You Reap What You Sow

(And other organic musings on a particularly cold winter spring)

For all it’s misuse by some, the bible has many wonderful phrases and allegories that draw on or illuminate common experiences—especially agriculture, for example:

“…whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

(Galatians 6:7)

Despite this unusual, cold and rainy spring weather, or with some plants perhaps because of it, the garden has been bountiful with a variety of vegetable.

The days have been cooler than typical for this time of year, the nights much colder, and the number of rain events (though not the total amount of rain) has been more frequent.

As a result, many of the cooler, early spring vegetables have continued to produce nicely. Oh, they have been flirting with bolting during bouts of warm, but not as aggressively as might otherwise be typical. And, though the warmer weather plants—tomatoes, summer squash, cucumber—have been challenged; they’ve been starting to take off. (However, many herbs have been stunted a bit, and it’s just still too cold at night—lows in the 40’s to flirting with high 30’s(!!!)—to expect much from winter squash or melons.)

However, overall, the efforts of the last many months have, in fact, been coming to fruition! I want to really emphasize the “last many months” part, for it does take a fair amount of attention and effort to get the bounty we are experiencing no, especially in organic growing—digging under & turning the soil, mulching, composting, cover crop, seed starts, weeding, cultivating, conditioning the soil…

And, may I just say, most of these activities have to be done in a timely way, rain or shine…YES! Your organic gardener works in the cold and rain to get the spring garden prepared…That’s how it all makes it to the farmer’s markets, organic grocers, restaurants, and kitchen you frequent.
Local, organic, sustainable produce takes a lot of effort well before it makes it to your plate! And it involves a great deal of physical effort when one is not relying on chemicals or mega farms to make it grow.

I was at a wonderful (if unusually chilly, but I’ve already covered that) “farm-to-table” event produced by Outstanding in the Field a great local organization that “re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food, and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it.”

Our event was at the spectacular McEvoy Ranch in the Marin County part of the Petaluma area, a wonderful place, organization and product (a good use of the San Francisco Chronicle family fortune). Our tickets for the event were procured by our friends Jessica and Nicole in a mad online dash worthy of a Lady Gaga concert event (did I mention I’m going to see her for my birthday!), or, even a U2 concert! (Well, Jessica pursued them online, but I’m pretty sure she made Nicole bring her coffee refills.)

The event was lovely, on the grounds of the ranch, after an informative and engaging tour of their olive oil production facility. I enjoyed myself despite the mushrooms and limited imagination on making vegetarian options to the braised beef cheeks. And, for half of our party, the wine was well sampled…

I was interested to notice that the guests were very proud of their “farm-to-table” experience, feeling like they were really getting in touch with the source of their food (even though the ranch only provided the lovely olive oil used in the dishes). However, without taking anything from the event or the truly authentic passion on the part of the guests, I was stuck by the notion that their experience was of a culinary effort more so than of a farming effort.

The ranch is a tremendous example of organic, sustainable farming, but it was more a destination, and I wondered how much the guests were giving thought (and thanks) to the people who raised the produce, meat and wine they were consuming.

Did they understand how much effort went into producing all of the various elements? How much hands-on farming and ranching did they imagine it took to produce the raw materials that went into each dish? When did they imagine each individual farm, ranch and vineyard start working on those particular harvests? For how long? At what time of year? Overcoming what trials and tribulations of nature?

And who did the harvest, the slaughter, the pressing of grapes? The cleaning, bottling and packaging? Not to mention the transport to market.

If you are reading this blog, you more than likely are interested in, supportive of, or committed to local, organic, sustainable efforts in food production. I just ask that you take a moment to remember that the kale you recently consumed started as a process as early as January or February or last fall even, that the peas that made it to your plate took a lot of hand intensive effort to grow, and that the tomatoes you plan to eat this summer have been giving farmers fits and starts this last month to get them growing just so, to survive the unusual cold, without becoming stunted, to produce the local, organic, juicy fruit you so crave.

You do that best my enjoying and appreciating the experience of food—one of the core missions of River Myst Haven—but you can also visit a farm or ranch, go on a farm tour, an upcoming wine, food or harvest festival, or just giving thanks or a thought when you buy local next time.
Also, check out our events page on this site to see some of the wonderful upcoming experiences we have planned for you to attend!

Oh, and it never hurts to say “thanks” to a grower or vintner…or hugging a farmer!

~Timothy