Seeing All Sides

Visiting Josh & Taylor - two former interns

2012-02-04T19:08:00.000-05:00

and Josh is Susan's nephew.

Just a few More

2012-02-04T19:06:00.000-05:00

Susan in Florida

2012-02-04T19:05:00.000-05:00

Franklin on our Florida Trip Jan 2012

2012-02-04T19:02:00.000-05:00

Couples ?

2012-02-04T19:00:00.000-05:00

Time for Dancing

2012-02-04T18:59:00.000-05:00

Those Handsome Groomsmen

2012-02-04T18:56:00.000-05:00

Ta-Da

2012-02-04T18:55:00.000-05:00

Pretty Pairs

2012-02-04T18:47:00.000-05:00

Gettin Gussied Up

2012-02-04T18:46:00.000-05:00

Rehearsal Dinner & Prayer Circle

2012-02-04T18:44:00.000-05:00

Wedding Prep - October 22, 2011

2012-02-04T18:41:00.000-05:00

Christmas Time 2011

2012-01-19T08:59:00.000-05:00

Dr. Jako: Susan found this jacket at - where else - Goodwill and 'doctored' it up a bit.

Erik came to visit for ten days and his dad, Roy, came for a few days as well. Here we hiked up Bearwallow Firetower trail for a peak view.

Franklin's mom, Nancy, and sister Judy also came for a few days and we had a grand time. We're so thankful for all the company!

To My Sons

2011-09-06T14:03:00.000-04:00

I know I'm going to cry when I see all three of you together and in suits and at such an occasion as Jake & Sara's wedding. So be prepared. I'm fine now but I just had the thought of all three of you standing there at the front of all of us and it's going to be joyful but sad at the same time. No parent escapes it.

I love all three of you so much and am so thankful for the gift of you. It's been God's greatest mercy to allow me to see each of you grow into men who love each other, who help the weak, who want to know Truth, who we can talk to as friends, and who think deeply. I sometimes wonder what your brother Providence would have been like but I believe he lives in love truer than we can now know and that I will see him at some point, as he truly is. In some ways he will be standing there with all of you at the wedding because his very short life affected yours in many ways.

I'm thankful to have you as my sons and will love you forever. You came from eternity and are going back one day. In the meantime, I'm privileged to have been a guide and hold you close. I will celebrate if and when any of you have the same opportunity. We give life to children but they give us so much more. Thank you and thank God for the gift of yourselves to Dad and I and to the world. Love, Mom

Therapudic.

2011-08-26T18:54:00.000-04:00

Serious horseshoes. Serious audience.

2011-08-26T18:53:00.000-04:00

Rehersal Dinner Site

2011-08-26T18:51:00.000-04:00

On October 21st, we'll be hosting the rehersal dinner
at the two Luce cabins down by the river. A more
beautiful spot would be hard to come by.

At The Garden with Josh

2011-08-26T18:46:00.000-04:00

August mid-week harvest. Edamame, potatoes, squash,
corn, tomatoes....

Josh gets ready to take the load to the pantry or the
Welcome Table.

Warren Wilson College students have a workday and
among other things, help us paint the Swedish-blue &
yellow barn. They actually stained the parts we were
not painting. They don't have a football team but this guy
could have played for it if they did.

After a week on the job, Josh shows students how to
tilth a bed.

Down by the River

2011-08-26T18:41:00.000-04:00

As evidenced by his ability to slackline,
Walker got a masters in balance.

Jake & Sara

A 'balanced' relationship.

Josh looking for the ideal skipping rock. Sara has a rel-
ative named Bill who is an engineer and you've never
seen anyone skip rocks like he does.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm

2011-08-05T18:20:00.002-04:00

Cargill's meat causes 76 illnesses and one death. Will anyone be
held accountable, including jail time? Likely not.

Three people arrested and charged with conspiracy. Their crime?
Selling raw milk and cheese.

Love That Booker T.

2011-07-19T13:34:00.002-04:00

There are two ways of exerting one's strength; one is pushing down, the
other is pulling up. -- Booker T. Washington

Elements

2011-07-13T15:32:00.000-04:00

Dirt. Hands

Bamboo. Shower

Hay. Silly.

Mulch. Concentration.

SomeMores with Jeremy

2011-07-13T15:27:00.000-04:00

Kid's in the Garden - July

2011-07-09T23:42:00.000-04:00

Pirates & Violins

2011-07-09T23:39:00.000-04:00

For Jake's birthday back in April, I found a pirates wig
to imitate Johnny Depp. We all tried in on but .....
L-R Elly, Austin, Sara, Jake, Lily, Mark, Kelley -
Franklin

Jake enjoying the antique fiddle
Uncle David got for him from a
former employer. Jake's living in
Knoxville now with Sara's family
until the wedding.

