whistle to me

wide & open

2011-02-16T22:55:00.000-05:00

A down and dirty dead of winter trip through the American north from Bainbridge Island to Cleveland took us 3.5 days. 10 tanks of gas and a sturdy corolla did the trick. We rode a break in the weather the whole way with clear skies and bone chilling temps reaching the lowest in Butte, MT at -27 below. Relying on mexican food for lunch and gas station coffee (blech) we finished in good spirits if not a little car sore. I could have stayed in Wyoming with my animal spirits, I was enchanted.

piedmont values

2011-02-16T22:13:00.000-05:00

Here are some more pics from italy. I look forward to telling you about it in person sometime soon.

italian dreams

2011-02-16T21:59:00.002-05:00

By now this is old news but thought i may as well post this draft:

Our trip to Italy was simply wonderful. The Italians know how to source great food, cure the most amazing meats, crush grapes into the world's best wine, relax while eating, and take life a slower more suitable pace.

Our first leg was spent in Turin at Terra Madre where we discovered the depth of Italy's food system at the Solone del Gusto and made connections with amazing young farmers from all over the country. I had the pleasure of meeting Alice Waters who unfortunately was terribly uninterested in meeting me despite the huge friendly smile and brief life summary I gave her. We fed off the energy of the Youth Food Movement which seems to be sweeping the world at such an exciting rate and brainstormed about how to better unite. The most valuable session I attended was a mentor farmer workshop where Slow Food grouped young farmers with older/more experienced farmers and facilitated conversation about growing practices and life down the road as farmers. Albert, a farmer from eastern Washington laid out the most valuable lessons one can learn from farming which are actually wise life lessons: patience, adaptability, seeking and pursuing opportunities, honing the ability to mechanically fix anything, seeing the BIG picture and telling your story.

back at you

2010-11-13T17:56:00.001-05:00

Hunkering down and enjoying a bit of free time I figure I should pick my blog back up. A lot has happened since my last post in June. Some points to note: we have made it through the farming season, I earned new front teeth, and we traveled to Italy with the high-profile foodies of the world (more to come on this one). Between my new day gig and grant writing here are some of the highlights:

city growing

2010-06-13T22:14:00.002-04:00

Our friend Molly recently bought a house with a lengthy backyard and decided to farm it! After many hours of sod busting, hauling dirt, tilling, and planting she has an amazing farm in her backyard, Erie's Edge. I was astonished at the size of her tomato plants when we visited yesterday- so big. Not to mention her favas, insane amount of onions and black radishes that are coming in so well.

Erin is growing beans in one of the two vacant lots next door to Molly's. Molly brokered a deal with the owner to rent the land from him. Haling from two years of farming in NC, Erin is only growing dry beans and she will undoubtedly fill the gap in the local dry beans we are able to get here. As of now her plot looks like art:

Things are looking lush on our farm. I pulled two of the biggest beets (first of the season) today. We have scapes coming out of our ears and it seems like we are constantly battling perslane but things are growing strong.

Check out that garlic!

summer force

2010-06-13T21:35:00.000-04:00

Summer has hit us hard in Cleveland. The heat, the humidity, the rides, the night dips, and the icecream.

m day/ poeny love

2010-06-03T09:32:00.000-04:00

blowout

2010-06-01T22:21:00.002-04:00

I was nervous about turning 25. For the past couple of months I have been finding gray hairs and promptly pulling them, stressing about where my life is and where I am going and feeling anxious that I am well on my way to being in the late 20s. Infinite thanks to Peter, Lizzie and Dan - my birthday so wonderful I forgot all of my woes. And really, the older we are the sweeter it gets (to some degree).

Birthday breakdown:
Read the sunday nytimes with coffee, strawberries and toast with Pete. Rode bikes to the Fig for brunch and Alex joined for a scone and coffee. Rode bikes to Tremont - I bought a book at visable voice and we all ate icecream at scoops.
I took a nap at home with new book while Pete ran errands for the party. Then I dressed for the party that I knew nothing about.....
Got to party and was blown out of my socks. Lizzie and Dan made their backyard a paradise and prepared the most amazing menu and food. Bobbi supplied the bouquets from her garden and Micheal (officially hottest bar tender in cleveland) made virginia gin fizzes for everyone. We lounged and ate homemade corn chips, hot salsas, scallop ceviche, and mexican street corn. We were seated at the table, poured a glass of prosecco and served an arugula salad with hakurei turnips from our farm topped with fresh ricotta and chili lime watermelon. Dan then served a braised pork shoulder soaked in orange juice and coke from New Creation Farm and pinto beans. For dessert Molly made a rhubarb cake covered in rose petals and Cio made a Tres leches cake (both of which were tdf) paired with homemade chocolate and sweet cream ice cream. I opened presents and then we sat around the fire. I scored a pressure caner! Look out summer veggies!

I had hands down one of the most amazing birthdays ever. Thank you to all that worked so hard to pull it together - it was heaven.

