Steak and Berries all of the meat. none of the fat.

The sun has emerged here at StoneLake Farm and, oh, what a refreshing thing that is! Not that we’ve been anything short of content since we’ve arrived, the sunshine just presents broader possibilities – like reading in the meadow, scrambling down the creek, and washing our dirty socks&underwear.

Only after a morning of solid poop duty, which consisted of digging a new hole for the outhouse, laying the 3-year-old humanure at the upper edge of the fruit trees, and clearing the chicken and goat homes of their ultra-plant-friendly poop (it becomes high-quality compost, very useful in growing things). And now it’s evening, we’ve fed the chickens, fed the goats, and watered the garden. All we have to do now is work out what we’ll be having for dinner before sunset so we can head back to the meadow to scarf it down while watching our blazing California sun dip back behind the adjacent hills, an awe-inspiring sight, every time.

Since we began our farming adventure here, I’ve thought a lot about food. I’ve mainly been reading two books – Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and Garden Anywhere by Alys Fowler. And to top that off, I’ve been involved in planting a few varieties of corn, beans, cabbage, radish, flax, wheat and a few flowers (which work in beautiful harmony with the vegetables at hand). I decided that if what I was doing right now was the curriculum for a 3-week intensive study course, it would be called The Earth’s Bounty. Because that is what I am really coming to understand, and, I dare say, it is changing my perspective on a lot of things. I knew I wanted to be a gardener but now, for real, I realize it must be a significant part of my life. It amazes me. The idea that I can grow what I eat or someone else, close to where I am, is growing some of the other things I’d like to have, is inspiring. The realization that there are thousands of vegetable varieties in this world, each with their own flavor and history, is exciting. And the fact that eating has to be a part of our everyday lives if we intend to survive, is awesome. I mean, if we have to do it, we might as well take advantage, right? Eat well. It’s good for you and the people around you. And it’s one mantra I’m more than willing to subscribe to.

Two of the things that we’ve made here have been pretty exciting. First, I made an elderberry dressing with some elderberry syrup Francis gave us for the beer we are brewing here. He keeps the berries delicious and useful past their season by making them into a syrup and jarring them. The dressing involved: elderberry syrup, olive oil, shallots, fresh oregano, fresh lemon-bud mint, lime, garlic and a bit of salt&pepper. It was quite tasty tossed in our fresh garden greens… We also made some delicious chicken soup that started with a chicken stock experiment, something I had heard about for a while and gotten a pretty good idea of how to do in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. We just tossed our leftover chicken bones, from grilled drumsticks, into a pot and boiled it until it was thick, golden, and gorgeous! Then we tossed a small myriad of veggies in the stock, cooked it for a while, and ate it for nourishment and to warm our cold bones in the chilly, rainy weather that came before this sunshine. I might also add that it was delicious.

It’s all working out pretty well here. Needless to say, we’re very content with our lives right now; the work is fulfilling, the company lovely, and the environment stunning. It’s a beautiful, productive, and peaceful place. And these few weeks are turning out to be a wonderful way to shape my dreams and ideas about the land around me, my community and what I eat.

So go to a farmer’s market this weekend, it’ll be fun and you’ll go home with some fresh, local goodies and a little knowledge about your local agricultural tapestry.
Maybe then you can head home to cook up a refreshing early summer meal with friends or family. If I may indulge, I’ll add that that the earth’s bounty might be a good topic of conversation for this meal…