Primitive Stone Axe Head

2011-07-09T23:33:00.000-04:00

A Warren Wilson student found this stone axe head
in the garden this spring. It's between 3,000 - 5,000
years old. Note the full groove.

Interview With Sarah

2011-06-24T18:32:00.000-04:00

One of our interns interviewed me this week for a project she's doing. She is creating a collection of interviews with people as they relate to plants. From people who farm to people who grow only one plant, she wants to understand the connections. Here are my responses for what they're worth:

1. What is your favorite plant, and why? I identify with sunflowers and kale. Sunflowers because they tenaciously come back on their own each year and all I do is move them to a place they can flourish. Kale because it grows almost year round, you can eat all of it, it tastes awesome, is nutritious, and is beautiful. I don’t really have favorites just as I don’t have a favorite color. I only enjoy the interplay of things, not one lone specimen.

2. What first got you interested in plants? Do you remember your first plant, or your first garden? I was born intrigued by the natural world. Plants sit still longer and you can ‘paint’ with them too.

3. What’s kept you growing plants? It’s my way of playing and discovering and painting in a garden I didn’t create and don’t own – which leaves endless mystery and I can do that alone or with as few or as many other fellow travelers as I like. I have a life-long passion to sit in awe of things that are supremely beyond me. Kepler said, his discovery of the natural world was, “Thinking God’s thoughts after Him”, and that’s what keeps me growing plants. The person who designed all this doesn’t just dump all this information on me. He invites me in with beauty to see his mind and heart through his creation. And I never get to the end of his knowledge. I’d like to be that kind of gardener.

4. Have things changed in your life because of plants? I’ve had two amazing jobs that involved the nurture of plants and plants have also helped me understand spiritual and relational truths.

5. Now for a harder one: could you give three words that describe why you grow plants? humbling, mysterious, joyful

6. What does community have to do with growing plants? People bond by working together, by sharing a need, by ritual by being in awe at the same phenomenon. Growing food involves all that and more. I think we are all naked in the garden – stripped of our artificial importance. That makes us very uncomfortable or very comforted. We are all in the same boat – in need of food plants and in awe of beauty. Eating food plants is a profound act of taking something into ourselves and when we do that together and for each other, it is very intimate and powerful.

7. What’s the best advice someone ever gave you about growing plants? Wendell Berry’s saying we needed to be wed to place. I grew up in a disposable culture. Staying put no matter what and intimately knowing a place is a mirror for how we are to be with people.

8. Have you ever had an actual favorite plant? Or a plant with a great story? I don’t’ recall.

9. Tell me a plant fact. Or a plant joke, if you’ve got a good one. Not a fact or a joke but think about plants – They are literally balls of sunlight can you play with, be in awe over, paint with, eat and share.

10. Do you think people can have a connection with plants, and that that connection changes growing them? If you love something you want it to be healthy and flourish. Now love for me is very different for people than for plants and yet it’s one and the same.. I believe our view of love affects everything we do, including growing plants. If we love selfishly we either pamper the object or want it to be perfect. Sometimes the most loving thing I can do for a plant (or a person) is to withhold my intervention or intervene in a way that seems harsh. If I have a wrong view of love then I won’t be a good gardener, lover, parent, or friend.

Who's With Who

2011-06-17T13:36:00.000-04:00

Just so family can keep it straight:
L-R: Jake and Sara, the two old folks, then Walker and
Cameron. There'll be a quiz next week. Jake's with the
dark-haired one. Walker is with the light-haired one.

June Updates from Fairview

2011-06-17T13:33:00.000-04:00

Awhile back, we were visiting Cameron's house in
Boone before her graduation and we noticed this crazy,
no-big-deal house with gargoyles and a rock wall. Jake
took this in black and white to accentuate the wierdness.

On Wednesday worknights in the garden, we've been
having friends come out to play music while we work.
They play old timey music - many of which are songs
our dad used to sing. They set up right in the middle
of the kid's garden area.

Susan teaching a gardening course.

L-R Sara, Cameron, Susan, Franklin, Walker, Jake. We
were having a celebration potluck a few weeks ago
for Walker and Jake and how each was moving out in
a different direction into life, when Franklin surpised me
with an exchange of rings. We have never had rings
and our 25th wedding anniversary was May 3rd.

A Splendid Torch

2011-06-17T13:20:00.000-04:00

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live.

Life is no 'brief candle' to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on the future generations.

George Bernard Shaw

Shorter

2011-05-09T22:05:00.000-04:00

The roadside spring coming from
the Big House where people stop
to get mountain water. This is just
below a pasture with the funniest
colt you've ever seen.

