FARM NOTES - August 20, 2007: Week 10

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM!

Weeding for Vegetables
Weeding for Vegetables is advertised on our website, but these Weeders learned about us from Nancy, at Food For Thought. Thanks, Nancy. Randee and Patrick, and Patrick’s son, Toza, came to weed and buy veggies in early August. When weeders come, we are often very busy, scattered over the farm and someone points to a place which needs to be weeded. The first time I saw Randee and Patrick they were just two bums, sticking up from the herb garden. Toza was sitting on a bench, reading a book. We learned eventually that they are from New York City, staying at a friend’s place in Petty Harbour. As the story unfolded, it turns out that their friend is Lisle Ellis, a musician, who is also a friend of Sarah Stoker, a professional dancer. Sarah is working on the farm this summer. On Monday night, August 6th, Patrick played Saxophone at Victory Tavern, with Lisle, who does bass and “circuit” and Curtis Andrews on drums. The place was packed. Randee and Patrick came several times after that and dropped by to get veggies (not weed) the day before they left. Standing on the front porch, saying our good byes, I finally took the time to get all of the names sorted out, including the Websites. Patrick’s last name is Brennan. I haven’t been able to access his website yet. Randee Silv is a painter. Google her name to see the work of a very interesting artist, especially paintings growing out of her time in Spain and Morocco. She is also extremely knowledgeable about plants and organics.

The Saga of the Irrigation Pond!
Remember last week, I introduced Sterling Keane, our oldest and most senior hero and invited you to swim with Mike in the pond when we get the water purification system installed. On Saturday, Sterling came over to where I was weeding the sage to tell me that, the “card” they sent along to activate the $1,000 system doesn’t work; that after three or four attempts, he is sending the whole package back and asking for a new one. “Something that costs that much, you don’t want to start out with a problem.”

Wasps In The Pump House
The wasps were irritated when Sterling went into the pump house. Sheldon, a local young fellow, is familiar with wasp habits and spied the nest right away, actually two nests. While other people were running around looking for insect sprays. We don’t use them; we’re organic remember! Or conferring in the middle of the path about ideas of what to do, Sheldon donned a fly shirt and hat, rolled down his sleeves, took the propane torch from the tool shed and headed for the pump house. I followed with a tub of water in a fly shirt and long sleeves. Sheldon torched the wasp nest and it melted; next we checked the shed wall which was scorched, but no fire. We shut the doors and went back in the afternoon, to remove the nest!. However, it appears we left the large packing tub behind. The next day, after the huge wind, I could see it, in the bottom of the pond. Diving for the plastic tub may be Mike’s first job when he actually takes a plunge into the pond.

Gifts of Love and Mutual Respect
Mrs. Pick, an older woman living in St. Philip's, took the time and trouble to bring Mike some of her homemade, refrigerator Rhubarb Jam, which we have devoured on our pancakes and toast. Someone else brought us Rhubarb Chutney but Mike can’t remember her name. We also got Organic Apple Butter from Meeting Place Organic Farm in Lucknow, Ontario. These farmers came for a visit afew weeks ago and were back this week to take pictures before heading home. We had lots to share, mostly about the challenges of organic farming. Of course, we don’t have the heat they have in Ontario to get things started early, but our lettuce and greens will hold most of the season, whereas theirs goes up in smoke, or heat, by mid-June.

Ocean Net
Poor, shy, Robert O’Brien, a returning member, who is thoroughly familiar with the chill room pick-up, didn’t take a bag last Monday. he was looking for a "plastic bag" because he is in the smaller bag group this year. He didn’t realize that the SBG had graduated to the real thing. He came around twice, after supper and couldn’t get a rise from anyone in the packing shed. Bob is neither poor or shy. He is the driving force behind OCEAN NET, a very important environmental organization which recruits volunteers to clean up our beaches and water. Go to: www.oceannet.ca to see the extensive list of beaches and coves that have been cleaned up by local chapters of Ocean Net throughout the province. Also, a picture of Bob receiving a National Environmental Award. Yes, the packing shed is pretty quiet after dark. The farm workers are dead tired at the end of the evening and sink into the sunset as soon as the end of day chores like watering and closing greenhouses are finished. If you have any difficulties and there is no one in the shed, knock on the back door of the house. More than likely, someone will coming running (i.e. me).

