Saturdays & Sundays

 

Friends have asked what I do on weekends.  When I'm not in Albany visiting Mike, I'm usually attending one of the various workshops that are offered by The Pfeiffer Center.  The course fees are waived for the garden interns so I try to take advantage of as many of the offerings as possible.  Yesterday, there was a day-long workshop on beekeeping.  The 30+ attendees visited the garden apiary with Beekeeper/Development Director Bill Day and Beekeeper/Head Gardener Megan Durney.  That's Bill in the olive green coat on the left and Megan in the red vest on the right.  While Megan's headwear appears to be a tribute to the beehives of old, it's actually how she keeps her waist-long dreadlocks from falling into the hive.  Megan has been my principal instructor in the art of beekeeping; she's a very gentle soul and the bees seem to know this.

Bill keeps hives at a nearby farm.  He has a dry sense of humor and often travels about on his beloved BMW motorcycle.  He and Megan complement each other with their teaching styles.  The weekend workshops really help to round out the hands-on learning that takes place during the week.  

There are also some regular chores that must be done on the weekend.  I mentioned watering the plants in the greenhouse in an earlier post.  Today, I was on horse duty.  Weekdays, spring through fall, the horses are walked up to the pasture where they graze for several hours.  On the weekends, they stay in their paddock so they need to be given hay for their morning and evening meals. 

You reach the horses by walking across the field that's in the background in this photo.  When they see you at the field's edge, one of them typically lets out a loud whinny.  Then they come over to the paddock gate to check you over for treats.  That's Captain and his older sister Eva waiting for me to give them the apple halves I brought.

After throwing a small bunch of decoy hay over the fence to get them away from the gate, I gather as much hay as I can carry and place it in their stall (this is the same hay that I helped to gather from the pasture and rode on top of in a wagon back in May).

Then I put some salt crystals on the ledges in the stall for them.

Next, I get the hose in place and climb up a steep slope to the barn above and turn on the water to fill the horses' drinking bucket.  I wait up top until I get the signal to turn off the water.

Fortunately, we save mucking out the stall and paddock for the weekdays so that a few people can tackle collecting the manure and dumping it in the compost pile located nearby.

Glad to have a few shots of me in my LL Bean Wellies as I've now cracked a second pair and won't be ordering another; new Sorel boots are on their way.  The Carhartt flannel-lined, canvas shirt jacket is proving to be a more durable purchase.  Thank you to visiting Waldorf teacher Kimberly who accompanied me this morning because she was missing her horses back in Kansas.  

As for the rest of the weekend, I spend it cooking, reading, catching up on correspondence, and of course, blogging.  Thanks for keeping up with me.  It's much appreciated.

Soul of the Soil

To forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves.

-Gandhi

The concept of nutrition has taken on new meaning since I've been working in the garden.  Whereas at Food & Friends  I was concerned about the clients getting enough calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals to nourish their bodies while living with HIV or cancer, now I think about the microbes in the soil and whether or not they are getting the nourishment they need to support the growth and nutrient uptake of the plants.  There can be up to 6 billion microbial life-forms in a quarter-sized chunk of compost.  By attaching themselves to the root hairs of plants and creating large networks of tiny absorptive fibers, the fungi in the soil allow plants to take up more nutrients while using the sugars from the plants to feed themselves, a true symbiotic relationship.

Compost in garden = nourished microbes = healthy soil = healthy plants = more nutritious vegetables

This is why composting is so fascinating to me, besides appealing to my practical nature.  Every week I watch pounds and pounds of food scraps from the dorm, the cafe, the school, and the food co-op kitchen being layered with leaves and cut grass from the lawns then being transformed into a rich food for microbes and worms.  In biodynamic agriculture, this process is aided by special preparations made from dandelions, chamomile, oak bark, nettles, yarrow, and valerian which are added to the compost piles in small amounts.  Combining this "kitchen" compost with compost made from horse manure and some sand to improve drainage yields the potting soil that is used in the greenhouse where the plants start their lives.   The kitchen compost will also be used to fortify the soil in the beds where those greenhouse plants will be transplanted when they are large enough to withstand the elements.  Later, the vegetables from those plants will be harvested and eaten by the interns and the customers in the cafe and the scraps will go to the compost piles and the cycle keeps going.  I love this closed loop!