His name is "Shorter" after someone who lived on the
farm a long, long time ago. He is the most curious colt
I've ever seen. Not afraid of anyone or anything and
so curious!!! He was born April 30th.

Jake & Sara play with Shorter. Or is it the other way
around?

Here, the little guy tries to go right up to Ace who was
barking at him non-stop. He's simply NOT afraid!

Bling

2011-05-09T21:57:00.000-04:00

THE ring - while playing Skipbo.

Porch bling: Thanks to Sara, we finally get the Save-the-Dates
addressed. Jake and Walker did our legwork, tracking
down addresses.

Forest Bling: Mother's Day hike to the Big House to see
the new colt and to borrow a movie. Tonight the guys
are making Swedish pancakes with rhubarb sauce for
Mother's Day while we watch Knight's Tale.

Forest bling: We found these lady
slippers on the trail.

Spectator

2011-05-09T21:47:00.000-04:00

Deck tennis is a game that is almost entirely unknown
in most places. Structured much like tennis except
for the fact that a rubber ring is tossed instead of hitting
a ball - it was played on the decks of ships. There is a net
and scoring and rotation happens just like in tennis but
the ring can't bounce so it didn't end up in the ocean.
The Big House has a fairy-tale-like court to play on.

Complete with a low rock wall for spectators to sit on.
Nancy, Franklin & Sara enjoy the fast-paced guys' game.

The Clarke's new dog, Constance,
teaches Daisy how to be a dog. She
was the perfect play partner.

Chicks Dig Decktennis

2011-05-09T21:38:00.000-04:00

Our new batch of 9 chicks just hatched.

Susan & Franklin team up against Sara & Jake for a
game of deck tennis at the Big House.

Our game was tame compared to the
pros. Here, Walker reaches for the
ring.

While Taylor (intern) and Jake get
ready to lunge.

Buds & Bulldogs

2011-05-09T21:33:00.000-04:00

The cowboy and the graduate.

Brodski - Austin Shattuck

Dr. Holt who, after much convincing, allowed Jake into
his class so he could qualify for pre-med.

Rocky the UNCA Bulldog Mascot hangs with the gang.

UNCA Graduation

2011-05-09T21:28:00.000-04:00

Grandma Nancy, Susan, Jake, Franklin, Walker
Tassels are for soccer, good grades and sash is for
Jake's trip to Honduras.

It's been a long road.

Time to start a new life.

The Sides Family: Nancy, Nan, Jake, Judy, Franklin

Graduation Weekend

2011-05-09T21:22:00.000-04:00

Cameron gets her masters from App. State. She's the
beaming blonde near the back of the line.

Jake & Cameron after the ceremony and before Jake,
Walker and Susan drive back to Asheville.

Finally - the "S's". Jake recieves a Distinction in Psychology
and graduates magna cum laude.

A fist-pump in celebration of three years of late nighters,
no social life, studying on the way to and from soccer
games and being away from Sara.

Bonnets, Barns & Monster Compost

2011-05-02T21:57:00.002-04:00

Franklin won a beautiful hanging basket of flowers for his entry in a spring hat contest. It was a fundraiser for our local 1 X month newspaper - The Town Crier. It was held at Wintersun (you can google it) in Fairview. It's a gorgeous home on a huge piece of gorgeous land.

Saturday, a crew of guys put together this small donated barn that we've had in storage. It was scary, hairy and very challenging. Now we just need to stain it, roof it, add a door and an upstairs spy window.

Susan's church, Grace Community - sent a crew out on Saturday also to pick up a field of green 'hay' and turn it into a monster compost pile. Franklin is key to this operation.

What's New in Fairview

2011-05-02T21:22:00.000-04:00

Franklin works hard, even in his sleep.

Beet thinnings from the garden - sauteed up for lunch. Can't find in any store or resturaunt.

This year's new crow crew.

He came calling.

The "WHY"

2011-04-22T20:32:00.000-04:00

It's not what you do but what you believe -
The real reason Apple is so innovative [video]

Spring in the Garden

2011-03-26T20:53:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, a group from the Young Farmers & Ranchers came
to help The Lord's Acre dig beds and plant peas.

Today, Montreat Women's Soccer Team came out to cut
and plant potatoes. Elly (second from left) is a regular
at our house. Her boyfriend Austin, is one of Jake's two
best friends. These women were incredibly special.

They can hip check you on the field one minute and
pray with you in the garden, the next. Here's a group of
women who love one another, play hard, serve hard and
who I'm proud to know.

