Bread and Beans Night

The aromatic base sautee

     onions

     fennel

     raisins

     parsley

     carrots

     olive oil, salt and pepper

Bread and Beans night

     basic aromatic sautee, above

     cooked brown and black beans

     tomato paste or sauce

     additional water

     one small spoon of honey

     African curry spice

     
Hi Winnie and Steve,

It is almost a new year.  I don't recall that we ever literally spent New Years Eve together -- I wish we had.  Now, 2009 is just a few days off.  Most times, we just stay at home for a quiet evening.  Tonight we had a casual gathering in the barn for what is starting to be called "Bread and Beans Night."  We've done this several times now.  It started because of bread baking days when several people were around the ranch.  In the summer, I would bake bread and have enough to deliver a few loaves to neighbors.  But in the winter, it is already dark by the time the bread is out of the oven and a bit cooled.  I never feel like getting in the car after dark to deliver bread.  So, I thought with extra people around and extra bread around, I could make a pot of beans and fill up those of us who wanted to settle in for a casual meal.  It most often is the young organic farmers, family and friends -- some combination thereof.

I tell you, beans sure seem to be on our menu a lot these days -- I'm probably getting in a rut.  I keep delaying trips to go grocery shopping in Santa Cruz -- squeezing every last possibility out of the dried beans from Phipps Ranch.  This is so convenient as Phipps is quite close by.  As I mentioned before, my garden greens are dwindling so quickly I am going to have to start buying greens and vegetables once again at farmer's market.  I need to plant three or four times as much winter greens next August or September in order to stay afloat with the produce from my own garden through a winter.

The winter light was so beautiful today.  Six mallards are now living on the pond.  A Great Blue Heron also is coming around the pond.  The coyotes are coming in quite close.  The bobcats look fat and happy this winter.  With all the economic woes, nature seems like the most abundant and awesome gift imaginable.

Thinking of you.  Donna

Greens

Brussel sprouts

Brussel sprout sautee

sauteed onions, brussel sprouts, carrots

cooked Gigande beans

cooked wild rice mixture

olive oil, salt, pepper

Hi Winnie and Steve,

Well, we're getting that rain we needed which is great for the plants. Rainy weather is challenging, to say the least, since we have three dogs -- three nice muddy dogs.  We still do the hike each day so their bellies have a mixture of mud and grit.  I'm trying to remember how you dealt with winter with your dog?  I have a vague recollection that you tied a long line to his collar so he could roam off the front steps -- I'm now wondering if that was an effort to keep him somewhat clean in the winter.  Right now, I could understand that 100%.

When I think back to my original thought about grains, beans and greens, I realize how important a variety of greens is to me.  Right now things are getting to be "slim pickin's " out in the garden.  Yet with almost any meal that is being prepared, I think to myself "What greens will I add?"  So fortunately, there is still some Curly Blue Kale and Bright Lights Chard and King Noble Spinach.  A local farmer grows brussel sprouts, and I found some in town the other day -- uncommon to see them on the stalk.

The new garden is now entirely fenced, and I am eager for the time to get into it with the shaping of new beds and the planting of new seeds.  I wonder, "Is it way too big?  Will it be too much food for the two of us?"  But this quote from Gardening at the Dragon's Gate reassures me.

"Give with gift-bestowing hands to the lonely and the stranger,

to wandering gardeners and to old friends.  For the benefit of

all beings, give the harvest away."

Thinking of you.  Donna

Winter Work

Our friend Ken working with irrigation

John and Mike of Fifth Crow Farm planting strawberries

Paul discing his field for cover crop planting

Dear Winnie and Steve,

A storm is due to come in tomorrow or the next day, and frankly we are looking forward to being home bound for a few days.  As winter work on the farm goes on, I am realizing that winter is not a complete down time as I would have expected.  So many things need to be done months ahead of the hoped for results.  For example, the beautiful strawberries that will come next spring and summer need to be planted right now.  The same is true for garlic.  Cover crops get planted now to direct nitrogen into the soil so that the ground can be disced and planted with vegetables in the spring.  The winter Sonora wheat has been planted.  Everything needs watering if the rains are not steady which means irrigation projects.   For those involved in the long days of labor it can be physically tiring.  And yet I definitely feel the sense of camaraderie from shared work and accomplishment.

It seems all of us here at this time are involved in some endeavors where we are trying to do something  we may not have done before.  That's where collaboration can be helpful.  As I look toward the larger garden and growing more of our food I sometimes think, "How will I know how to plan out and grow all this stuff?"  Mostly I just trust that I will find a way.  Bill Coperthwaite in A Handmade Life says, 

"Expert knowledge is certainly needed in every area, but

too little concern has been given to the value of stumbling.

If enough people are searching -- stumbling as they may,

we will make many discoveries, and the stumbling 

diminishes as our searching skills get honed with 

practice."