October gave me additional opportunities to ponder closed loop systems with a workshop on permaculture and biodynamics.  Permaculture is a contraction of the words "permanent" and "agriculture".  It was coined by Bill Mollison, an Australian who developed this form of sustainable agricultural design, along with David Holmgren, in the 1970's.  Permaculture's guiding principles are based on ways of working with the natural world that indigenous peoples have practiced for thousands of years.  It challenges "scarcity thinking" by looking at the world through a lens of sustainable abundance, which translates to planting perennial vegetables instead of the typical annual varieties, creating edible forest gardens, building soil on barren land through composting, and developing closed loop systems for homesteads and larger scale land use with thoughtful landscaping practices.  Are you getting all this?  Click here for a clearer explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture#Sustainable_designs

You can imagine that my mind was racing after this workshop.  Fortunately, 6 inches of snow arrived to clear my head later that afternoon.  This unseasonable weather allowed me to get out my cross-country skis ahead of schedule which I didn't mind one bit.  However, the 5-day power outage caused by the heavy, wet snow falling on the still leafy trees leading to branches falling onto the power lines was not quite as much fun as the skiing, especially when the hot water ran out in the dorm.  The candlelit evenings in the kitchens with my dormmates were rather nice though.  An unexpected bonus from the storm was learning how to use a chain saw.  Program Director Mac Mead took us through the inner workings of these intimidating machines before giving each intern some one-on-one time with the large oak branch that was blocking part of a driveway in the garden.  I'm not too keen on the vibration and the fumes from the saw, and OK, the possibility of cutting off a limb is a bit daunting, but I'm glad to have a basic working knowledge of the machine.

Also new on my growing list of skills, how to play a wizard with a long, fluffy beard, pointed hat, and oversized robe surrounded by smoking wood fires and torches while handling dry ice and standing in mud on a cold Halloween night.  This made my parading through the hot and humid streets of DC dressed as a bunch of grapes for the Pride parade seem like a relaxing walk in the park despite the fact that no one was trying to rip my costume off on Halloween.  I really need to get a job handing out fliers on a city street while dressed as a banana or a gorilla or something to get this penchant for costumes, which I'm certain is linked to my Hungarian heritage, out of my system.

BEE UPDATE- Several hundred pounds of sugar have been used to produce bee tea over the past several weeks.  The bees are lapping it up and turning it into honey to be stored for winter use, though not as quickly as expected.  Honey from one of the stronger hives was transferred to a weaker one to give it a boost.  Unused portions of the hives are being removed to reduce the risk of the bees freezing over the winter.  I received my 3rd sting of the season, a nice "kiss" on the cheek which has left my face looking a bit swollen and distorted.  Intern MaryAnn comforted me by noting all the money we're saving on Botox with these stings...

My roasted rutabaga dish is calling me, so I'll say so long for now.  Thanks for reading.

Out and About

Since my last post in September, I attended a 2-day workshop called "Regenerative/Radical Urban Sustainability Training" that featured the cultivation of mushrooms as a means of cleaning up toxic soil (mycoremediation), composting, keeping chickens in a city neighborhood, and aspects of solar greenhouse construction, among other topics.  If I've totally confused you with my description, this may help clarify: radixcenter.org

As luck would have it, this training was held in Albany, so I took it as an opportunity to network a bit.  Though there were not as many locals at the workshop as I expected, I did manage to connect with a staff member from Capital District Community Gardens, a longstanding non-profit that manages 46 community gardens and operates a produce market on wheels called the Veggie Mobile.  I've been invited to spend a day on the Veggie Mobile as it makes stops in neighborhoods with limited produce options.  I also met a pair of young women who are managing a new community garden in North Troy, which is across the Hudson River from Albany.  When they heard that I was in the midst of a biodynamic agriculture internship that has involved working with children, they expressed interest in getting together with me at a later date.  I'm hoping to reconnect with them when I'm in Albany during my winter break.   I figure it's better to start making connections now than waiting until I move to Albany permanently next April.  Being an intern is fun, but I haven't forgotten that I need to find a job in a town where I know no one other than my husband when the internship ends.

Shortly after returning from the workshop, I spent an evening in Manhattan at an exhibit hosted by Megan Evans, an Australian artist, whose honeybee-focused works were inspired by the  philosophy of Ron Breland, the "radical" beekeeper I mentioned in an earlier post.   Ron was present at the tiny gallery space along with one of his dodecahedron hives.  He spoke of the hive as a body and likened the opening of it to invasive surgery.  Megan stated that she would like to see honey be thought of something so valuable that it is given away rather than sold.  When I considered her comment along with Ron's, I concluded that honey is the "blood" of the hive body as it nourishes the bees the way our blood nourishes our cells.  Blood was the only thing I could think of that is so valuable that we donate it rather than sell it.  I shared my thoughts with Ron and he seemed to truly appreciate the analogy.  To view some of the pieces in the exhibit, click here: http://boxofficeprojects.com/Current.html

Here's Intern MaryAnn checking out 3 beds covered with oats, peas, and vetch

The New Zealand clover undersown around this chard
has been replenishing the soil.

