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.

Leaving comments

I've heard that some people have been unable to leave comments.  I have adjusted my blog settings, so this should no longer be a problem.  Please try again.  Thanks.

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!