Thinking of you.  Donna

Pantries

The Pantry -- corn for polenta

Polenta with vegetables

  sauteed onions and carrots

   brussel sprouts

   tomato paste

  paprika, oregano, salt and pepper

  olive oil

Hi Winnie and Steve,

We've been fortunate enough to have many nice sunny days, but the mornings are quite cold with frost.  I feel a little guilty saying "quite cold" when I know how Maine can be in the winter!  It is cold enough that I know planting seeds is out of the question, and yet I am in the middle of getting the new garden space laid out.  I spent an evening looking over seed offerings online -- the possible things we enjoy eating for the months ahead.  The greens and vegetables I have are getting more sparse -- the kale hangs in there and of course chard and romaine plus a few others.  So, I turn to the pantry quite a bit, and I am remembering the corn more and grinding some for polenta -- always a great winter dish.

While a good many projects are going on right now at the ranch, I am also aware that a momentum can build with the desire to get more done -- such a fine balance to maintain.  I saw a quote that was lovely in terms of allowing the mind and body to sink into slowness or repose.

I have done without electricity and tend the fireplace and

stove myself.  Evenings I light the old lamps.  There is no

running water and I pump water from the well.  I chop the

wood and cook the food.  These simple acts make man simple;

and how difficult it is to be simple.

Carl Jung

Winter Squash Encores

Whole roasted Musque de Provence

The deep orange flesh of Musque de Provence

Musque de Provence Bisque

     roasted Musque de Provence squash

     sauteed onions and dried apricots

     water, and a dab of cream (optional)

     all pureed

     drizzle with walnut oil and parsely and salt

Hi Winnie and Steve,

This morning we had a frost.  The top of the picnic tables out in the garden, the truck roof and the house roof were all covered with a frost.  When you live in coastal California, that is about the closest you are going to get to a winter wonderland as we head into the Christmas season.  I recall being in your farm house in Maine during the winter.  The icicles hung off the rain gutters and would drip during the daylight hours.  We slept in your upstairs bedroom that was tiny and cozy under the rafters.  I recall the quilts and the old house being a bit cold in the winter.  We jumped in that bed and tried to warm ourselves under the covers with our warm breath.  You guys were so used to these conditions.  I remember you being in nice heavy sweaters and corduroy pants -- very practical, which was one of the characteristics I so admired about New Englanders.

I was practical too with the winter squash from the last post -- we used the last of it up tonight. This was the very large Musque de Provence.  I even measured it to make sure it was going to fit whole in my AGA oven -- just barely.  The squash was 13" across.  I'm not sure about the weight, but it roasted up just fine. Since friends were visiting, it was the perfect time to tackle such a large squash. The first night it was prepared as winter squash bisque. Today at lunch it was a mashed bed of squash flesh with spiced beans and greens on top.  At dinner tonight it was cubed into the risotto.  And the last of it was mixed with eggs, milk and spices for a dessert.  Phew!  So, maybe I did learn some good practicality from my lovely New England friends.  

As a beginner gardener, I am struck by how long it takes to grow a vegetable -- except for a radish.  This squash was so special that I will definitely plant it next spring, yet it takes 125 days for maturity!

Lots of love.  Donna 

Staples of Winter

Musque de Provence winter squash

Roasted Kubocha winter squash

Winter squash topped with beans

     mashed roasted winter squash with butter

     cooked Borlotto beans

     sauteed leeks

     kale

     celery

     tomato paste, olive oil, salt and pepper

     
Hi Winnie and Steve,

Well, December has arrived ever so quickly -- so I guess it really is winter now.  Sometimes on the mild days it still feels so much like fall.  I've noticed that I have started putting much of my food on one section of my kitchen counter.  When it comes time to make a meal, I look at the food on this one section of kitchen counter and think about what is possible.  When I say I am putting things on the counter, obviously I am talking about the things that do not need refrigeration.  But, it is surprising how many things that might be.  This week I had on the counter -- pears, apples, garlic, onions, winter squash, nuts, lemons, tangerines -- yes, my counter does get crowded.  While not on the counter, there are things up above on the open shelving of my cupboard.  My eye wanders up quickly to these items which are also part of my staples -- beans, raisins (which I am really enjoying putting in the beans), brown rice and corn for polenta.

I ran an errand down to Pie Ranch, and Jered asked if I could take the eggs for the CSA program back up to our ranch.  We are the drop-off point for the egg CSA in the winter.  I was thrilled when I was rewarded a "delivery fee" with some Pie Ranch winter squash.  One squash is called Musque de Provence.  It is so beautiful, and I have never made that squash before -- really looking forward to it.  Winter squash is one of the best and easiest staples as it last for weeks or months -- pierce once with a knife and roast whole in the oven for one hour --voila!  In our local community I love the sense of sharing, helping, loaning and general neighborliness that exists -- that is also why I happen to have apples and lemons on my counter -- neighbors.  We just received a book of Wendell Berry poems.  One section expresses a lovely process.

     He goes shadowy into the local woods,

     and brightly into the local meadows and croplands.

     He goes to the care of neighbors,

     he goes into the care of neighbors.