Of course, we've also been busy in the garden.  With the passing of the autumnal equinox, there's been plenty of work to do getting the nearly 70 beds ready for the colder months ahead.  Cover crops of rye, oats, peas, and vetch, and also that lovely crimson clover I featured in an earlier post, have been planted to protect and nourish the soil over the winter.  We're still harvesting kale, lettuce, Asian greens, peppers, and parsley for the farmstand.  Thinking ahead to snowier times, spinach and chard seeds have been sown in the greenhouse with the hope that we'll be able to enjoy those leafy greens throughout the winter.   With morning temperatures in the 40's lately, those snowy days are not too far off.  The horses have grown thicker coats in preparation; I have my layers of warm clothing at the ready.

Sending you warm thoughts on a chilly evening...thanks for reading.

Winding Down

The move to Albany was completed just in time for the monthly biodynamic gardening workshops that The Pfeiffer Center allows me to attend for free.  September has brought a shift from hands-on experience to more classroom-style learning and also the clearing of the garden spaces.  Gone are the zucchini, cucumber, and tomato plants and their trellises that filled much of the summer landscape.  The basil is starting to get a bit moldy from the longer, cooler nights as we move closer to the autumnal equinox, and the butternut squash is ready to harvest.

We have about a dozen fruit trees, including apple, pear, peach, and quince.  Unfortunately, the woodchucks, squirrels, and chipmunks have been snacking on much of the fruit.  Below is a photo of some apples I picked earlier this week:

These came off the tree with the bites already in them.  I particularly like the two neat puncture marks created by the woodchuck's incisors on the middle apple.

I mentioned earlier that we've been checking the hives to see if the bees have enough honey stored for the cold and flowerless months ahead.  Late August examinations showed inadequate supplies so we checked them again yesterday.  The decision was made to combine some of the weaker hives with stronger ones and also to start feeding "bee tea" to those hives that do not have enough stored honey to get them through the winter.  This tea is a sort of syrupy mixture of honey, sugar, water, thyme, chamomile, and other herbs that is placed in a jar with tiny holes in its lid.  The jar is then set in the hive where the bees dip their tongues through the holes to drink it.  This allows them to continue making honey when flower nectar is in limited supply or simply no longer available; it will be provided to the bees weekly until November.

In the process of checking the hives, I was finally stung by one of the bees.  The stinger was squarely planted in my forehead, in the space just above and between my eyes (This is sometimes called "the third eye", the gate that leads to inner realms of higher consciousness).  It's a strange place to be swollen and itchy, but I'm keeping the scratching to a minimum and hoping for some spectacular enlightenment. 

I must say I was a bit awestruck by this swallowtail butterfly caterpillar's decision to shed his skin while traveling on my sleeve.  That's not something you see everyday, and especially not on your shoulder.  I'm guessing that it was getting ready for hibernation.  

Speaking of hibernation, it's time for to me to have my temporary session, so I'll sign off for now.  Have a good night.

Cores, Skins, & Cobs

In those August highlights, I forgot to mention that the interns spent a couple of mornings up the road at the Fellowship Community helping them process their harvest.  The Fellowship is an intentional community that focuses on the care of the elderly; it is surrounded by a farm that provides food for the "members" (residents) and "co-workers" (staff) as they are called.  We helped peel, core, juice, and can about 500 pounds of tomatoes the first morning.  The second morning found us stripping nearly 300 pounds of corn kernels from the cobs for freezing.  Josh's girlfriend Mary was visiting from California that week and she joined us for this food processing extravaganza.  Her artistic contribution is pictured below:

I'd like to see the tomato fish swimming in a sea of basil.

Looking Northward

Sorry for the delay.  Moving from DC to Albany took up most of my weekends last month, so there wasn't much time for blogging.  I'll be gone again this weekend because the moving truck will be arriving in Albany tomorrow afternoon.  Which do you think is easier, packing or unpacking?

August highlights

• The Pfeiffer Center covered the registration fee for the Northeast Organic Farming Association's 37th Annual Summer Conference at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, so I was able to spend 3 days learning about cover crops, using mushrooms to clean up toxic waste, school and community gardens, the Farm Bill, and other interesting topics.  This allowed for some good networking opportunities too.

• Fellow intern MaryAnn and I visited Amawalk Farm in Katonah, NY and learned about growing raspberries and the best-looking salad greens you've ever seen.  Westchester friends- the greens are sold in food co-ops around the county and they taste just as good as they look.

• I harvested the baby pan pumpkins that I helped plant in May.  Fellow intern Josh has already made a couple of pies with them.  I'm surrounded by bakers here and loving it.

• I spent more time with the bees.  Here's a photo of Elexis and me examining a frame.  Since summer is winding down, we've been checking the hives to make sure the bees have enough honey stored for their winter food supply.

Of course, there's been plenty of harvesting, weeding, and planting succession crops.  We're now discussing what will be in the garden next year and which beds to use.  This is quite challenging as there are many variables to take into account: which crops were previously grown in a bed, amount of sun/shade, air flow, pests, etc.  I have a map of the garden that I've filled in with my ideas, in pencil.  The eraser will most likely be gone before I finish this project.