Janky

2011-03-02T21:12:00.000-05:00

A few minutes ago Jake used the word "Janky" to describe a t-shirt he's making. I asked what "Janky' meant and he was shocked I didn't know. He said he'd been using it for years. I insisted it wasn't a real word and proceeded to look it up. Lo and behold, on the Urban Dictionary site (which explains WHY I'd never heard it before, was the word: Janky - (adjective) inferior quality; held in low social regard; old and delapidated; refers almost exclusively to inanimate material objects, not to people. So now you, too, have increased your vocabulary. I'll have to post a photo of the t-shirt when he's finished with it.

Susan in the Southland

2011-02-08T16:42:00.000-05:00

Nephew Kyle, Mom and Susan

Finally, CUBAN FOOD!!!!

Washed down with French Bavarian Chocolate

And............. geez that was rich.

The Floating Aunt Annie

2011-01-17T12:25:00.000-05:00

Snowbound Guests

2011-01-17T12:23:00.000-05:00

Katie (my neice) and Annie (my sister) pose with our
creation.

We taught them Schmiddle on Friday and played
another "Fairview game" on Saturday - Telephonic
Pictionary. All I can say is there was a pitcher of frogs
and a guy in a kilt with a wedgie.

COUSINS. Jake-Katie-Walker. Katie's an officer at Ft.
Bragg and in other photos, she picks up these guys to
their dismay. They're wearing matching hats from the
annual paramedic contest started in our dad's honor -
Randy Boaz.

Walker Turns 24 & Durhams Arrive

2011-01-17T12:17:00.000-05:00

Walker ponders the infamous 8-layer cake which came
out hyper-yellow due to our awesome hens.

A table full of silly folks telling silly stories. Cameron
surprised Walker and drove down from Boone for the
occasion.

Walker ferried our guests up the road and Ace greeted.

Black & White

2011-01-09T22:24:00.000-05:00

After visiting the barn (and the pigs) we headed up a trail
that goes by a pasture. 2nd and 4th photos are that trail
looking uphill and down. The other two photos are the
view from the trail out over the pasture. Funny how
black and white it seems these days.

A Walk on the White Side

2011-01-09T22:16:00.000-05:00

Every morning I take a 45-60 minute hike. Here's some
veiws from one I took in the first snow of January 2011
This view is from our mailboxes looking back up the road.
It's where we have to park our cars because we can't
get to our house in the snow.

When you get to our mailboxes and look right, this is the
view up "the hill". It's the hill that even Kelley looks
forward to conquering. It's waiting for you, Katie.

Farm truck.

Belle. Smokey, in the background, has illusions that she's
his girlfriend.

Snouts in Snow

2011-01-09T22:04:00.000-05:00

Poem From a Friend

2011-01-06T21:11:00.000-05:00

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity; and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes; and to push us into the future in strength, courage, hope and love. Amen

Attributed to: Sir Francis Drake:

Turkeys

2010-12-29T11:29:00.000-05:00

The real thing.

The 33 year old who got breakfast in bed from mommy.

and canine turkey........sporting the new dog coat I made
from a Goodwill vest.

Let it Snow.....

2010-12-29T11:26:00.000-05:00

Molly's goats across our road.

Ace, the poser.

Twas the Day After Christmas 2010

2010-12-29T11:24:00.000-05:00

Snowing ON Christmas 2010

2010-12-29T11:22:00.000-05:00

Hawthorn tree bling

How dare you. Why, sweat pants go with everything.

Preventative measures 101: Park your vehicle at the
bottom of the hill. What's facinating about this is that we
were parked there first and I put our windshield wipers
up so they wouldn't get stuck to the winshield. I'd never
seen anyone else do this but thought it a good idea. Before
the day was out, all the cars had their wipers that way and
I thought: how hilarious - a bunch of northerners copying
an ex-floridian when it come to snow protocal.

Men's Thanksgiving Day Football

2010-11-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

Jake

Walker & Jake sandwich Zoe.

Walker takes on Eric Ager - a force to be reconed with.

The Fish-Eyed Sides

2010-11-27T11:54:00.000-05:00

Fish-Eye Faces for Thanksgiving

2010-11-27T11:53:00.001-05:00

Jake & Sara. Really!

Aunt Judy

Aunt Nan

Chris Crosson

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-27T11:50:00.000-05:00

Franklin's sister, Nan, makes the family recipe for oyster
dressing starting with the toasting of the toast.

Franklin getting under the turkey's skin with farm bacon.

Another fish-eye look at the spread which must always
include lots of non-alcoholic fizzy drinks.

Ace grins and bears it at the men's football game.

Thanksgiving @ The Sides 2010

2010-11-26T19:45:00.000-05:00

Sara's fisheye lens lets you see the whole room.

Franklin readies the wild turkey Walker shot. We had wild
turkey and venison - quite the authentic meal.

