The Earth's Axis MUST be Spinning Faster

Doesn't it feel as though life is speeding up...or is that just me? Maybe it is just Spring and that is our time to hurry up and grow! I mean, work! Whatever the reason, we find ourselves very busy!

We have been experiencing a late Spring storm and are expecting another 2 inches of rain today. So much for mowing the lawn. I can't complain...we so badly need the rain! It did slightly dampen the spirits for our first Healdsburg Farmers Market...but only slightly. It was fun to finally make it to market and I couldn't stop smiling, even in the rain!

It was a bit dreary picking in the rain. I was not a happy camper. On the other hand, we ended up with a "body" of Swiss chard!

I found myself with time to spare while at market and took pictures down the aisle.

While I was at market, Chef Jeff was over at Relish Culinary Adventures teaching a class on Cheesemaking! (yes, another skill!) I wandered over to the school after market, dried off, and was able to take some pictures as well as sample the fabulous fresh mozzarella (in a beet salad and on pizza!) and then fresh Meyer Lemon ricotta in Cannoli. YUM!!!

Yesterday was the Annual Gathering for the membership of Sonoma County Farm Trails. Chef Farmer Jeff and I, along with other board members, produced the food for the event. It was great to be able to visit with everyone! Farm Trails also gives scholarships to 4 high school seniors that are heading into a career in the agricultural field. It is so great to meet and recognize the next generation of farmer.

We are getting ready for another week of...work. All good...but it prompted Chef Jeff to decant our vinegar (yes, he does sleep, but he wakes up with far more energy than I!!!) Here is a picture of our first BIG batch of Eastside Farm Vinegar!

Have a great week!

Where in the world...?

(The above photo was taken by Alan Campbell at "Site 3", aka The Ruff Garlick Patch, of
Eastside Farm. Thank you, Alan!)

We haven't been on vacation, we haven't been sick, we HAVE been working our A***S OFF!!!

The farm is full to burstin' with corn, peppers, tomatoes, chiles, eggplant and more chiles! We have been picking, taking care of business at both the farm and at our restaurant, ZIN, have been selling at 3 farmers' markets AND catering 2-3 events a week!!!

In the last two weeks we have:
Had a visit from my German girl friend and former co-worker, Miz Julia, seen here with our other former co-worker, Muff.








The next day after this picture was taken, we catered a high end birthday party for 40 in the Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves. It was beautiful!






In addition to catering we have also been picking a lot of produce!!! We are even amazed at all that we have picked! The cherry tomatoes started coming in full force a couple of weeks ago and we are just now beginning to get our full sized tomatoes. The eggplants are starting to show up as are the peppers. The "Great Northern" pickling cucumbers are just flipping out with such a heavy production...we are picking something like 70 pounds every 3 days!!! Thankfully ZIN can take them.

We catered an event at Acorn Winery for their Eastside Bunch Summer Open House (99 degrees in the shade!) and made our fresh B.A.T.'s with Jeff's House-cured and smoked BACON, ZIN Garden at Eastside Farm Arugula, Tomatoes and home-made Focaccia. We also added a little home-grown Basil mayonnaise. YUMMY!!! It went PERFECTLY with their wines!

We were treated to a visit from faithful ZIN customers visiting from Utah for the afore mentioned open house. Apparently they come out every year to the Acorn event and eat at ZIN on their first night in town! Thank you!!! (So sorry, I can't find where I wrote down your names!!!)

The very next day we did another Farmers Market in Windsor and my girlfriend brought her totally darling son with her. He tasted his first raw sugar pearl corn on the cob and LOVED it!!!

I love to introduce kids to fresh produce. During market I give stuff to kids to munch on. It often freaks them out to be handed a strange raw food product, but their parents are amused by it and encourage the kids to at least try it. Every once in a while they will come back after their child realizes, Hey...this tastes good!

Not to be slackers, Jeff also taught a cooking class in our back yard on Friday night with Relish Culinary Adventures. It was an all tomato class, starting with Fried Green Tomatoes and ending with a Red Fig Tomato and Ricotta Cheese tart topped with Yellow Tomato sorbet. It was GOOD!!!

I guess I just wanted to show y'all that we haven't been slackers...although right now that sounds so appealing!!! Tomorrow we rest...right after a couple of meetings and Pilates class!!!

Happy Monday!