn on the ground were five pairs of pig balls. "I figured the dog or the crows would have gotten 'em before you got here." Welcome to farm life, Aaron.

Kelly spent some time chasing the porkers around the back of the trailer, and handing them out to me as he caught them. I loaded them into the dog carriers, and we then loaded them onto the truck, and brought them to their new home. I spent the rest of the afternoon learning the ropes, Kelly showed me the greenhouses, and explained how everything works around here, and what we've got in store for the coming months. I'm excited, but this is going to be some seriously hard work. I spent the last two day weeding the garlic. All day long. Two days. There's probably another two days worth of weeding to go. Me and several of their part timers worked at it on Friday, and will probably finish it off on Monday. In the meantime there's a barn dance tonight, that I have somehow allowed the kids I'll be working with, to talk me into attending. It should be, interesting...

A few pictures to leave you with, to help you imagine what my days will be like.

Chickenses:



Orchard, well part of it at least:



So much garlic(fourteen more rows just like this one):


Mesclun? I know it's not triple washed and bagged, but I suppose it will do:



How can you tell it's springtime? Rhubarb!:

Well innat pretty?:


As soon as the pigs will come out of their little enclosure I'll try and get some pics of them, and of Bowie the miniature pony from next door. He has a friend, a Newfoundland, who he chases around the yard. So I'm adapting, slowly but surely, and by the time you hear from me next I should have gotten to do some farm work that doesn't involve weeding garlic. I'll give them this, though, the lunches are good enough to make a morning of weeding garlic look like a pleasant distraction.

Fun Farm Fact #1:

If you allow sprouting celery, or carrots, to wilt, they'll never be as sweet as they should be.

It appears that I am on a farm...

A wrap up of what went on in Portland for the twenty hours I was in the city. Not nearly long enough. I will be going back there, regardless of what the future holds.

The only landscape shots I'll trouble you with, though I took plenty more:



VooDoo donuts, and the infamous maple bacon log:





Powell's Books. Worth moving to this town, just for this place. I spent an hour here...OK two...three maybe, and if I hadn't been on my very best behavior I might well have bankrupted myself:



This made me smile, in a nerdy(I'm not a hippie, damn it!) sort of way:


I went to the Rogue brewery and distillery; I hadn't realized that they started working with spirits, but I skipped trying any, given that I'm not J, and wouldn't be able to recognize a fine gin if it bit me on the butt. I walked around a lot, and rode a bus, and generally enjoyed as much as I could cram in, in the short time I was there.

The drive the next day was easy, and relaxed even though since the trip was mostly around the perimeter of Olympic nation park it rained, a steady drizzle, almost constantly. It was beautiful, perhaps the greenest place I've ever been. I arrived at the farm, and it was not quite what I was expecting, but given some hard work, we're going to get this place in tip top shape before I know it. It will be exceptionally hard work, but the rewards will be well worth it.

I'll probably wait until I've done a couple of days worth of work before doing a post about life on the farm, but I'll leave you with one ridiculous image, and insist that you all feel free to make fun, harass, and otherwise denigrate me all you wish, in the comments.