Some things worthy of mention (with links below):
From the "Local Boy Makes Good" files...I am delighted to report some wonderful news about Geoff Palla (pictured above left), of Meder Street Farms. He cut his hair (gasp!) and won the job as head gardener for Copia, "The American Center for Wine, Food, and the Arts" in Napa, California. My brief visits to Copia confirm what everyone else I know has said: the gardens are the best part of that place. And that's saying something about the multi-million dollar facility. Geoff says he likes the direction Copia's going in, and that includes the Tuesday farmers markets. I'll be visiting in October or so, and will pay a visit.
Geoff's already started his new job, and is continuing to work on his farm in Santa Cruz on weekends. The fate of the farm remains undetermined, as it would be difficult to matchmake another farmer into the "intimate" (Geoff's word) scenario that currently exists. Part of the farm is on his parents' land, and another tenant would have to be acceptable to all parties. He says he wrestled with the decision, as it means pulling up his roots: Geoff grew up in Santa Cruz and has lived here all his life.
Big congratulations to Geoff Palla, on this world-class job.
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From the "Not-as-Local Boy Makes Good" files...Bruce Cole, of the fabulous SauteWednesday.com site (which gave his readers a heads-up about this blog when it was only five days old!), has been named editor for Edible San Francisco by the founders of Edible Communities. Edible Communities, which began as Edible Ojai, has been producing the most beautiful (in every sense of the word) newsletters encouraging local and sustainable eating for years now. They're spreading across the country in what I think of as a democratic franchise, and now have 22 communities involved, including Edible Bozeman, Edible Cape Cod, Edible Twin Cities, and more. Many more to come. Congratulations to Bruce and to EC.
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Flaming Grasshopper, the blog for Chelsea Green Publishers, writes "Organic farming study is well grounded." The report is on the Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial, a 22-year study, and the results were reported in Bioscience magazine.
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Check out EcoVillage: a farm learning center in the East Bay area. Here's an article from the San Francisco Chronicle, dated January 14, 2005: "Activist honors [Dr. Martin Luther] King by farming in the city." From the article: "A project of Earth Island Institute with [Shyaam] Shabaka serving as founder and executive director, EcoVillage is a 5.5-acre oasis alongside Wilkie and San Pablo creeks where the eastern edge of Richmond meets El Sobrante. It has a produce garden, a barnyard with three sheep and a small orchard that grows heirloom apples. Paths lead through brambles to the creeks, which run year-round and support wildlife but require years of work with saws and crowbars to remove the ivy choking the banks and many of the trees."
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I read blogs so you don't have to. Well, not exactly, but if I read something worth sharing, here it is. The best story on Frog Hollow yet. What I will call "The Farmer Takes a Wife." It would kill New Yorkers to think so, but we do have a social life here in California. At a birthday party I attended last Sunday, someone was talking about Frog Hollow peaches--and how they're more expensive than our truly local peaches. So what if a single peach costs two dollars? You can get a flat for $20.
I haven't minded buying a flat so I could dole them out and feel like Lady Bounty. Actually, I did that a couple of years ago, and it felt wonderful. The only comparable thing was giving away some of the twenty pounds of Tomato Festival tomatoes that Gary Ibsen handed me last summer.
Last week, I went with my daughter and Logan up to San Francisco to meet Nikki, the photographer friend with whom I spent my birthday in San Diego. We went for lunch (sandwiches to go from Lulu Petite) to my favorite place in the city, the Ferry Building Marketplace. While there, I picked up a box of Maldon salt, which is all the rage with my foodie friends at Readerville. I plunked down $10 for a box and then Logan created a double distraction (it was distracting enough being in there: it's a beautiful spot)...I walked out without my salt. I hate it when that happens. But what I love when it happens is when the manager, Lori Regis, offered to send it to me, for free. Her exact words: "I want you to be happy." If only she could do something about the current administration, I would be ecstatic! Happily, the salt just arrived in today's mail. It's very pretty and I can't wait to use it. Thank you, Lori.
Lastly, thank you to Anonymice (you know who you are, and I have a pretty good idea) for boosting my stats!
Thought for the day: "I do not like 'this' cooking or 'that' cooking. I like 'good' cooking." —James Beard
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LINKS
Geoff Palla (photo): Small Farms blog entry
Meder Street Farm: LocalHarvest.org listing
My write-up of the 2004 Tomato Festival
That's great news about Geoff.
I just wanted to clarify about the farmers market. It is in the COPIA parking lot but is put on by Common Greens for the Napa Downtown Association. COPIA is not involved beyond providing a parking lot. I don't know if they'll even be doing that once the renovations downtown are finished.
Now come up for a visit!
Posted by: Steve Sando | 02 August 2005 at 07:55 AM
Oh, I bet you say that to all the girls!
Thank you, Señor Gordo, for clarifying that.
I'll come up as soon as it cools down a bit where you are. Give my love to your sweet little boys!
Posted by: Tana | 02 August 2005 at 10:05 AM