More Powder Puff 2010

2010-11-26T19:40:00.000-05:00

Susan guards Sara (Jake's girlfriend) on the left

Full-field shot. This is the same place we have square dances
weddings and football games.

Powder Puff Football 2010

2010-11-26T19:23:00.000-05:00

Before:

After:

I'm on the white team.

Fire & Ice

2010-09-01T09:41:00.000-04:00

Jarrahdale and Kabocha winter squash drying on racks.
After the curing process, they'll be ready to give to the
foodbanks for use as a baked vegetable or in pies and pastries.
The flesh of both varieties are dark and sweet.

We also grew Baby Pam, a small, baking pumpkin. Most
jack-o-lantern pumpkins are NOT for eating. This is a pie
pumpkin and it too, has sweet, dark flesh.

A view from under the drying rack.

All Good Things Must......Be Done Again Sometime

2010-08-08T22:18:00.000-04:00

Soccer players in their off time.

Someone got artsy with an under-the-
table shot. There was also a gang there
from Winston Salem's School of the Arts.

Of course they finished up with music and a bonfire.

Of mandolins and monks.

Even the Pies Had Fun

2010-08-08T22:13:00.000-04:00

Tucker & Friend. He heads back to UAB
tomorrow morning.

Farmer Franklin and Warrior Walker converse.

Charlie Clarke finishes off a goat leg while the crowd cheers
him on.

The UNCA soccer team bonding off the field. They made
me swear that whatever they wore in Fairview - stayed
in Fairview!!! They guy with the kilt was the one who
was really worried. All in all, Walker had a kilt as did two
others.

More Players

2010-08-08T22:07:00.000-04:00

Franklin brought this as his contribution. It's all that was
left of one of the two red drum he and Seth caught at
the beach

Fryar Jake and Fryar Austin

A loud, roaring toast. Beer was homemade but Jake made
absolutely sure there was no underage drinking. He'd invited
a group from his soccer team and said he'd escort anyone
out with a .22 who didn't comply.

Ace played the part of the mongrel under the table quite
well.

Some Players

2010-08-08T22:01:00.000-04:00

Franklin & Susan, fresh from a week at the beach, stopped
at the Hamilton's to raid their costume room.

Fryar Jake:Tucker called Jake a freak-of-nature because not only did
he plan and execute the feast, he created and sewed his
own costume the night before from a sheet.

William Walker Wallace????

The FEAST

2010-08-08T21:57:00.000-04:00

THE FEAST has been in the making for a long, long time
or so I'm told. Tucker had the idea way back and he and
Jake and Mark set August 7th as the date and made it
happen. They killed a goat and roasted it, baked 8 pumpkin
pies and 2 apple pies, picked our corn and dug our potatoes
and allowed no forks in honor of authenticity. Here, Mark
rides shotgun on the food as it's being carried to the field.

Just part of the spread. Oops. Is that saran wrap I see?

It was a perfect evening in the pasture.

Why Hunger 9-Minute Video

2010-07-13T20:43:00.000-04:00

The Food and Climate Connection from WhyHunger on Vimeo.

Franklin Cloggs & Jake Dances

2010-07-12T16:28:00.000-04:00

This was at a grand opening for a local ec0-village. Franklin cloggs

towards the end and after that, there's a brief shot of Jake (in a newsboy

hat) dancing.

Close Ups

2010-07-02T18:37:00.000-04:00

Thursday Worknight

2010-07-02T18:35:00.000-04:00

Zoe. by: Jake

Mallika & Tucker. by: Jake

Lily picking beans while little Lily plays
with her hair. Friend Claire in the back-
ground.

Garden Beauties

2010-07-02T18:31:00.000-04:00

Sunflower.

Echinacea. Purple coneflower. Medicinal.

Cosmos. Has become a weed but a beautiful one.

Calendula. Annual. Reliable. Gorgeous.

Garden Personalities

2010-07-02T18:27:00.000-04:00

Kelley - our all-season intern. She's also
a rock climber/ boulderer so she comes
with all the muscles needed for digging
beds. She's also a yoga instructor who may
teach some of what she knows.

Mallika. She was with us for ten days last
year and returned for the summer in 2010.
She's always so smiley and fun and cheerful
and she's going to teach us all to hula hoop
(again).

Yesterday and today were chicken-killing
day where Walker works and since Walker's
the farm manager, Franklin gets first
pick of the chicken hearts. He skewers,
marinates and grills them. He, Walker and
Jake LOVE them. The rest of us politely
decline.

Here, Franklin does some of his magic. He's spent days upon
days working on The Lord's Acre's water system. Here he's
bringing drip irrigation to our field crops.

What's Up at the Garden

2010-07-02T18:19:00.000-04:00

We've been harvesting potatoes for weeks. They look grand
in the purple baskets and taste like nothing you can get in
a store! These are Red Pontiacs.