Thinking of you.  Donna

    

Egg laying days ahead

The Fifth Crow Farm chicks fresh from the Post Office

Teresa Kurtak of Fifth Crow Farm

Poached Eggs on Basmati Rice

   cooked brown basmati rice

   roasted brussel sprouts

   sauteed red peppers and onions

   olive oil, salt and pepper

   pasture raised hen eggs

Hi Winnie and Steve,

Well, I did not think that November and the onset of winter would have much activity -- but it does this year.  New things are happening here on the ranch -- or more accurately over on our farm land. Do you recall that we had several acres of farm land separated from the rest of the ranch by Cloverdale Road? This is the area where Gene grew the Sonora wheat last season.  Now in addition to the wheat growing, three young organic farmers (Fifth Crow Farm) have leased several acres to farm including egg production with their pasture-raised hens. Also, Paul having recently graduated from the UCSC Farm Apprentice Program is farming a few acres.  There's a flurry of activity when land has to be disced, irrigation infrastructure put in, and most amazingly -- little chicks have to be nurtured to become laying hens.  I watch with amazement the focus and work as all the farming unfolds.

The Fifth Crow Farm baby chicks, all 300 of them, arrived almost three weeks ago when they were only 24 hours old. Surprisingly, they come in little cardboard perforated boxes through the U.S. Post Office!  Farmers Mike and Teresa and John constructed in our storm barn a protected chicken-wire pen to keep the chicks safe from predators.  Heat lamps were also installed to keep the baby chicks warm.  They will live in this pen for two months until they are large enough to be transferred to the farm land where they will become pasture-raised chickens for egg production.  

The melding of the various interests -- Fifth Crow getting their chicks raised and their strawberry beds in; Paul getting his land disced today; Gene getting ready for wheat planting and working on irrigation; and me feeling inspired to be a bit of a farmer too with my plans for an expanded garden -- has created a rich soup of learning opportunities and sharing.  How I wish you could be here and sit around with us during one of our potlucks or salons and pass on some stories of your farm in Maine.  I recall how much you enjoyed working with young people back in the Beyond War days.   It's kind of like that -- but with lots of dirt!

Thinking of you.  Donna

Fall Foods

Winter squash from the home garden

Apple/carrot Salad

   roasted carrots

   diced Mutsu apple

   chopped parsley and raisins

   vinaigrette

Winter Squash Medley

   roasted winter squash

   pan roasted brussel sprouts

   sauteed onions and red bell pepper

   brown basmati rice

   drizzle of olive oil and salt

Hi Winnie and Steve,

It is starting to feel like Little House on the Prairie over here.  All these foods are being harvested, and it is more than we can eat at one time so something has to be done -- canning, roasting, etc.  I have been roasting Early Girl tomatoes from Blue House Farm.  They are sometimes called "Candied Tomatoes".  The tomatoes are put on a roasting pan -- drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and roasted slowly for 10 hours at low temperature.  They are put in jars and canned by the hot water bath method.  That's just the tip of the iceberg -- there's apples and pears and winter squash and carrots.  New dishes spring out of this abundance -- totally by accident. Pie Ranch grew the most gorgeous Mutsu apples this fall.  I got all I could until they ran out! 

While I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the amount of food on my kitchen counter to be dealt with, I also feel drawn to the basic and elemental nature of how many generations have saved food for winter eating.  The hours spent at times may feel impractical when you can purchase jam or applesauce more cheaply.  Yet, I am interested in these skills and efforts at this time in my life.  The global crises seem more in perspective when I can act on these basics of life -- it brings a sense of oasis to the home front.  Bill Coperthwaite says, "We started leaving the home to go to work in order to support the home."  I think that is why I was fascinated by the Nearings who were able to meld work and home into a unified whole.  I also see it in some of the folks in my community.

Thinking of you as always.  Love, Donna

Earthy beans

Kale and chard in the home garden

The bean bins at Phipps Ranch in Pescadero

African-style beans

   sauteed onions, dried apricots, raisins, red bell peppers

   olive oil and African curry

   tomato paste and water

   cooked pinto beans

   ribboned chard and kale

   salt

Hi Winnie and Steve,

I'm realizing that this Fall season has a bit more activity than previous years.  I was all set to sink down into my books, and tea and morning fires.  I have to say I do these things in the very early hours of the day, but since taking the Winter Vegetable Class I notice I am putting more effort into my garden this October than previous Octobers.  This is both different and satisfying.  Since there have been no rains yet (uh-oh), the coming of the rains will create a different pace also.  In an effort to get better germination for the winter vegetables, I have been covering the seedlings with something called Remay -- a very light cloth that keeps the seedlings a tad warmer, protects them from the birds, and helps the soil stay a bit moister for those directly sown seeds.  It may be too early to say how all the vegetables will fare, but my spinach crop is really wonderful. 

I still have kale and chard going which I use virtually every day in meals.  Sometimes when I am throwing a meal together and the cupboard is a bit bare, I come up with a dish we end up really liking and repeating.  While beginning a bean dish the other day, I was sauteeing the usual onions and wondering what else I might throw in before the cooked beans.  I reached for the dried apricots and raisins and tossed them in with the onions.  A lovely spice called Curry African Style made it earthy and sumptuous.  

Your style of life has always been very basic and admirable.  We saw a good article about being more self-reliant in these volatile economic times.  These are things I imagine the two of you have done most of your life.

Thinking of you.  Donna