Epiphanies down on the farm
I have experienced many epiphanies since I became a local food
consumer. Here are three.
I was never great at science, so when I first went to work for
my Dad and he attempted to educate me about his very particular
composting method, I did not get it the first time. I understood
that he collected waste from the cannery in town, manure from a
local dairy, added yard waste and any scraps left over from his
crops and a few other ingredients and blended them all together.
After several weeks he had a pile of dirt that he would then spread
in his fields.
Epiphanies down on the farm
I have experienced many epiphanies since I became a local food consumer. Here are three.
I was never great at science, so when I first went to work for my Dad and he attempted to educate me about his very particular composting method, I did not get it the first time. I understood that he collected waste from the cannery in town, manure from a local dairy, added yard waste and any scraps left over from his crops and a few other ingredients and blended them all together. After several weeks he had a pile of dirt that he would then spread in his fields.
But the science behind the process – how the different products became that dirt, the exact ph balance he strived for, why it needs to be kept covered and at an even temperature, the purpose of testing it daily – well, it all sounded good, but I still did not realize how it affected the food he grows. It was not until he drove me out to his compost site on Shore Road and I was able to see the long rows of dirt, each at a different stage of the process, and feel it, that it all made sense.
The basic principal behind his compost is that it needs to be aerobic, or alive, and breathing just as we are. Like our own bodies are considered in perfect health at 98.6 degrees, Dad’s compost is at its prime at 149 degrees. When compost is at its healthiest level, it is rich with vitamins and nutrients. When it is spread in the field before a crop is planted, it builds the organic matter in the soil, or establishes a more vitamin and nutrient-rich environment for growing crops. I realized if I eat food that is healthier, I will be too!
In general, people associate compost with manure and foul smells. Dad told me if compost smells bad, its ph is not balanced and something is wrong. Just like when we are sick our body temperature is often higher or lower than it should be. He said aerobic compost should smell like the forest and suggested I smell for myself. Reluctantly, I stuck my hand in one of the piles and lifted the dirt to my nose. He was right! I was immediately transferred to a redwood forest surrounded by ferns and the sound of chirping crickets as I took in the clean smell of the dewy aroma emanating from the compost. He then told me to stick my hand further in to the compost heap, but not too far, because it was hot. Trusting him a little more now, I did. It was very warm and as I observed the steam rising from the row being turned by a tractor next to us, it all came together. The steam was the breath of the compost; the warmth I felt from the pile quite simply, life.
As we drove back to the farm, my mind buzzed with this new revelation. Comparing his finished product to that of a healthy human being was all I needed to understand the importance of his method. This was Dad’s way of creating life, and enriching his customers’ lives by growing food that holds more vitamins and nutrients than your average fruits and vegetables found in the supermarket.
One of my other favorite moments happened last month when I was shopping at Phil Foster’s farm stand one Saturday morning. I was excited to find sweet potatoes for sale among his seemingly endless variety of vegetables. A couple of years ago when I first approached Phil to supply produce for my CSA program, I asked him if he ever thought about growing sweet potatoes for his customers. Dad had done a trial of the Japanese variety the year before and because they were so delicious – almost like a sweet Yukon potato I would say – I wanted more. Phil liked the idea, but it was not until I visited his farm that day that I learned he had added them to his harvest schedule.
The ability to establish a personal relationship like this reminds me of a time when everyone said hello when passing each other on the street. I savor these connections. It makes cooking fun and I appreciate what is on my plate more so knowing that it was just harvested days before it arrived in my home, knowing that Phil grew these sweet potatoes after a conversation we had, and experiencing the abundance of taste in each bite cannot be had from a piece of food that has traveled across the country, or even a continent, before it landed in my local supermarket.
A few years ago Dad grew rutabagas and turnips for the first time. I had never eaten either vegetable before but having since developed a taste for beets and green beans and corn – three things I was never fond of as a kid – I knew I would be giving them a try. What delicious flavors they have! Turnips are sweet with a radish-y bite at the end. Rutabagas are more mild and delicious when boiled and mashed with carrots. They both have a crunch more addictive than a potato chip when eaten raw. I love to chop them up in to match sticks and eat them while I am cooking dinner. The hardest part for me now is to decide how to eat them as the options are endless. They are readily available this time of year in San Benito County.
If you have a lot of them to eat, here is my favorite soup recipe:
Hearty Rutabaga, Turnip and Carrot Soup
– From Bon Appetit
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped leeks or onions
½ cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups peeled turnips
2 cups peeled rutabagas
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups potatoes, russets or Yukon are best
1 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes in juice
7 ¼ cups vegetable stock
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add leek or onions, celery and garlic and saute until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add turnips, rutabagas, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes with juices and 2 cans broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes.
Transfer 4 cups soup to processor. Puree until almost smooth. Return puree to pot. Add remaining 2 cans broth; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