Here, Steve Norris, board member, harvests
carrots.

Blue skies. Hot days. No rain.

Last week, I looked for nail polish "the color of dirt". I came
pretty close, dont' ya think?

Danger in the Chicken House

2010-07-02T18:13:00.000-04:00

Oh my gosh, Vern. Have you seen what's happened to
Irene? Poor thing.

It's been years since they've seen a king snake around here.
I hear they eat copperheads but I guess Irene was in the
wrong place at the wrong time.

I'm sure to have nightmares tonight, Erma. I hope he gets
indigestion from her. Let's sleep on the top rung tonight, hey?

Summer @ The Sides'

2010-07-02T18:05:00.000-04:00

Mallika (garden intern) cuts Walker's hair. The exceptional
heat we've had gave him all the encouragement he needed.

Jake made up a family/community version of scrabble where
we took turns making words whenever we felt like it. We did
keep score, though. The rules were you couldn't go twice in
a row so as soon as someone went they were urging someone
else to take a turn so they could go again. This was a great source
of entertainment for over a week until we used all the letters.

Outta the way!!! The imposing front of one of the farm vehicles Walker
drives.

Jake's new wheels. Mom's new worry.

Veggie Love & Chalk

2010-06-26T20:59:00.001-04:00

Beets, beets, beets - for supper, lunch and snacks. We love 'em. They
turn your hands red - and that's not all !!

A different kind of veggie love....

Jake came up with the idea to get classrooms at UNCA to
save their chalk nubs in these cans he designed. They're
then ground and taken to the gym where athletes use them
in weight lifting. Less gym chalk to buy. More savings and
more recycling.

New Drivers

2010-06-19T18:01:00.000-04:00

Jake gives Franklin a lesson on his new motorcycle.

Then turns him loose.

A lot of stalling out but so far so good.

Mallika learns to drive stick thanks to Jake. She had lots
of stalls too but is going to keep at it. She's with us till mid-
August when she'll go back to school at New College in
Florida.

The Lord's Acre in May

2010-06-05T18:43:00.000-04:00

An overview of our spring crops and the shed. We're gardening
a half-acre, this year.

Part of the field crop area. Here we put in locust posts for the
tomatoes and beans. We also have squash and may put okra
in this area, too.

A close-up of cabbage. This makes a nice desktop background.

Freesia, one of our three, female interns. She's here for June
and July. Here she's peeling kohlrabi for our fundraiser
potluck.

Mother's Day Proclamation – 1870 by Julia Ward Howe

2010-05-10T13:40:00.000-04:00

The following was emailed to me by a friend: The "Mother's Day Proclamation" by Julia Ward Howe was one of the early calls to celebrate Mother's Day in the United States. Written in 1870, Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation was a pacifist reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. The Proclamation was tied to Howe's belief that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level. Surely the Civil War shaped her heart and her views.

Arise then...women of this day!

Arise, all women who have hearts!

Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!

Say firmly:

"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies;

Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,

For caresses and applause.

Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn

All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.

We, the women of one country,

Will be too tender of those of another country

To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with

Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!

The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."

Blood does not wipe out dishonor,

Nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil

At the summons of war,

Let women now leave all that may be left of home

For a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means

Whereby the great human family can live in peace...

Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,

But of God.

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask

That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,

May be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient

And the earliest period consistent with its objects,

To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,

The amicable settlement of international questions,

The great and general interests of peace.

My Three Sons

2010-04-23T15:09:00.000-04:00

My oldest son, Erik, won't let me blog the photo he sent of himself after having worked out for months, training for the fire dept. physical. Too bad. He's buff. Below are Jake (left) and Walker (right), both of whom also have something for mom to blog about. Jake recently won awards for both Men's Soccer Student Athelete of the year and overall UNCA Men's Sports Student Athelete of the year, meaning he had the highest GPA of all the male atheletes in the school. Walker's claim to fame is that the Obamas, who are in town this weekend (at this very moment) are dining on Hickory Nut Gap Meat during their stay here. The Grove Park Inn, where they're staying, ordered it for the President and Michelle. As it turns out, Barak has a love for bacon as well as great steaks. Perhaps one of the pigs below was served for breakfast this morning after being taste-tested by the Secret Service. Lucky guy!

Food Inc. Airs Tonight on PBS and All Week Online - Watch It

2010-04-21T09:09:00.000-04:00

Pretty Boy Toad

2010-04-04T14:42:00.000-04:00

Austin & Pretty Boy

Jake & Pretty Boy

Mark & Pretty Boy

Paradise - Sandy Beach

2010-04-04T14:40:00.000-04:00

Paradise - now renamed Sandy Beach. Clarke's private property. The water is frigid but the sand is warm.

