Life is sweet and messy. Take a big bite. Frosting, sprinkles and all. Get the crumbs everywhere. Wash it down with milk and stop worrying about depriving yourself of yet more delicious treats. Just jump in and savor the sweetness.
food
Harvesting
While harvesting has to be one of the most rewarding experiences, I can't help but see how it can be one of the most arduous tasks. Just when you think that you can coast into a comfortable place, you realize that there is mountains of work left to be done. Perhaps all those seeds didn't take. Or maybe they got taken by something. Maybe your crop got too much sun or rain. It's here that you find out. And even after you reap your bountiful or pitiful harvest, you are still in for the work... the cleaning, the storing, the bottling, the canning, the preserving and the cooking. The work is never really done. It just continues in a new form. But the gratitude for the work done and the reward in front of you should always remain strong and big in your heart.
#knowyourfarmer
Mr. Lettuce - getting his bath.
Today, I got to spend a little time on my friend Jim's farm. We are working on a project together and it makes my soul sing for many reasons that I won't go into here. I have always loved a bit of gardening. But the fantasy of having my very own small scale farm is something I have dreamed about ever since I transplanted various seedlings in the forest behind my house growing up.
I have spent some time with Jim before. Documenting him, his plantings, and parts of his life in his new venture. But, today I really got it. I mean - it clicked on a level I can't express in words. The care he has for his plants and the love he has for this craft is no joke. I can assure you that every single seed is planted with care. Every crop harvested is done meticulously by hand. Every plant is processed with love. There are no pesticides. There are no chemicals in site. Just a few guinea fowl and a lot of mushroom compost and mulch.
To give you and example, each of the farm shares he has are harvested by hand. They are then INDIVIDUALLY bathed in a gentle water bath and precariously placed in coolers until delivery - which is typically the next day. This is not done for just the lettuce, but the bok choy, the carrots, the early garlic, the herbs, the potatoes, the kale, the onions, the spinach and the rest of the share. Each share is packaged immaculately and delivered TO YOUR DOORSTEP each week.
Not only is it remarkable that they grow delicious, fresh, wholesome produce from seed and deliver it to your doorstep each week. But the process of harvesting and packaging each item is done with such care you actually can tell the difference. I promise - you can taste it in the butter lettuce and the Russian River Kale. Each bite is a unique experience that takes you beyond the refrigerated aisles of your local Publix.
So next time you reach for that bag of packaged spinach - think again. Where did it come from? Who has handled it? Was it loved? Was it treated with gentle care? Who grew it? Do they really love this food? Do they actually care about what is going into this?
Get to know that farmer. I promise, it'll be the best thing you ever did.
Baby Basil
Grow, little babies. G R O W
Stretch your baby arms up to the big blue sky.
Drink in the water and the rain and the sun.
And stretch high... higher than you ever thought possible.
With all the hope of being in my belly in a few short weeks.
Grow, baby basil. GROW!
Healthy snacks
I have been working really hard the past few months on my nutrition and changing a few things. I have always been a healthy eater and enjoy most foods. I devour my Farm Share from Jim every week when it gets here in about 2 days flat. Nothing excites me more than fresh food.
As much as I like the fresh stuff, I find myself snacking on things I don't need. Cheese. Chips. Hummus. And being gluten free limits my choices some days.
So I have been working with my girl Jessie over at Best Kept Self on a nutrition plan that I can really get behind. And despite some road bumps (we shall never mention the smoothies again), I have done really well.
One of the things I have work hardest on is changing up the snacks...chips for kale chips sprinkled with sea salt. Cheddar cheese for edamame cooked to the perfect al dente texture. So far, I haven's missed much. Until the past few days at least. Nobody is perfect, right?
I have struggled these past few days with a sick child and a sick me. So when you need health to take a front seat and actually command some control, it somehow slips into the background making convenience take the wheel. Whatever is in my fridge seems to be what I grab for first. And whatever is good for me is out the door with any warm thoughts.
I saw the effect on good health a few weeks ago and it was amazing. I got the inevitable winter cold. For me, they usually last 2 weeks. This lasted 3 days. I was floored. It was the proof I needed. My body fat doesn't want to budge, but a cold running it's course in 3 days was PROOF of wellness.
So today, I will snack on kale chips. Tomorrow, I will down some fresh juice first thing. And pump up those vitamins. Because there is nothing better than a little TLC for yourself.
Planning
On the coldest days of February, my favorite thing to do is plan a little for the warm sunshine and longer days of summer. Plan on which bed the tomatoes will reside and where the squash will (hopefully) flourish. Plan on what to rotate when. Mostly, I like to plan what will nourish me most and what will sustain me through those long, hot days of summer.
Small Investments
Today is busy. Full of edits and shoot prep and future plans. I seem to run out of time so easily these days. There are only so many hours in the day to pack in all the important things.
I am trying not to run out of time for myself these days. I am really good at putting everything in front of my own needs. I could go pro. But even on my busiest days, I try to pause for a little self care. It's like making a tiny investment in a long term fund that grows without you watching it. Slowly, over time, it all becomes a habit and before you know it, you have the resources to fall back on and get you through those challenges life brings.
So today's theme is pausing in the moment for some care. This is part of it...a light lunch. Lean. Homemade. And healthy. A little fresh air and sunshine.
And a little reminder that I am worth it.
Before the frost
It's time to harvest and gather. Time to reap what we sow. It's time to duck from the hardships and collect what we need. Preparing for the frosts is never easy. But we do what we can and learn a little more every time.
It's time to hunker down and prepare for the hard freeze ahead. It's time to do the hard work. The real work. The dirty work.
Take care.
Morning rituals - fresh juice and avocado toast on Ezekiel bread. Sunday bacon for the win.
Take care of yourself. Kindly and with purpose. Gently over breakfast, or fiercely over your morning sweat. Take time for rest. Spend moments on yourself. Eat. Sleep. Play. Work. Find some spiritual center - in God, or on the beach, or a under a leaf. Find a place that you feel really small. Find a place that you feel really big. They are both really important to finding the balance we all strive for.
Just take the time to take the care of you that you deserve. You are worth it.