Beets with a view!
I'm so happy to be back on the farm in Geyserville, California. Last year I spent three and a half months with the Berniers learning how to farm and garden the most delicious, organic produce in the land! I'm back for more farm fun this month.
I start my day with a strong cup of local coffee, ground at the farm, from Flying Goat (www.flyinggoatcoffee.com). A big bowl of oatmeal with honey and raisins and we're ready to tackle some veggies. The next 4 hours are spent weeding, planting, harvesting, tidying up garden beds and organizing restaurant orders. There have been some long days of garlic planting but I love every minute that my hands are in the crumbling earth, with my face soaking in the vibrant Cali-sun, as my fellow farmhands chatter and sing their garlic cloves into neat rows beneath the moist soil.
Garlic is the name of the game around here, where Yael, aka the garlic guru of California, grows 13 different varieties that she's collected around the world. We plant, we harvest, we clean, we braid, we sell and we eat this magical little gem! Life is sweet and garlicky 'round these parts!
Life is also a bit hectic with so many travel plans up in the air. I was accepted into a Vipassana meditation retreat nearby, but its a 10 day course and I would have to rearrange things. I think it will have to wait until I land in India. I promised my friend Brooking to visit her in San Diego and I've been looking forward to hanging out, drinking big mugs of tea and relaxing into Southern Cali vibes. I'm also considering coming back to Canada for Christmas...and then departing for India via Toronto.
But with all this juggling I must say life is sweet on the farm. Erica, a fellow wwoofer (www.wwoof.org), and I put together a CSA (community supported agriculture) food box for her Green MBA classmates. You'll notice that cracking into one of Yael's pumpkins takes a bit of skill and some handy tools...
Best food in the country, most humble, hard-working family with huge, beautiful hearts and really fun get togethers! We're also making yummy plans for American Thanksgiving and drinking some fab vino!
Life is fabuloso out here; with the farm dogs joining me for runs in the neighboring vineyards, mushroom hunting on the schedule for early next week and some funky concerts coming my way!
