Hiatus, But First: This

I just completed a new website design for my friends, Linda and Steven Butler, at Lindencroft Farm up in Ben Lomond. I had written about Linda before, back in November—I was so impressed with the beauty and integrity of her vegetables. Every single thing I saw at the farm was gleaming with health.

When I visited Lindencroft earlier this week, I found major construction: Steven had been digging (and digging and digging, with their tractor) lots of new beds for 200 asparagus crowns and more that they are going to be planting. Fruit trees had arrived, and there is a great deal still growing, even despite the frost, the freeze, and the lack of rain. (By the way, "Lindencroft" is a combination of "Linda" and "Steven," and apparently, unbeknownst to me, "croft" means "farm." So technically "Lindencroft Farm" would be redundant, but I recommended including "farm" so people wouldn't get confused.)

The Butlers (no relation to me, but maybe they're related to my Yankee stepfather) are just wonderful people. If you are in their CSA, count yourself as being a very fortunate person. TWENTY kinds of peppers, and FORTY kinds of tomatoes: start there. The list of the seasonal produce makes me drool. And it's their asparagus that secured them a spot in the Santa Cruz farmers markets: hooray for that. (They'll be there in the springtime, and will also have their fire-roasted peppers to offer—lucky us!)

Pictured here: microgreens in the greenhouse.

Please do visit the website: it's good reading, and you will realize the intelligence and depth of commitment to the healthiness of their plants that Steven and Linda bring to bear. And if you're a resident of the Santa Cruz mountain communities, well, the Lindencroft CSA is an incredible value. (Lucky me, Linda cooked lunch for me, so I got to have some of their greens for myself. Heavenly good.)

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Logan turned three last Tuesday. His delight and fascination with the "knife guys" (knights) is relentless, and many new jousters came into our house. The big developments are really big: he's completely potty-trained, even at night, and he no longer has a bottle (a "mook ba-ba"—"mook" being rice milk) or a pacifier (the "beebee") at all.

He's also just the most charming, affectionate, sweet and wonderful little boy, who regularly says things like, "Nana, you're the best guy I've ever met in my yife." Today we cuddled when he woke up in the morning, and before and after his nap. He is such a blessing. (How do you like his birthday candles?  They're on top of cornbread, iced with cream cheese frosting. By his special request, that cornbread.)

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Pictured here: some of the peppers grown at Lindencroft (this was taken in November).

News from here: I am going to be writing only sporadically for the next couple of months. For one thing, I have more work on my plate than I know what to do with, and I need to make some serious money. I've got a big project with Stanford that will take the next eight or nine weeks, and that's going to keep me plenty busy. And since the farms are all fairly dormant right now, it's a good time to sit back. I can't promise to write once a week, even—we'll just see how it goes. I am very excited about the projects I've got lined up, and excited to think that I'll earn enough to replace my dead Mac laptop, so I can travel. Travel, hopefully, to New York, the Midwest, and home to Georgia. I'm nervous about the latter: though my sisters have promised not to inflict Bill O'Reilly on me, what if they forget?

I will try to at least post photos occasionally, after all, a picture's worth a thousand words, right?

Anyway, that's all for today.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY: “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” — Saint Thomas Aquinas

Thanks to Steven and Linda for the opportunity to help them shine their lights more brightly.

And thanks to you, for visiting.

Comments

[Lydia]

Tana, I wish you well on all of your new (and exciting) projects. I will miss your voice in my ear on a regular basis, but I'm a firm believer in blogging only when you have time, energy, and something to say. You have set the highest standards for that.

[J.Y. Lym]

Hi Tana,

I will miss your regular postings; good luck with your projects.

By the way, the goats and sheep are settling in their new home very well. They have company--pygora goats and puppies and ducks and chickens and new kids to play with in Happy Valley. Thanks for making this happen!

Do you know if and when and where Claravale has moved its milking facilities?

Best,
JY

[lee]

I'll miss you but I think you've inspired me to do the same. Blogging is hard work and the pay sucks! Haha!