You Don't Know How Good Ya Have it, Until Ya Don't

Dear friends,

Many of you know by now, that our family moved back to California after an eight year hiatus in Central Virgina with a short stint living in the upper amazon of Brazil. What most of you don't know is that we lived approximately 40 minutes from "the most sought after farm" in America, Polyface, Inc. While Matthew and I were reading Omnivore's Dilemma, we realized that we lived very close to the "beyond organic" farm portrayed in Michael Pollan's book. In the fall of 2008 we started our quarterly treks out to Polyface. Once there, the girls could run around at will, feeding the hundreds of baby chickens, or walking around the egg mobiles, or hiking out to the pigs in the forested area of the 550 acre spread. It became a wonderful ritual that afforded us a refrigerator full of humanely raised chickens, grass-fed "happy meat", as Grace calls it, and amazing eggs! I didn't realize how good we had it until we moved back to California in the mountains where access to fresh meat is tough to come by.

Since our arrival here at the feet of Mount Lassen, we have become semi-vegetarians. We didn't plan to become veggies, its a natural consequence to limited access. Okay, surely we could go up to the Reeds market at the end of the drive way and get what ever we desired. However, I have seen and read too much about industrial farming that I dare not eat anything that is not humanely raised. Shoot, after the egg scare that is happing right now, can you blame me. Like Matt says, "What in the world are people in California doing eating eggs from Ohio?" Something is wrong with the picture.

I have really been missing the drive out to Joel Salatin's farm and a freezer full of his meats. He and his Son Daniel are the most unassuming, nicest people you could meet. After walking around the farm with the girls, we would hit the shopping list. A double-sided piece of paper, with all the selections and prices printed on it. With our pen, we'd try to figure out how many broilers, ground beef patties, eggs and hotdogs would last us for another 4 months. Joel and Matthew would have long conversations about how to raise cows, hogs, and chickens sustain-ably. You would think that the Salatin's might get a cynical view toward city folks coming down to their farm, (3,000 just last year ) but no. They welcome anyone interested in how to make farming sustainable.

I just finished reading an article about the Salatin's in Ode magazine. The author, Diane Daniel, conveys the sense of owe and humbleness you get from touring the farm. However, her last comment really struck me. She writes, "Finally, we head into town. After all this talk about farming and food, it is time to eat." Often this was a dilemma for our family. The closest town to Polyface is Scottsville, which doesn't have a lot of options for eating local, humanely grown food. I always felt like I was betraying Joel & Daniel, by stopping at the Five Guys on the way home for lunch. Eventually, we just couldn't do it any longer and we started packing bigger snacks for the trip back home.

So, we've been looking into options here and have found the Lazy 69 Ranch which is about an hour and half from here. BUT, as far as I can tell they don't have public hours--which really bites, since being on the farm is such a great experience for the girls. Well, at least they sell their meat locally down in Redding. Its chicken for dinner tonight!

Fresh Paint Always Makes a Difference

My sister once told me, "if you really want to clean your house, paint the walls". As I power washed the front of the Hut, I noted all the crap and dirt that flowed off the porch--she had a point. Over the past 10 days I've been busy painting, setting up house, getting ready to homeschool our rising 1st grader, and working every morning from 6AM to 1230PM. I have to say, i'm starting to settle into a routine, which for me, provides comfort.

Our little hut is quite cozy. At first I thought that we would be stepping all over each other in the 576 sq ft living space. But in actuality, its plenty of room to live and not feel cramped. Although we had to put most of our furniture and 1/2 of the kids toys in the storage space (because they won't let us sell ANYTHING at the garage sale we're having next weekend!).

I'm starting to like living with little. Not too long ago, I heard about a project called What Not to Wear: The Six Items or Less Project. The project dares you to live off of six items of clothing for a month. I thought, "I could do this, now that I don't go into an office everyday". So, I'm in the process of doing "The 10 Items or Less Project"-year round! Can I do it??? More to come on this challenge. Now back to the paint!

I decided to put a coat of paint onto the front of the hut even though, eventually, the front will be covered by pine shingles. Check out the before and after below. Matt's Mom suggested that I paint a mural on the top that is still the old color. What a great idea!!! I've always wanted to paint a mural, so here's is my opportunity (she's always presenting me with awesome opportunities). Any ideas? I've thought of a couple, a sun like the Save Tibet image, or the awesome sunset that simmers golden, silhouetting the pine trees everyday. What do you think? Suggestions??

Over the River and Through the Woods...

The past couple of days I've been flooded with childhood memories, and deep nostalgic feelings. I grew up down in Southern California, in a once small town on the ocean--Oceanside.

In 1946, my Great-Grandparents, Andrew & Lia Imbilli, moved the entire family from Brooklyn, NY to Oceanside, CA. G-G Imbilli had purchased a lot just east of what is now Interstate 5 freeway. Of course, back then, there was nothing but a dirt road all the way down to the coastline (about a mile away). The family moved into a large house on a hill, and started in on building six houses on the lower part of the property, on a dead end street later named after the patriarch, Andy Lane. The houses were built in Mediterranean fashion, much like the houses in Sicily, with large open air patios built right into the middle of the house. About a year after my parents were married in 1960, they moved into one of the six houses.

Our house was situated between my Grandparents (who lived in the main house on the hill), and my great Uncle and Aunt across the street. As kids, we had family all around, all the time. Our kitchen door was always open, and at any given time some relative would stop in for coffee or dinner, or a game of canasta.

It was a great childhood. Running up to Grandma's house for homemade cannolis, or over to Uncle Johnny's house for a fresh sandwich from Claro's Italian deli. I was surround by love and security. Of course, I took all this for granted. It wasn't until later in life that I realized how rare it was to live in an extended family community. A rare lifestyle that, up until a year ago, I thought I could never replicate for my children. But, here we are... literally steps away from grandparents. How wonderful it is that my children will get to experience a part of that love and security! To be able to skip through the woods to Grandmother's house.

Blisters & Dirty Nails

Dear Friends,

I was reminded of my first week here in the mountains when I looked at my hands this afternoon--rough, blistered, and dirty. They reminded me of a vendor I met at the Farmers Market. She was earthy looking, with her hair in semi-dreads pulled back in a bandanna, a sleeveless t-shirt, and Levis. As she discussed the benefits and beauty of the Jewelweed plant to me, I noticed how rough and dirty her hands were--a result, no doubt, of spending many hours lovingly tending to her medicinal plants. I thought she was beautiful. A real 'woman of the land'.

I later found out that she was, what the locals call, a "flatlander". Three years ago she and her family had moved up to Northern California from San Diego to go back to the land. According to the local paper, The Ridge Rider News, city slickers are invading the tiny town, replacing John Deer with BMW's. I guess that's what we are, city slickers.

Now back to my ailing hands! This past week I put in a flower bed on the side of the Hut, added more to the meditation garden in the front, and mulched the entire back yard with fresh pine and cedar chips that the power company left for us after cutting down trees around the power lines. The smell is absolutely delicious. Like when you drag in that fresh cut Christmas tree. By the end of the week, my nails were tattered and dirty (no matter how much i scrubbed), and I had a huge aching purple blood blister throbbing on lower thumb from raking the mulch for hours.

What I learned is that you shouldn't mulch too close to the house, which can be an inviting place for rodents, working for hours on end in the soil is really good for the soul, and I should have worn gloves.

Side flower bed and pine & cedar mulch.

Front flower bed