Reflections

Ah... the air is light again. Coming back from the city, I at once can't wait to return to the city, and at the same time am quite ready to be home. Like my aunt Mary Beth was recently telling me, I seem town by two worlds. Washington County, the farm and the home I grew up in, and the world. Cosmopolitan, multilingual, multicultural. New York City seems like the capital of the world, containing a little bit of every corner, a dash of flavor from every nation and language. Yet for today, I'm glad to step out of my car to see the rolling green hills yet again, to visit my garden in town and browse the quiet Cambridge Farmer's Market. The pace is so slow in comparison to Manhattan, and even Brooklyn, that I get self-conscious if I go any faster than a meander, or spend less than two minutes in idle conversation with a vendor. I got used to Manhattan for a moment, and now I'm coming back to country time. What's the rush? No subways to miss, no lines to beat.

My favorite part of the city had to be Chinatown. For us country folk, it's an experience quite apart. Being able to step off Brooklyn Bridge, take a turn and find ourselves in another country, seemingly. If I were to walk one hour in any direction from my home here, I'd hear nothing but English, and it'd be old farmers pulling up and asking if I needed a lift. In Chinatown, I think the language ratio was about 60% Chinese, 30% Spanish, and a knock-down slug-out fight between English, Vietnamese, French, German and the rest for the 10% remaining. And I loved it, of course.

Brooklyn was great, too. At least the small part of it I saw, which was mostly Prospect Heights and Park Slope. It's easy to lose perspective in the city, and I realize we barely even saw Brooklyn, though our legs seemed to act like they'd walked all of it. I loved seeing the old Italian mom-and-pop pizza places, Carribbean and soul-food restaurants, old-style barbershops with portraits of Martin Luther King, Jr. hanging on the wall, and the bodegas where I could practice my Spanish to heart's content. And of course there was Tom's, which seems like it's been there since before Brooklyn itself, and will survive long after Brooklyn, if that's even possible. Try the Mexican Omelet with chipotle, definitely a safe selection. Yep, I certainly took a shining to Brooklyn. It doesn't run me over flat like Manhattan can.

After all that, some of you city folks might be thinking that life just gets boring after a trip to the city, but I tell you it's good to be home. Say what you want, the air is different, and I know it the second I'm outdoors. Aaron and I were talking about this one day, while walking in Brooklyn back to our host apartment. Aaron put it this way, the city air does its job, jus tlike air should. It gets you the oxygen and that's it. The country air we missed is like the person or thing that does its job and then some. Heroic, extra-competent, as we call it in Windflowerese. It does a little healing in the process, the country air. A little mind, some soul, and yes, certainly some in the body.

Besides the air, it's good to be home for other reasons. The times I'm outside in the early morning or late night and find myself under a heaven-made chandelier of stars, thousands visible with the naked eye, or seeing the frost on the grass seemingly glow blue from the full moon's light, I can't think of another place I'd rather be. People pay hundreds to see on vacation what I see driving the tractor out at eight in the morning, the wide field of winter rye stabbing through cold October soil. Yes, for sure New York City will see me again, and gladly, but for now I sign off, there are stars to see.

Windflower Returns

Just got back from a four-day trip to New York City. Seven of the crew filed into a bus early Thursday morning and braved Manhattan to meet some of you folks on the other side. It was worth it! Many thanks to Johanna who helped me coordinate the entire trips events, found us places to stay, and made us feel like family. Our hosts were equally wonderful at making us feel at home. Thanks so much. It was good to see familiar faces and new ones, too.

The consensus was that each of got only one night's worth of sleep over the entire weekend. there was so much to do and not enough time. Thursday's highlights included unloading the truck that we work hard to pack, then sharing some country food and pictures with the shareholders as they picked up their vegetables. (Kudos to all who were brave enough to eat squirrel!) Then we had a great potluck with all our hosts.

Friday started with exploring Brooklyn and a breakfast spot. Penny House Cafe gets my vote. Really good, dark roast coffee. The guys liked Tom's just down the street. Next, we toured the Botanic Gardens where the irony of country visitors fell in the form of a giant tree branch. If not for Jake the Elder, it might have meant a broken collarbone. he yelled just in time to make Jeremy and I freeze. Otherwise, the gardens were beautiful.

Now, Brooklyn is similar to the Albany area up north, but Manhattan has NO comparison. Regardless of the fact that I, myself, had never set foot in that city, everyone followed my lead. It was a trip to Strand and The City Bakery which was rumored to have good hot cocoa. (very true by the way)

The night left Bar Sepia hopping with crew and shareholder alike. Jake, Jeremy, and Aaron entertained with guitars and song, then we made friends and toasted the trip.

Saturday was filled with canning workshops, making raspberry jam and some tomato sauce for our kitchen host, Jeff. We learned all the needed tips and tricks to craft your own canned goods, then sampled some jam on homemade bread. I loved the groups I had and would be thrilled to offer another workshop sometime over the winter season.

Finally, a fortitude testing walk from Brooklyn to China Town left us hungry and ready to sit when we got to Joe's restaurant, famous for it's soup dumplings. Best Chinese food I've ever had, seriously.

Thank you all! And please bug Daren about posting on the blog. He's about to pay for his laziness . . .

It's Been a While . . .

I know I haven't been posting much here this month, but Daren is supposed to add things once in a while, I so guess I was staging sort of a strike. Nothing personal against our wonderful one follower! Aside from all the chaos at work, like digging potatoes and gathering 900ft of accidentally plowed-up turnips, I've had a little spark of inspiration lately that's kept me occupied. In between work hours and canning any veggies I can get my hands on, (Try homemade ketchup, it's amazing) late nights and general lack of internet have made me scarce. Writing a blog is quite new to me, though I've always loved writing, and late nights make me crazy. If I get up for a drink of water at any hour between falling asleep and waking, then I have vivid, odd dreams. The last one gave me the best idea for my next novel, and therefore, no Victoria for a while. Once it all comes out, I'll fall into normal again, then go into the depressing phase of agent rejections. That's why I plan to enjoy the writing binge. Sorry faithful follower. Until next time. And see you soon! I'm sure I'll stuff to blog about after the trip.

The Odd Ones

Thought everyone might enjoy some pictures of the oddities we find in the vegetable world. maybe some make it to the city, but usually, we tug them from their bin and do a photo shoot!