A view from Sandy Beach to the cascade of waterfalls. We climb the boulders up and up to the top waterfall that falls into a little pond that's been hollowed out of rock. You can sunbath up there then swim across the 'pond' to the top-most waterfall.

Another view up towards the top waterfall.

The water is clear and the sand, just right for 'beach' play.

Breakfast and Views

2010-04-04T14:35:00.000-04:00

Mark & breakfast cake.

Another breakfast creation.

Crossing the river to get to Paradise.

Pinacle overlooking Paradise. You don't want to look down from here or misstep to the right or left.

Three Amigos Go To Tuckaseegee

2010-04-04T14:30:00.000-04:00

For the first time, Jake, Mark and Austin had Tuckaseegee to themselves. Usually, we go up in larger groups and you have to be with a Clarke family member to go. Mark, being an adult now, is officially a Clarke so they spent the weekend hiking, cooking, playing music, skinny-dipping in the icy creek before breakfast (those photos were quietly deleted by Jake)
The Clubhouse:

Jake's heel.

Austin

Mark tending the fire.

Exerpt from Grist on Greenhorns

2010-03-31T08:42:00.002-04:00

Q. What's the connection between farming and empowerment?

A. Jefferson knew. Washington knew. The new agrarian movement knows.

Farmers make sugar from sunshine. Farmers work at the interface of the wildness in our landscape. Farmers are the foundation of our economy. Farmers are fiercely independent, self-reliant, and accountable to their relationship with place. Farmers are good at identifying bullshit.

Q.Young farmers face big challenges as they plug into the food system, but what kinds of advantages do they have?

A. We have the advantage of youth. Brave muscles, a fierce passion, and probably pretty savvy marketing insights. We have the advantage of eager eaters, dilapidated (but standing!) barns, plus sophisticated e-networks to access seeds, nursery stock, rare livestock breeds, training opportunities, season extension technologies, etc. We also have the advantage of dozens of institutions founded by our elders like organic certification bodies, regional sustainable-ag groups and networks, and land trusts. We have a generation of wise, thoughtful, and experienced mentors willing to teach us.

We have a country that needs us to step to the plate, swing that pick, and plant the future -- now!

Read the entire article here: http://www.grist.org/article/greenhorn-guerilla/

Of Hunting and Hossenfeffer

2010-03-04T07:39:00.003-05:00

I knew I'd forgotten something! Walker's rabbit stalking has been paying off. He got two rabbits in one night last week. I think that makes five total. We made Hossenfeffer several weeks back and it was awesome. Remember "BRING ME MY HOSSENFEFFER!" from Bugs Bunny? Well, this 'stew' has a flavor I've never experienced in all my years of cooking. He has put the latest catch in the freezer and is saving it for his sweetie to experience when she comes this weekend for spring break.

Hasenpfeffer (Rabbit Stew) --

.INGREDIENTS
3 pounds rabbit meat, cleaned and cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon currant jelly
10 black peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

..DIRECTIONS
1.Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Sprinkle rabbit with salt and coat with 1/3 cup flour, shaking off excess. Brown rabbit in remaining bacon fat. Remove from skillet, along with all but 2 tablespoons of the fat, and reserve.

2.Saute shallots and garlic in skillet for about 4 minutes, until tender. Stir in wine, 1 cup water and bouillon. Heat to boiling, then stir in jelly, peppercorns, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme. Return rabbit and bacon to skillet. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer about 1 1/2 hours or until rabbit is tender.

3.Remove bay leaf and discard. Place rabbit on a warm platter and keep warm while preparing gravy.

4.To Make Gravy: Stir lemon juice into skillet with cooking liquid. Combine 3 tablespoons water with 2 tablespoons flour and mix together; stir mixture into skillet over low heat. Finally, stir in thyme. Pour gravy over stew and serve, or pour into a gravy boat and serve on the side.

A Bit More Snow

2010-03-03T18:26:00.000-05:00

Ace, standing proudly. At twelve, he's a fine specemin who acts as if he's three if you offer to take him for a walk. He'll hike for miles with me in the snow.

The little house in the deep woods - or so it seems.

The store door at Hickory Nut Gap Farm where Walker works.

Where your mail will end up if you write to us.

Jimmy, Timmy, Belle, & The Pigs

2010-03-03T18:22:00.000-05:00

Jimmy and Timmy are calves that the farm purchased in the fall for the petting area. Today the first calf of the season was born to the farm herd. Haven't heard a name yet.

You may recall Belle as the one who plowed our upper garden last spring. She's a true-to-life draft horse and quite a beauty.

Pigs are oblivious to snow!!!!

Snow Number ????

2010-03-03T18:19:00.000-05:00

I really should name this classy lady.

