Track 15: An Urban Reprieve

Hello from Sacramento!

So, the farmers market was pretty good (but not as good as Minneapolis or St. Paul). I bought a bunch of stuff that you definitely wouldn't find at the St. Paul market (because of their local-food rule): pomegranates, persimmons, Meyer lemons, mandarin oranges, and Sacramento olive oil. I also bought fresh strawberries, then proceeded to eat them all before I left. Here's a photo of my loot:












Tonight I'm having dinner with Jake and Debbie and their friends Matt and Sarah. We're making fajitas -- seriously, I can't escape the good food (not that I'm complaining TOO much).

This past week included preparing more beds in the garden and planting more garlic and shallots. We harvested a lot of veggies, delivered some to the bed and breakfast, and continue to eat tomatoes. We also did some trail maintenance, which basically means hauling around big tree branches that Steve cut down. Who needs a gym when you've got 56 acres of property to maintain? I slept VERY well that night. There are the daily chores too, like collecting walnuts from the two walnut trees.

After a not-so-pleasant second trip to Incahoots (I guess they don't like people bringing their laptops after all), we discovered The Saloon, which, unfortunately, is only open Thursday-Sunday. Mark, the bartender, is so friendly, and they have the best bar popcorn I've ever tasted. They don't have wi-fi, but they do have a great jukebox.

Apparently, people have been concerned about my proximity to all the fires in southern CA, but I'm not even close. So stop worrying! I did look into helping with disaster relief, but they say they have all the help they need right now.

I posted a few more photos to Flickr, so head on over there if you're curious. I have to leave this coffee shop before the lovey-dovey kissy couple next to me gets any more annoying...

Track 14: Incahoots

People everywhere, I am in heaven. I'm sitting in a booth at Incahoots, a very fine establishment in the booming metropolis of Plymouth, CA (population...um, really small), eating seasoned french fries and drinking beer. Seriously, heaven. This is way better than sitting in my car in front of the post office. Thank you, mysterious internet provider, thank you.

Okay, so...updates. The weather is gor-gee-ous. High 70's, low 80's, sunny, glorious. It wasn't this way last week, mind you, but it's definitely happening this week. Nights are way more comfortable, and because it's almost full moon, I can walk to my trailer without using a flashlight!

We've pulled a lot of weeds and dead plants, planted a LOT of garlic, harvested a lot of arugula, and have been eating a lot lot LOT of tomatoes (my stomach does not like this, but my tastebuds do). Lunch yesterday consisted of tomato-basil-feta sandwiches. Also yesterday, we built a metal roof over part of the chicken yard. It reminded me of Habitat, in that I got to say things like "joist hanger" and "24 inches on center". Today we dug up some very stubborn artichoke plants. The soil around here is clay -- very hard, full of rocks -- and by the time we were done, I was about ready to throw my shovel as far as I could. Which would have been 2 feet.

Last Friday, we drove into Sacramento to see a documentary film about the protection, theft, and destruction of works of art during WWII (it's called The Rape of Europa, and it was very interesting). I didn't get to see much of Sacramento, but before we left, we made a stop to see Mr. Winko, the One Man Band in his Acoustic Sanctuary (www.acousticsanctuary.com -- check it out!). I'm excited to go back to Sac (as they call it around here) on Sunday to see Jake and Debbie, fresh from their Yosemite honeymoon.

Also, next week I get to hang out with Delite, a fellow former Habit-eer and fellow organic volunteer down in Ceres. She's coming up to Fiddletown to see little ol' me. I think we'll take a tour of all the cute little gold rush towns around here. I've driven through a bunch, but I haven't had time to stop and walk around. I will take photos for sure.

Oh, and I've forgotten to mention that I'm out of cell phone range at the ranch. I get service in Plymouth, though, and I have a calling card as well.

A Bedbug Update: After collecting several bedbug bites over the course of last week, I got fed up (and really really creeped out). I took all my clothing, bedding, sleeping bag, etc. to the laundromat on Sunday and washed it all. So, hopefully that's the end of The Bedbug Saga. Keep your fingers crossed.

We also went to a couple of wineries on Saturday for some winetasting. I've confirmed my dislike of Chardonnays and discovered Vignonier, another white that is waaaaay yummy.

I've enjoyed getting e-mails from everyone (I will admit, I've been a bit homesick -- did I mention that in an earlier post?), although I apologize for the slooooooow response time. I hope everyone had a great time at the Pig Roast (did anyone have a tuna melt at Plum's for me?). I miss my peeps! But this experience has been very eye-opening, and I'm trying to make the most of every day. Stay tuned for more Fiddletown epiphanies...

Track 13: Small Town Livin'

So, here I am, sitting in the back seat of my car in front of the post office in Plymouth, California, which is the closest "big" town to Fiddletown. It's not really that big. But I can sit here for hours, taking advantage of the fact that someone doesn't know how to password-protect their wireless network. Hee!