Though my fair skin has often made me feel rather fragile next to the other interns who are sporting tank tops and shorts while they work, I'm pleased to have made it through the summer without getting burned.    Insect bites and stings are another story however: I'll spare you the story of the wasp in my pants.

Hope you've had a good summer too.  Best wishes for a relaxing Labor Day weekend!

Dodeca-what?

Check out these unique dodecahedron (12-sided) hives I visited today.  They were created by Ron Breland, who has been called "the most radical beekeeper in Rockland County".  We all agreed he's the most warm and friendly radical any of us have ever encountered.  The bees really seem to like him too:

Bugged

My apologies for the lack of photos in this post.  I'll try to add some later.

We did a check of the hives last week.  I hadn't been involved in much beework recently, so it was a nice change of pace.  The hive known as "Satisfaction" had been without a queen for a month, which was cause for concern.  In order to encourage to the worker bees to create a new queen, comb from another hive containing eggs and larvae were placed in Satisfaction along with some nursemaid bees.  I had the task of firmly, yet carefully, knocking the nursemaids into the hive.  This involves raising the wooden frame, which is covered with bees, several inches above the hive and then bringing it down decisively on the edge of a frame still in the hive.  The impact sends most of the bees on the frame you're holding down into the hive and once you've done it, you step back quickly.  I did this twice with good results.  As I sometimes find myself to be an indecisive person, working with the bees is a good exercise in behavior modification.  You need to be clear in your actions and not hesitate when working with bees: they do not like indecisiveness.

Today I went to a screening of "Queen of the Sun", a documentary on bees that I've been trying to see for months: http://www.queenofthesun.com/about/  It was shown at Shadowcliff, a beautiful old mansion overlooking the Hudson River in Nyack, NY that is the current headquarters for the Fellowship of Reconciliation, a non-profit that's been promoting non-violence since 1914.  It also happens to be the office of film director Jonathan Demme ("The Silence of the Lambs", "Philadelphia", "Rachel Getting Married").

"Queen of the Sun" looks at the dangers honeybees are facing around the world, much of which is due to commercialization.  For example, in central California there are thousands upon thousands of acres of almond trees that require pollination every year in order to produce nuts.  Because there are just almond trees in these orchards that only bloom in February, bees cannot make a home there year-round.  This lack of local bees means that thousands of bees are trucked in from all over the country in order to tend to the almond blossoms.  These traveling bees struggle with temperature/environmental changes,  eat corn syrup while in transit since they can't forage for food, and are at increased risk of contracting diseases and parasites: all of which makes the hives quite vulnerable.  But the bees who are not exploited in this way are also in jeopardy: exposure to pesticides disrupts their ability to find their way back to their respective hives and may be a cause of Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious occurrence where entire bee colonies suddenly disappear.  Since bees are necessary for vegetables and fruits to grow, there is much at stake if they are not protected.  If you eat honey, buy local!  If you want to help bees, plant flowers!

Bees were not the only insects on my mind this past week.  The theme of the day camp was "What Bugs You?" so Josh and I did some sessions with the children that focused on insects such as ants, butterflies, ladybugs, and flea beetles, in addition to the bees.  Some of the campers are wary of the bees in the garden, but most are intrigued by the numerous 6-legged creatures that call the garden their home...much as I was at the same age.  Bugs rule!

Of Cabbages and Queens

Though the regular garden maintenance and day camp sessions were in full swing last week, the interns were able to take time for some educational activities.  As part of its commitment to intern training, The Pfeiffer Center participates in the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) of the Lower Hudson Valley, which provides new farmers with opportunities to learn what is happening at other farms in the area every other Tuesday evening.

While many of the farms are located in more rural settings, some are in or around New York City.  Our host this past Tuesday was Brooklyn Grange, a 1-acre rooftop farm that, despite the name, is not located in Brooklyn, but rather in Queens.  Situated on top of a large, 6-story industrial building, this unique agricultural enterprise sold 12-13,000 pounds of vegetables to local restaurants, its 25-member CSA, and at farmers' markets last year.  The rooftop-specific soil used for the vegetable beds is made from mushroom compost and special lightweight stones, so it looks a bit strange but the plants don't seem to mind.  Drainage mats, felt, and special fiber mats located beneath the soil work to manage water dispersal on the roof in conjunction with 16 drains.  Though it's quite a remarkable feat,  sustainability may be a challenge as it is difficult to keep replenishing the soil when you have load-bearing issues to consider: it took 1 million pounds of soil just to establish the farm.  Nevertheless, it was a beautiful evening.  Elexis, Josh, Kirstin, and I meandered about the heirloom tomatoes, beets, chard, sunflowers, salad greens, and okra and enjoyed the sunset along with the cool breezes on the rooftop.  www.brooklyngrange.org