Pics:

BI

2010-05-04T20:56:00.000-04:00

PT

2010-05-04T20:50:00.000-04:00

RV

2010-05-04T20:44:00.000-04:00

hi

2010-04-28T10:58:00.000-04:00

weave

2010-04-18T14:06:00.000-04:00

spring (almost) in chicago

2010-04-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

We had a great trip to Chicago a couple of weeks ago. Ate with friends at tacos garcia, hung out twice at the sky lark, went to nightwood where I had amazing trout that tasted like the river, and went to bikram yoga. Apparently, I only took pictures of what we saw in the conservatory, it was so lovely to see green. Note to Nora - I have some pics of myself that I will post soon.

three weeks in

2010-03-12T12:10:00.001-05:00

i am finishing up a three week yoga/whole foods cleanse. i feel great and strong but am really looking forward to eating some cheese or a bagel on sunday. while i dont have any photos of me in yoga poses, i have become a bit of homebody - going to yoga 6 times a week and coming home to eat my whole grains, veggies and nuts.

some wellfleet oysters!

back in time

2010-03-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

whew. it's been a while. so i will do a bit of updating:

tried and true

2009-12-21T18:15:00.001-05:00

j + k

2009-12-01T20:22:00.000-05:00

neo

2009-11-30T18:46:00.001-05:00

taking you back

2009-11-29T15:13:00.002-05:00

Just developed this roll - its from a long time ago. Crystal's 21st.

chicago

2009-11-17T18:29:00.001-05:00

We went to Chicago this past weekend. I was a Chicago virgin, what a great place, and oh so huge. We stayed with pete's sister in "uptown," went strolling in lincoln park, ate in china town with an uncle, dabbled in wicker park where i scored some long wanted cook books, walked along chi-town's beautifully planned waterfront (saw a body bag; a fairly real experience), had some amazing mexican food (cant really rep true mexican in Cleveland), scoped the logan square area, hung with billy, had a good brunch or two, and one of the best meals of my life at avec latenight in the loop. I definitely need some more time there. Pics to come soon. I decided to take my "film" camera so they are on the way.

i've been canning

2009-10-28T18:19:00.002-04:00

I'm in love with canning. The most recent job was red root relish (somewhat unsure of this one, pictured). Items that have been canned or pickled: beets, green beans, peaches, cauliflower, salsa, tomato sauce, whole tomatoes and the best of all - damson jam. Come to my place and Ill feed you all winter long.

damson

2009-10-26T21:07:00.000-04:00

gal sitting

2009-10-25T09:37:00.003-04:00

I had the honor of taking care of these girls (rhode island reds) because DAN went to PDX. Heart strings all around.

cleveland guts

2009-10-23T18:45:00.000-04:00

Gillie comes to town!: Fall Graves, Night Raves

2009-10-21T14:52:00.003-04:00

the haps

2009-09-08T19:42:00.003-04:00

wants

2009-08-10T12:55:00.002-04:00

100 acres

2009-08-10T09:34:00.009-04:00

This weekend we went to 100 Acres - an old orchard sold to a developer who seems to be sitting on the property - only the roads have been put in. Pretty eerie place, it felt like there had been a recent death. Thousands of trees are left behind plaques that say "3 acre lot," or "1.5 acre lot for sale." Lucky for us there were many apples to be found. After extensive exploring and bloody legs we found the early variety we were looking for. We will definitely be back in the fall.

talk of the town

2009-07-26T22:32:00.006-04:00

We pressed the first batch of cider on our new press this afternoon. The small wild apples that are ready this time of year made surprisingly good cider. Can't wait for weekly pressing parties in the fall. CITY CIDER!

beauties

2009-07-26T11:08:00.002-04:00

highlights

2009-07-19T20:22:00.004-04:00

crap-ola

2009-06-26T09:16:00.003-04:00

michael jackson died! so did farrah fawcet! so did ed mcmahon! so did my computer!

week of the dead. things will never be what they were.

sap.

take me to the farmers market

2009-06-06T18:18:00.003-04:00

If you ever get a week's notice of going to market, let me know and I will get you there. We did it and almost sold out. After a week of deep thought, harvesting all day Friday, and an 8 person effort last night to make and sew that awesome sign, we were on our way. We left with some arugula in the bed of the truck and a cigar box full of cash-o-la.

it helps

2009-06-01T13:31:00.001-04:00

weekend to beat the band

2009-06-01T13:09:00.004-04:00

sleeping place

2009-05-28T11:25:00.002-04:00

now we're farming

2009-05-27T13:34:00.004-04:00

forgotten triangle

2009-05-26T12:47:00.012-04:00

The Forgotten Triangle (killer name) is an area in Cleveland Proper in which so many houses have been demolished/burned/forgotten that hardly anyone lives there and when driving around it feels like rural Mississippi. On the most recent adventure to this section of town - we happened upon a group of three men burning trash in a metal can surrounded by their crazy cars - just a real hang sesh. Roads were blocked by tree debris, houses boarded up, and perfect playgrounds empty. Pretty unreal.

Sorry for the not so good photos but you get the idea.

shop till you drop

2009-05-16T13:04:00.001-04:00

the west side market - a serious indoor market in ohio city. my favorite is the sweet (not salty) black licorice from the man at the mediterranean shop or the peanut butter.

mools (man tools)

2009-05-14T16:23:00.003-04:00

lunch

2009-05-14T15:22:00.006-04:00

planting and growing

2009-04-30T12:37:00.001-04:00

a day with a nosse

2009-04-28T16:39:00.001-04:00

Here I am

2009-04-28T14:14:00.000-04:00