Here's a rundown of what's been going on since I left Salt Lake City last Friday:

Having Angela along to share the driving made the last leg of the journey a lot better. Luckily, she's a Garrison Keillor fan as well! We drove through Carson City, Nevada (another state capitol I can check off my list) and ate at In-N-Out Burger, where I had an awesome cheeseburger without the burger. Grilled onions, people. And fresh-cut fries. AND they pay their employees $9.50 an hour! No wonder they were all so happy.

We arrived at Safan Ranch after a harrowing trip through the Sierra Nevada mountains (Angela knows those roads very well and therefore was driving at speeds I found...a little anxiety-inducing). We did stop at a lookout point before it got dark, and I got a couple of awesome pictures, which I'll post to Flickr.

After a good night's sleep in the guest room, I spent the next day getting to know Aaron and Kendra, two other WWOOFers (www.wwoof.org - it explains WWOOFing), getting a tour of the immediate property surrounding the house, and picking out my trailer. Angela zipped off names for all 22 goats, 3 pigs, and a dozen hens and roosters, and right now all I can recall is Wendy (a goat). Oh, and her favorite hen's name is Ginger. I think I may have to take photos of all the animals and study. There are three dogs -- Halie, P.B., and Big Boy, and two cats -- Kuching and Mr. Tom. I need to take pictures of them too.

I did a little cleaning in my trailer and made myself at home. They have half a dozen old travel trailers that still have (non-working) appliances, so it's pretty neat. They're not heated, though, and it's been getting down into the 40's at night, so I bundle up in my sleeping bag and two blankets. And lots of clothing. So far, so good, but I'm not sure how I'm going to deal once it gets into the 30's at night.

In the garden so far, I've planted onions and cleared out the melon patch to prepare it for planting garlic and shallots. These will all grow a little over the winter and then really take off in the spring. Angela sells produce at the farmers market during the growing season, and she also fills orders from a local bed and breakfast, but a lot of the food grown gets eaten by Steve and Angela and all the WWOOFers and other guests that stay at the ranch. Angela also sells chickens and guinea fowl, and eggs, and I think the pigs as well.

Yesterday, Angela and I went over to Mike the neighbor's house to help stack firewood. After a couple hours, my back was killing me, but I got $30 and a bottle of Mike's homemade wine as a thank-you. After lunch, we went back over to Mike's to use his grape press. We pressed a WHOLE lot of grapes, and Angela now has about 30 gallons of wine to keep processing, in addition to a bunch more barrels in the barn. What did I say about everyone that lives here? Wine-o's. So, when in Rome... Anyway, it was really fun and educational. It makes you appreciate what you're drinking when you know how it's made.

In addition to drinking good wine, Steve and Angela are fabulous cooks. There goes my plan to lose the weight that I gained back over the past year. At least it's all good, whole food, a lot of it fresh from the garden. We've got tomatoes out the wazoo, and squash as well. Angela has a friend with an apple orchard, and she said we can go pick some any time we want! Woo-hoo!

Aaron and Kendra left on Monday, and Caitlin joined us yesterday. There's always a rotating cast of WWOOFers here, more over the summer, but I believe a few more will be joining me at some point in the next couple months. Today Steve took Caitlin and I on a tour of some of the rest of the property -- they own 56 acres. I hope to get into a habit of going on a hike every morning, at least to shake the cold out of my bones, and also to work off all the mounds of great food I'm eating.

Speaking of food, I've got to head back to the ranch to help with dinner prep. Tonight we're having salmon on the grill, roasted tomato soup, and zucchini bread that Angela baked this morning. Are you jealous? Yeah, I thought so.

Track 12: A Very Very Short Post

Hi everyone! I'm sorry I haven't posted in a few days. Internet access at the ranch is limited, and the computer wasn't working for a few days. I'm here, I'm doing fine, and I am going to drive to Plymouth (the closest town) tomorrow or Thursday to post a real update (there's a wi-fi hotspot right next to the saloon).

So much to write about! I helped to press grapes for wine today. Everyone here is wine crazy! Um, expect wine for Christmas, everyone.

Okay. I can't tie up the phone line anymore. Hang on a day or two more, and you won't regret it!

Track 11: Mountains and Mormons

The drive from Denver to Salt Lake City kicked my butt, you guys. It was definitely not the longest leg of the journey, but I was antsy, and it turns out that Garrison Keillor is not good for keeping one company while driving through the sagebrush plains of southern Wyoming. If driving through Nebraska was boring, driving through Wyoming was boring-er. The sun was beating down and burning my arm, and once it started to set, it got even more intense. But enough complaining. This coffee shop is only open for another 25 minutes, so here's a condensed version of my time in SLC:
- Met Steve and Angela, owners of Safan Ranch. They're cool! We had Vietnamese food for supper.
- I slept so soundly on the couch that I wanted to stay there all day. Finally a decent night's rest -- the first in weeks.
- Today I drove up through Little Cottonwood Canyon to the Snowbird ski resort. The mountains are amazing, and I was completely out of breath after hiking for 5 minutes. Stupid altitude. There was a little snow as well as pretty fall colors, and I think I got some decent photos.
- Next I drove out to the Great Salt Lake. It stinks! Literally! Like that foul smell you get at the ocean sometimes. But it was beautiful, too, and it's just cool to say that I've seen it (to me, at least).
- On to the International Peace Gardens, which were a little past their prime (it IS October), but still cool to walk through.
- I'm about to head through downtown, maybe past the Temple and all those other Mormon things.