Looking over the edge between beds 1 and 0.  Note beds -1 and -2 to my right.
This is due to the lopsidedness of the building

Wednesday afternoon found me pulverizing chopped and shredded green cabbages in an earthenware crock with a potato masher in order to break down their cell walls so they could magically become sauerkraut.  I have never made anything fermented before so it was interesting to see the packing of the salted cabbage into mason jars using the leftover cores and leaves to create a sort of seal at the top of the jar which will keep the cabbage from rising above the brine and potentially spoiling.  We'll shake it occasionally and then check it in about 2 weeks.  Head Gardener Megan will be giving a workshop on food preservation techniques on July 30; this was a technical rehearsal for that event.  I have to say that I did feel like I was getting in touch with my Polish heritage with this activity.  Looking forward to preparing horseradish next...

Herban Living

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had taken on the role of "herb steward", which means I'm partially responsible for gathering, drying, and storing the plants that are used for making Pfeiffer Center salt blends, salves, and other cool things.  In addition to the familiar herbs like parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, we also dry mint, fennel, lemon verbena, lavender, catnip, comfrey, and calendula flowers.  The calendula has been blooming over the past couple of weeks and I've been trying to stay on top of gathering the blossoms...

...and getting them into the dehydrator located in the greenhouse.

The Threefold Educational Center hosts a 6-week nature-focused day camp program on the campus each summer and this year's session started last week.  Visiting the garden is part of the daily schedule for the campers, who range in age from 5 to 15.  The interns are tasked with finding various ways to engage the children in the garden.  We have them taste and smell different plants, weed beds and then plant seeds, tear out things that are past season like sweet pea vines, and also pick herbs.  The lower trays in the dehydrator are very full in this photo because the campers harvested mint and lemon verbena and then went the extra step of picking the leaves off the stems.

Once those calendula blossoms are dry, we'll remove the petals and soak them in a jar of olive oil for a few weeks.   The resulting infusion will be an ingredient in the salve we'll make in the late fall/early winter.  Calendula is known for its soothing and healing properties, which is why you find it in lotions and creams.  The Pfeiffer Center salve is a favorite among the locals and a bestseller during the Christmas shopping season.  Here's some additional information on calendula, including a recipe for the infusion and a salve:
http://culture.wnyc.org/articles/last-chance-foods/2011/jun/10/calendula-anise-hyssop-flower-power/

Another flowering plant mentioned in the article is anise hyssop, which is a favorite of the bees in the garden here.  I washed out an almond butter jar today in preparation for anise hyssop leaf sun tea.  I'll let you know how that works out for me.

Best wishes for the 4th of July!

Suckers!

Attention Tomato Growers!  If you see leaves and/or stems protruding from the middle of two branches, such as those pictured above, remove them immediately.  They are draining energy away from the potentially delectable tomatoes you have your heart set on for later in the summer.  These suckers are roadblocks on the path to deliciousness: do not let them win!!!

Sharing the Wealth

With the passing of the solstice last week, there is a sense of spring tenderness transitioning to summer hardening in the plants.  We've been busy harvesting for the farmstand that's open in the garden Mondays and Wednesdays and also the Threefold Cafe, the Hungry Hollow Food Co-op, the Fellowship Community (which cares for the elderly), and a local food bank.  Since food banks are mainly stocked with non-perishable items like canned goods, it always pleases me when fresh vegetables can be made available to them.  Increasing access to locally grown produce as well as helping people grown their own is what inspired me to do this internship in the first place.  Right now there's enough chard in the garden to feed a village, so why not share it?

Highlights of the week included

Let's put Chapstick out of business!

• Helping to "split" a hive known as Feliciana that was filling up with larvae, comb, and honey due to a very productive colony.  In order to encourage further productivity, some of the frames of larvae and comb and nursemaid bees were transferred into an empty hive with the hope that they will start a new colony.  The queen bee was left behind in the original hive, so the transferred nursemaids will be forced to raise a new queen.  This reduces the possibility of Feliciana swarming, not that swarming is a bad thing, but this hive is located in a somewhat secluded place where a swarm would not typically be noticed and therefore, the colony could be lost to the woods.

• Learning how to make lip balm using beeswax and olive oil from my fun former fellow intern Kirstin McKeel (shown above), who finished her year at the Pfeiffer Center recently but fortunately will be around for the summer.  These items were packaged and offered for sale at a fundraiser last night along a with an herbal tea blend.
• Making 30+ pieces of origami to complement the bouquets of flowers decorating the tables at the aforementioned fundraiser.  Keeping with the garden theme, I folded some colorful dragonflies, frogs, and rabbits, but found that the latter are not as windproof due to the long ears.
• Waiting out a very heavy rainstorm in the greenhouse and getting a few trays of fennel fronds packed into the dehydrator in the process.  My fellow herb stewards and I have been trying to keep the dehydrator full, but continuous rain has interfered with our plans.  We're hoping for a drier week this week (pun intended).