The Beet Vampire
On Saturday, Benni Malone and partner, Marion White just happened to be driving by, going elsewhere and saw the Organic Farm Sign on the road. They were delighted to discover the farm for the first time. Marion bought several plants, soil and a few vegetables. At the last minute, she asked if we had any beets. Mike asked Alice, our core worker for picking and packing, to go to the field and pick some of various types and colours. She brought down as many as she could carry, about two or three dozen, regular, white and yellow. As Alice washed them, Mike asked Marion, how many she wanted. “Oh, I will take them all!” All? We bagged them in two or three bags. Mike priced them and Marion pulled out her money, like she was buying a Picasso. As she packed them away in her car trunk, Mike called after her, “You can used the greens too, they are wonderful steamed.” She chuckled a bit, as though she were suffering a fool, “ I know all about beet greens. Beets and beet greens are among my favourite things”.

Marion is a writer. One of her special interests is developing profiles on the achievement of local women. Her book, Not A Still Life: The Art and Writings of Rae Perlin, provides a collection of diaries, journals, letters, sketches and paintings of a woman we met in the mid-80's. My daughter, Toby, who is also an artist, admired Rae’s work for many years. The book helped us put together the early times of an artist growing up in St. John’s at a later time, when we actually purchased one of Rae’s sketches. It was a drawing of a strong minded, mischievous cat, which continues to be one of Toby’s favourite models for drawing cats. Rae was born 1910 and passed away in 2006.

My Benni, the Clown Story!
This reminded me of an adventure I had with Benni at Sunshine Camp, around 1981. Bennie was just starting to ride the unicycle and long before the fame and fortune of WONDERBOLT! When I saw him and Marion at the farm, I was reminded of this story.

I was Director of Teach-A-Tot Children’s Centre, a head start type program which rented the basement of Wesley Church. The name of the agency was later changed to Daybreak Parent Child Centre. Terry Reilly, who was already a dedicated volunteer, and other friends of Benni, who were on our Board of Directors, convinced him to volunteer for the family Christmas celebrations. It was an incredible success. Everyone felt very honoured to have real life entertainers such as Terry and Benni. So we stretched our luck and invited Benni for our end of year affair in June. We were very poor in those days. The Church basement was pretty dismal in the best of times. The outdoor area was a beat up, concrete parking lot, not even fit for riding tricycles. We were delighted to learn that Benni and Terry would perform and that the rent for Sunshine Camp was nominal, plus a $50.00 deposit, in case we lost or broke something. You guessed it. That’s the punch line!

We felt we had moved up in the world, until Benni hit the wall. It was raining on the day of the event. After organizing games for the children in the basement, we moved upstairs and pushed back the couches to make room for Benni to do his thing. Luckily, we set up the children on one side, like a little auditorium and Benni’s performance was along the opposite wall, which backs onto the kitchen. He made several circles with all of his wonderful antic. Just as he was cluing up with his grand finale, making the last large circle, the unicycle scooted forward, forcing Benni to jump off, as at WHUMPED against the wall. Our hearts stopped, then Bennie picked up the unicycle quickly, standing it upright and made light for the children, by patting the wall and apologizing, then, asking the unicycle to also apologize. “We’re so sorree! Don’t cry wall! We didn’t meant to hurt you!” We could tell he was both surprised and shocked. So were we. We all clapped for Benni, helped him out with his unicycle and set the couch back in front of the wall, covering the hole as much as possible. We went on with our activities with the children. And as they say, all’s well that ends well. The next day, I phoned the person in the City Recreation Department to explains about the hole in the wall. I didn’t actually say who punched the wall or explain what happened or tell them that we had already apologized to the wall. I held my breath again, wondering if we would be able to use the camp again and what it would cost to get the wall repaired. My mind was racing, wondering if the person would know this probably meant painting a 40 ft. wall. She responded very calmly, saying it was not problem. That the deposit covered the insurance in case something happened. She said, unfortunately, we would have to forfeit the $50.00. Big Deal! We used the camp, almost annually after that. We didn't invite Benni back to Sunshine Camp, but I think we have an old home video of him riding around the church parking lot. (We also have a 5 minute segment of Andy Wells, dressed up as Santa Claus, around the same time frame.)

Of course, Benni and WONDERBOLT, the non-profit company he created to bring smiles to children and opportunities for wannabe clowns, is the pride of all of us who knew him, especially when he was hanging out at Duckworth Lunch, with his daughter, Anahareo in a backpack. This young woman is a graduate of the National Circus School of Montreal and an incredible performer. For a real rush, Google, Anahareo White-Malone.

THIS WEEK'S RECIPES

Click on the links below to visit this week's recipes.

White Gazpacho (Cold Cucumber Soup) Absolutely Wonderful!!!
Curried Pea and Lettuce Soup
Onion Soup
Potato-Kale Soup
Gingered Greens and Tofu
Turnip Green Dip
Steamed, Pureed and Sauteed Greens
Excellent Spinach or Zucchini Casserole
Spinacia alla Romana

Cheers Everyone! And don’t forget to send us your stories, ideas, feed-back and recipes!! Even "remember when" stories.

Melba Rabinowitz