Tomorrow, we head for California (Angela is riding with me)! I'm really ready to get there and set up camp, take a few deep breaths, and CHILL OUT.

I'll post pictures soon!

Track 10: The Bedbug Blog

So, remember that last post, when I was enjoying my hotel room in Nebraska? Well, I sure didn't enjoy the BEDBUGS I found when I turned back the covers to get in bed. Yes, I changed rooms. No, it didn't make me feel better. I spent the rest of the night in my sleeping bag, trying to sleep but waking every time I felt like a bug was crawling on me. It was miserable, and the couple of hours of sleep I managed to get were only plagued with dreams about bugs crawling on me. I hightailed it out of there by 7:45 a.m., forgetting my pillow but then realizing that it was probably for the best.

Thinking that I may need some caffeine to get me to Denver, I went in search of coffee. Never in my life have I been so happy to see a Starbucks. Normally I scoff at their omnipresence, but this morning I praised the gods that even North Platte, Nebraska couldn't escape the corporate giant. And so, the coffee and a banana happily sloshing around in my stomach, I hit the road again.

People of Colorado, why didn't you welcome me with a nice sign like the people in the other states? Huh? You completely messed up my plans to document my way through the states. I spent a good 30 minutes thinking I was still in Nebraska! Oh, well. Maybe tomorrow I'll catch a "Thanks for visiting Colorado, come back real soon!" sign.

At 10:00 a.m., just as I was beginning to think that the whole world was flat like a proverbial pancake, I spotted the distant hazy outline of the Rockies. Aaaahhhh. That's motivation for you. It seemed like no time until I was pulling up to Angie's house just as she was getting home from class. Joyful reunion hugs! Then we had a lovely lunch, a lovely walk through a lovely park and some lovely bungalow-lined streets, and, to top it all off, an ice cream cone that was so lovely it made me temporarily forget the Nasty Bedbugs of North Platte, Nebraska. Days Inn, room 212. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Track 9: And We're Off!

Hi! I'm...somewhere in Nebraska. Just kidding -- I know exactly where I am. I'm enjoying the wireless internet and cable TV at the Days Inn in North Platte, Nebraska.

My day started like this (blech):












But eventually the sun came out, and it turned into a beautiful day. Of course, there's not much to see on I-35 going through Iowa, or I-80 through Nebraska, but even if there was, it would have been obstructed by the thick graveyard of smooshed bugs on my windshield. Blech again.

Instead of posting too many pictures in this blog (which is just too time-consuming), I'm posting them to Flickr, so you can click on the thing on the right of the web page. They're in the set called "California Trip".

On to Denver tomorrow, where I'll be visiting my friend Angie and pretending to be a super-smart grad student like her.

Track 8: Packing

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Track 7: Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to your most burning questions...

Q: Wait, what?! California?
A: Yes -- Fiddletown, California, to be exact. It's an hour east of Sacramento, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. I looked for a place that would be sunny and beautiful and warm (compared to Minnesota). The name of the farm is Safan Ranch.

Q: How did you find this place? Do you know anyone there?
A: I joined OrganicVolunteers.org and had access to a list of a lot of places in California that welcome visitors to come and help out on their farms. I contacted Steve and Angela (the owners) directly, we chatted about my skills and talents and life at the ranch, and I contacted a couple of people who had been there this summer to see what their experience was like. Everything sounded peachy, so we agreed I'd head out there in October.

Q: Will you get paid?
A: Nope. I'll have lodging and most food provided, though, and I plan to live very simply, so I will be relying on my savings to cover health insurance, car insurance, cell phone bill, etc. while I'm there.

Q: How long will you be there?
A: They're expecting me to be there until Christmas. But I'm leaving things open-ended so I can go with the flow and be ready for any interesting opportunities that come my way.

Q: So, you want to be a farmer now?
A: Not quite. I do want to learn more about organic practices and sustainability, but I'm looking at this opportunity as a chance to go somewhere I've never been (which always energizes me), work outside after more three years of staring at a computer in an office, feel grounded again, clear my head, practice my photography, and hopefully come up with a plan to find my true calling. If all that fails, it'll be fun to play with the goats.

Feel free to leave a comment with other questions (um, reasonable ones), and I'll do my best to answer them.