Correction- When describing the fabulous bunch-of-grapes costume I wore in the 2010 DC Pride Parade, I neglected to mention that it was trifecta of designers who created it for me, one that included the delightful Angela Gaudette as well as Jane and Tamika.   

Relocation Update- I found a nice, newly renovated, 2-bedroom apartment on a quiet tree-lined street in a historic neighborhood in Albany last weekend.  It's walking distance to the hospital where Mike will be working and the rent is less than what we are paying in DC (not that that should surprise anyone).  Now we just need to get everything moved, including Zoe.  Stay tuned...

Here are some photos from the garden this morning:

Baby robins sleeping in one of the apple trees

Red and green cabbage drenched in sunshine

Bees love lavender

Bachelor button gets a visit from a flower bee

Parsnips gone to seed

In Between Days

The past two weeks...a blur...  Here are the highlights:

• An unexpected Memorial Day weekend visit from my sister Kerry and her old friend Dana consisted of a tour of the garden and a visit to the Dairy Queen

• Bringing in the hay with temperatures in the high 90's: the last time I sweat that much I was in full foil fencing gear getting trounced by my friend Nichole.  Despite the heat, it was fun to collect large piles of hay and spear them with your hayfork to lift them over your head before tossing them onto the hay wagon

• Riding on top of all that hay when it was time to take the wagon down to the barn
• Picking and eating strawberries that are still warm from the sun
• Learning how to do a somewhat complicated series of knots in order to train the tomato plants to grow upward on plastic twine
• Appointing myself "The Herb Steward" and taking on some of the responsibilities of drying herbs, flower petals, etc. for use in teas, salves, and other products later in the year
• Walking through the garden with my grocery list and harvesting the herbs and greens I needed for cooking

For extracurricular activities, I've taken a few day trips.  Mike's best childhood friend, Frank Massimo, his wife Amy, and their son Nick, live about 12 miles away in New Jersey.  They gave me an introductory lesson in sitting on a deck and enjoying tasty snacks on a beautiful afternoon, which was much appreciated.  My former Food & Friends co-worker Meg Coffman and her husband Aaron were in town for a wedding and lured me into Manhattan for a visit to the fascinatingly chaotic Eataly food hall followed by people-watching while eating lunch on a bench in Madison Square Park.  Meg shares my love of a good walk, so we explored The High Line, the former elevated railway along 10th Ave. that has been transformed into a wonderful public park.  Check it out if you are in NYC: www.thehighline.org/

Not everyone may be aware that Mike has accepted a position at the Veterans' Administration hospital in Albany, NY.  That's only about 2 and a half hours from where I am currently living.  There are many farms in what's referred to as the Capital District and the local food movement seems to be quite strong, so I'm hoping there will be opportunities for me when I finish the internship.  (Baking Fans- there's a bakery in Albany that offers a weekly bread share, like a CSA, from Nov. to April.  I'll be looking into that for sure.)  

This is not to say that I haven't been homesick, especially with so many new routines/ideas/personalities to adapt to.  I've tried to keep my long-held routine of cooking for most of the week on Sunday afternoon/evening and have found that this DC pattern is so strong I sometimes catch myself thinking I need to give Zoe her medication or ask my neighbors Betty & Rita for missing ingredients just as I would've done at home. 

This past weekend marked the first time since 2003 that haven't marched in the Pride parade as a representative of Food & Friends.  I knew it would've been difficult to top the bunch-of-grapes costume made of purple balloons (designed expressly for me by my talented former co-workers Jane Yamaykin and Tamika Hodnett) that I strutted in last year, but it would have been fun to try.  Perhaps something that the crowd wouldn't have tried to rip off of me, but then again...  ;-)

It's late and I've got compost to layer in the morning, so I have to stop for now.  Good night, all.

You can tell they are mine by the freckles...

I do wear gloves as much as possible.  This, however, required a fine touch.
Photo courtesy of Kirstin McKeel.

Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide

I guess I'd better step it up with these postings as my cat, Zoe Faith Ripley Bates Ramone, has surpassed me in blog entries.  The Z. has always been quite clever, but I suspect she's been getting help from her nanny with the blogging.  She's been letting cyberspace know exactly what she thinks of me, Mike, the neighbors, and the furniture in the apartment in no uncertain terms.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: she's the most defiant pet I've ever had.