View from the front steps

The horsetrail at the bottom of the hill and the way to Crawdad Falls.

The road up from the mailbox. StairMaster has nothing on this hill.

Eggs and Eggheads

2010-03-03T18:15:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I'm still getting the hang of all the controls on my newish camera. From left to right: One of our gargantuan eggs, one of our big eggs, what is called a 'large' egg in the grocery store, and one of our banty's eggs.

The men in my life have always put their heads & hair at my mercy and now Jake continues the tradition. Here he found a willing subject in his bosom buddy, Mark - the Dean's list student - hence the egghead moniker.

Long Time No Post

2010-03-03T17:58:00.005-05:00

And in the meantime: We've learned at least 300 of the Inuit People's 600 words for 'snow', we met the midwife who delivered Walker 22 years ago and she remembers us well (no doubt you'd remember the likes of us in 1987), Walker scored a 'hat trick' last Sunday - that's THREE goals - in his soccer game ( At the time, I was wearing the earrings he gave me, don't ya know), my banty hens began laying little banty eggs!!, Ace got into it with a pit bull and came out in one piece, and we've had lots of company. We're in the process now of selecting which garden apprentices will live with us next year - always an exciting adventure.

Snowboards & Snoring Compete for Prominence

2010-02-20T11:45:00.000-05:00

Jake's room. Sara noted that the object of most prominence was his snowboard.

Besides Banana-grams, we thoroughly entertained ourselves watching Franklin snore. It's become a family pastime, in fact. Quite entertaining. Does the fact that he's wearing his puffy jacket tell you anything about how cold the boys keep the house? I used to have a house like that at Mother Earth News. Everyone had to keep their coats on when they came over. I was never sick that winter, though.

Open House @ Jake and Austin's

2010-02-20T11:42:00.000-05:00

Jake and Cyrus stretch their brains. After the Amish store, we stopped to see Walker's boss' new baby. His older brother, Cyrus, was working on a puzzle and Jake jumped in to help. Good training since he's considering going into pediatrics.

Playing Banana-Grams on the floor of Jake and Austin's house. We all saw it for the first time on Sunday after going to church with Austin in Swanannoa. Cozy little place with great wood walls.

The Swedes were the first to discover this house in 1254 B.C. They laid claim to it by posting this flag on the door. Out of respect, Jake and Austin have left it in its original position.

Sara and Jake in the living room. The found the futon and chair on Craig's list. We brought pizza to celebrate.

A Visit to the Amish Store

2010-02-20T11:34:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, both Sara and Cameron were with us. They drove through the snow to get here and it was touch and go till they made it. Here we venture out the next day to visit Troyers, the local Amish store. Jake and Sara succomb to what has become a tradition, posing in the amish hats there.

Now aren't they cute?? I made Sara an 8-layer cake to celebrate her recieving honors for her oral comp. She is now officially finished with school unless she chooses otherwise. Jake has two games today which I'm missing to stay home and catch up on garden paperwork. The rest of the games will be local and I don't intend to miss any of those!!

And we got Cameron to open one of their boobie traps - a little wooden house that "explodes" when you open the door.

Subjects in the Ice Kingdom

2010-02-10T12:29:00.000-05:00

We didn't think Ace would want to or be able to hike the second day after the punishing hike Walker and I took him on, on Saturday, but here he is, leading the pack.

Paul Horton, last year's garden intern, this year's friend.

A portion of the palace.

More Gerton Ice & Snow

2010-02-10T12:24:00.000-05:00

The top two photos are taken from Little Bearwallow Road. I've always wanted to live on this little road.

Walker found this perfect ice imprint of a rhododendron leaf. Poplar pods were encased in ice, looking like expensive drawer knobs encased in crystal. Pod, berries, leaves - all were encased or coated.

Ace, Walker and Paul - Sunday's hike.

Ice is Nice

2010-02-10T12:18:00.000-05:00

Walker and Paul as seen through the veil of ice.

Franklin and part of the ice palace in the background.

Gerton - Transformed

2010-02-10T12:11:00.000-05:00

Gerton, where Franklin is postmaster, used to be called "Pump". Just four miles from us, up the mountain, it looked very different from our world, down here. There are two official "ice palaces" on the way TO Gerton and the whole town became an ice palace for about a week. Walker and I hiked up to Fergeson Lookout on Saturday with Ace. Two hours, uphill and down, in maybe 8" of snow and surrounded by ice. It was beyond-words-beautiful.

Here, we hike with Paul and Franklin the next day. Just a short jaunt up the road and then a side trip to one of the crystal palaces. Here Walker jumped off the embankment only to find out just how high the snow really was there. You'll notice, the trail head is at the continental divide.