Weeks of rain finally gave way to intense sunshine this week with highs in the mid-80's.  This put my Skin Protection Plan to the test.  Back in college, there was riddle that went like this: "What's red and white and sits under a tree?"  The answer was "Laura Otolski".   Unfortunately, I cannot carry a tree around with me while I work here, so I must rely on sunblock and clothing to keep me safe.  Here's my typical gardening outfit on a sunny day:

• Base coat of Blue Lizard Sport Sunblock SPF 30 on face, neck, arms, and hands (originally created in Australia, this is a physical sunblock rather than a chemical one so it doesn't sting your eyes)
• Long sleeve cotton tee shirt in pastel color
• Long cotton twill pants in light stone color (the linen ones will come out later in the summer)
• Light-colored socks that cover my ankles 
• Wellies in the morning, switching to old sneakers or hiking boots by mid-day
• Light-colored, wide-brimmed hat (that I bought at EMS for kayaking on the Hudson River in the early 90's)
• Polarized, impact-resistant, wraparound Wiley X sunglasses (obtained through my favorite ophthalmologist, Darren Hathaway)

Cue the Barry White tunes cuz I'm lookin' hot!

I know what you're thinking, 'Laura's really got it goin' on in her farm gear.'  Of course, I could lie and tell you I'm bringin' style to fieldwork, but what's the use.  Redheads get the short end of the stick when it comes to fun in the sun.  It's no accident that I haven't included a photo of myself.  However, I was able to work in an open field for a few hours tossing freshly cut hay with a pitchfork to help it dry and not come away sunburned.  Sore muscles yes, sunburn no.  My fellow interns can't all say that.

You are getting very sleepy...

Earlier in the week, I was tasked with picking chamomile flowers with groups of 4th-graders and the other interns.  Later, as I was sitting in the shade sorting these small relatives of the daisy, a Sicilian grandmother came by and exclaimed, "Ahh, chamomilia!" I learned from her daughter that she had had a field of it back in her village in Italy and it would be picked for tea.  I too was picking it for tea, but also for a preparation that is applied to the compost piles.  People drink the tea for its calming effect, but the interns will tell you that just picking it makes you feel sedated after a while.

The tomato trellises by night

Today we celebrated the planting of the tomatoes and getting through 3 hot days by dipping into "the DQ Fund" and taking the pick-up a few miles down Chestnut Ridge Road for some frosty treats.  Our rather dirty clothes certainly set us apart from the crowd as the 5 of us waited in the line to place our orders at the Dairy Queen window, but nothing was coming between me and that root beer float. 

And now a few words about our sponsor...

I had watering duty today.  This might come as a surprise, but the plants don't have any concept of "weekend", so someone has to water the ones in greenhouse and some of the ones still in pots outside.  After taking care of that, I wandered around the garden.  Here's some lettuce I helped plant a few weeks ago:

I am still amazed that these were grown from tiny seeds.

Remember those sunflower seedlings from a few weeks ago?

 It seemed very appropriate to be in a garden today as my wedding took place in a botanical garden in Richmond, VA on this date 12 years ago.  Mike and I chose a reading from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, that was dutifully delivered by My Favorite Cousin, Susan Otolski, during the ceremony.  It described the strong pillars of the temple standing together yet apart, and the oak and the cypress growing not in each other's shadow.  We didn't fully realize at that time how well those words described our relationship, but they certainly have rung true over the past 4 years in particular.  We've been apart much of the time as Mike travels for work, but he was in my corner through my emotional departure from Food & Friends and again with my subsequent decision to pursue a more agriculturally-oriented career path.  This internship would not be possible without the financial freedom he has given me, and I feel very grateful to have such a supportive and enthusiastic partner in life.   Thank you, Mike.

So, while we're on the subject of vitality in relationships, look at this beautiful crimson clover that is growing in some of the beds that are resting in the garden.  In order to keep the soil healthy, beds need to be taken out of production every few years or so to give them time to restore their fertility.  Known by the charming term "green manures", legumes like clover, alfalfa, and peas help restore nitrogen to the soil.  Clover and alfalfa also have the added benefit of being a "biological subsoilers", which means they both have root systems strong enough to break up compacted soil far below the surface thus allowing subsequent plants to have greater access to deeper supplies of water and nutrients.  Clover also attracts bees: another great reason to have it in the garden.

Speaking of bees, another hive swarmed on Friday, but I missed it.  I think I was bringing the horses down from the pasture with Elexis when half of the hive known as Sophita decided it was time to find a new home.  According to an old saying, "A swarm in May is worth a bale of hay.  A swarm in June is worth a silver spoon.  But a swarm in July isn't worth a fly."  If you can determine the origin of this adage, I'll send you a prize.

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Rain Pants & New Shoes

Not too much to report on last week.  We spent most of the time writing plant names on Popsicle sticks and weeding flats in preparation for the annual Pfeiffer Center Plant Sale, which took place this past weekend.  The sale netted $8400, which was significantly more than last year, due in large part to the Garden Gold potting soil.  It's all the rage in Chestnut Ridge and the surrounding villages.

Yesterday, I ventured off campus and hopped a train into New York City to have brunch with fellow Food & Friends alumni Janice Cori, Kirsten Feyling, Greg Diamond, and Suzanne McMahon.  It was great to catch up and tell them about the past 3 weeks here.  Kudos to Kirsten for building a raised bed for vegetables in her cozy DC backyard.  Suzy, I hope you are able to do the same in New Jersey.

I'll really be able to whirl about like leaves on the wind in these babies.

Today started with care and feeding of the horses and rain.  After getting a bit soaked, we went into the dorm to drink tea until it was time for our eurythmy lesson.  Head Gardener Megan gave me a pair of eurythmy shoes (see right), so I'm going to be looking professional at our next lesson.  

Around mid-morning, I joined up with a group of kindergartners who were visiting from a local school.  After they had checked out the lettuce and chard beds in the garden, we brought them into the greenhouse.  We were talking about the baby plants on the table when a downpour suddenly began pounding on the roof.  It was so loud that Outdoor Educator Carol encouraged the children to yell to see if we could hear ourselves over the din.  Of course, they obliged.  When things started quieting down up above, one of the little girls turned to me and said "That was the rain making that noise?" with a look of surprise on her face.

When the rain let up, we showed the kids the outdoor oven made from clay and straw that is used to bake bread.  Then I stood next to a hive to show them that you don't need to be scared of bees.  This was followed by stops at the bees' favorite watering hole (a large plastic lid with sticks and stones to keep them from drowning), the tool shed, and the cabin where they got to smell some dried herbs.  The children's teacher is a gardener so she incorporates plenty of horticulture into her lesson plans.  After their outdoor time, the class headed indoors to learn how to make beeswax candles.  I, however, had to join the other interns in thinning the carrot bed in the rain.

Now, I'd like to say a few words about my new favorite article of clothing: Helly-Hansen rain pants.  I ordered them from REI for $25 after reading a 4-star review from someone who wore them to do 4 months of trail maintenance in Alaska.  They are worth every freakin' penny and more!  I don't know why they aren't a standard component of everyone's wardrobe.  They may very well be the most practical thing I've ever owned.  This is also a good opportunity to say thank you to my DC neighbor Rita Mortellaro for the REI raincoat she gave me.  It's a great companion to the pants.

Since we all worked at least one day over the weekend because of the plant sale, we were given time off this afternoon (but Josh and I still went to give the horses their afternoon feeding).  Lunchtime involved watching Elexis try to eat lasagna noodles like they were a much smaller type of pasta, Josh trying to eat a salad made with lettuce that was wasn't adequately washed, and Peter (aka The Dorm Mother) showing up with brownies for all of us from the cafe.  It was quite entertaining.

Bill Rocks!

Sunday morning at the hive

Sunflower seedlings

Basil, basil, and more basil...

A big shout-out to My Mom's Main Man, Bill Strauss, for the snazzy new camera he sent me.  Now I can document this experience in living color. (Happy Mother's Day to Bill's Main Squeeze!)

After all my talk about the bees, I thought it appropriate to include a shot of Imagination, the hive that swarmed the first week I was here.  Look carefully and you can see the bees flying toward the entrance.  Things seem to be going well for both Imagination and the still unnamed new hive a week post-swarm.

Second shot is of the sunflowers I started from seed in the greenhouse, where most of the day is spent when it rains.  It's very peaceful to seed and transplant things while the rain beats on the roof.   There are probably close to several thousand plants in there now.  I had watering duty this morning, and it took some careful maneuvering not to knock over the various trays of seedlings with the hose.

Third shot is a patchwork of the various types of basil we transplanted.  Can't you just taste the pesto??  Fellow intern Elexis and I are already dreaming about all the things we can preserve to eat in the winter months.

I almost forgot to mention that last Thursday I had the chance to help disk one of the fields.   Disking involves turning and breaking up clumps using a somewhat fierce-looking machine with about a dozen round metal blades that rotate as they are pulled through the soil.  The dynamic equine duo of Captain and Eva pulled the disking machine as Mac directed them via their lines (that's teamster lingo for reins) and I steered the machine with Peter coaching me.  As you may or may not know, horses are very strong and can move quite fast, so I had to take leaping steps behind the machine in order to keep it in the center of the row.  You definitely are living in the moment with this task.

Friday and Saturday were focused on second-to-last training session for what's known as "The Year-long Course".  This program provides part-time training in biodynamic growing practices with regular monthly sessions from September to June.  The interns attend all of these sessions for free.  Highlights included painting the trees in the orchard with a special paste made of manure, clay, and sand and turning the barrel compost.  Rather than building the typical pile of refuse, barrel compost is made by digging a shallow pit, lining it with bricks, and layering in horse manure that is then treated with special botanical preparations to help with its decomposition before covering it with plywood.  The pit had been created a month earlier so it was time to turn the manure and add more of the preparations.  It should be done breaking down in another month or so.  I know you can hardly wait to see my photos of that!