Let's Go Farm in Santa Rosa, California

There is nothing more peaceful and beautiful than sleeping underneath a vast, dark sky littered with stars and a moon just bright enough to emit an omniscient glow. There is nothing separating you from the dark that surrounds you except the comfort of your sleeping bag and the sound of a once roaring bonfire has now hushed to snaps and cracks of warn out wood. We are all bundled up and falling asleep on the hillside of Lets Go Farm in Santa Rosa, California. 

Last Monday, we arrived at Let's Go Farm to meet two past interns who have now started a small-scale farm on a gorgeous Sonoma property that one of their parents purchased back in the 70’s. As two young farmers with part time jobs to support their efforts, they needed a lot of help with the fields and we arrived ready to work (well, kind of). Our day started bright and early with a huge breakfast made by the mother of the house- fresh coffee, bread, a giant fruit salad and a mushroom and kale strata that kept our bellies full while we worked all morning. I am no pro at farm work and it gets incredibly hot in this area in mid-afternoon, so laying black plastic, hammering stakes and pulling up roots did a number on my back and my hands. Not to mention my roommate and I went on a >4 mile hike the day before and my legs were already killing me. But just a few hours of working on their farm gave me a great sense of appreciation for the time and labor that farmers put into making their fields successful and plentiful. Not only is the work physically demanding, but knowing that your livelihood is dependent upon what is growing in the ground can also be mentally and emotionally taxing.

As if breakfast wasn’t large enough, we gathered on the wrap-around porch for a big lunch followed by a piece of strawberry rhubarb cake for dessert; can you say food coma!? After a restful hour of great conversation, an exchange of hugs and grateful goodbyes, we piled into the van to head home. But any intern field trip wouldn’t be complete, however, without a pit-stop to a nearby brewery so we stopped at the Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa for some pints…and air conditioning.

This trip was such an awesome opportunity for me to bond with my roommates and I am so glad I got to see what two past interns have gone on to do with their lives. Aside from actually living on a farm that is maintained by many volunteers and staff,  I was so grateful that I got to experience just a tiny bit of what a small-scale farmer experiences every single day and it gave me such an appreciation for what they do.  This experience drove my motivation further to continue to learn and bring awareness to the importance of organic and sustainable farming. 

As I mentioned earlier,  a few weekends ago, my roommate and I drove a few miles past the farm to Monte Bello open space for a small (ish) hike with a great view of the Santa Cruz mountain range.     

   

Santa Cruzin'

What a busy few weeks it has been! I’m finally feeling as though I am settled in here and things are picking up in the office. In addition to getting used to the rhythm of my work day, I’ve been going into Oakland for some workshops and taking some trips with the other interns.

A few Mondays ago, we took a trip into Santa Cruz to visit the LifeLab Educational Garden and help out at the Homeless Garden Project. Its so amazing that students are able to experience hands-on educational gardens and its so wonderful to see that there are people who work really hard to get students out and engaging with their environment. This garden was amazing. A huge avocado tree stood in its center, its branches mingling with smaller lemon trees to provide shade for the resident hens (for those who don’t know, hens are great for pest control in gardens and a tool to teach students about their roles in food production). We were able to shadow a fifth grade class that came out to learn about pollinators and it was great to see the impact that this kind of education has on developing students. The LifeLab is located on the UC Santa Cruz campus, which has a ton of agricultural space along with a nice view of the ocean when it isn’t foggy. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky that day and although it was quite hot, there was a constant cool breeze that made standing out in the sun pleasurable and refreshing. High temperatures, low humidity and cool breezes create an awesome environment for grapes and I’m definitely planning a trip back to try some of the wines Santa Cruz has to offer.

After a morning of touring the garden, we drove closer to the coast to visit a Homeless Garden Project and help out with any work that needed to be done. I have to say this was one of my favorite parts of the trip because this organization provides work for homeless families in the area as well as inviting a ton of volunteers to come out and maintain the small farm. All of the fields are turned, weeded and maintained by hand, which takes a lot of tedious work so after we snacked on some of their fresh strawberries, we got to work weeding a few rows of lettuce (by this time, I might add, I am extremely sun-burnt and will regret not putting sunscreen on earlier that day). It was great to see the impact that the farm had on creating a community where people can feel accepted, valued and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Our busy morning called for an afternoon of fun so we decided that cold beverages and a visit to the beach was necessary to round out our trip. I mean, as one of the most famous surf spots in the U.S, we couldn’t go to Santa Cruz and not stop by the beach! This beach trip was much more tolerable than the last, and I forced myself to wade in to feel the pacific wrap its penetrating waves around my feet. We decided to wander up the beach to a rocky slope, spotted with tide pools and native vines that lead up to some pretty amazing seaside homes.




California beaches are totally different from the Carolina coastline that I’m used to. The coastlines are intense, often jagged and sloped, waves forcing themselves over rocks and slamming onto the shore. The water penetrates your skin and sends you running for warm, dry sand. Carolina coastlines are often more calm and serene, the waves slowly lapping onto shore. The water is a bit warmer and the sand is so hot you have to sprint back to your towel. But there is something beautiful about both and lend you to appreciate what they can offer: West coast excitement and adventure; East coast rest and relaxation.

Intern Group relaxing after a long day of work!

Golden Gate Park, Chinatown and The Mission

I’m in love with California. There, I said it. I know everyone rolls their eyes when they hear people talk about California, but this state is so great. With the exception of insanely expensive gas, food and rent, it has a lot to offer and you truly get what you pay for. And I can attest to that because as I am writing this, I am sipping on a $4.50 mint mojito iced coffee from PhilzCoffee…words cannot describe.



But back to my point about loving California- I went into San Francisco earlier this week with two of my roommates and had an absolute blast. The day began at Golden Gate Park, which I was expecting to mirror NYC’s Central Park, but this park has so much more (no offense, I still love Central Park). Complete with an art museum, science museum, Japanese tea garden and a ton of other gems, we settled on walking through the 100 acre+ botanical gardens. After about 2 hours of walking, we worked up quite the appetite and decided to head into Chinatown to grab some dimsum and moon cakes. Another lesson I have quickly learned: always bring cash into Chinatown because they do not take credit cards and get very upset with you when you walk out of their shop empty handed. Every shop in Chinatown is tiny and packed with people ordering dumplings, noodles and baked goods I had never seen before. It was so hard to pick what I wanted, partly because it all looked delicious and partly because I had no idea what any of it was. My roommate Margaret, the life saver, has spent time in China so she knew what a lot of the dishes were and forced me to try my first Moon cake. Moon cakes are incredibly dense and have a cooked egg in the center. Sounds a bit strange, but it tasted like a savory fig newton…with a ton of calories. If that wasn’t enough, we went to a fortune cookie factory and got free samples of the warm flat cookies that two women fold into the treats we get in our take-out bags, cookie after cookie, day after day. To settle our full bellies, we popped into a tea shop for some free tastings and had the funniest older man brew some delicious samples of jasmine tea. As we sat at the bar, he would yell at innocent people outside to “Come in and drink some tea! Good for your health, keeps you young and sexy like me!” Free tea, free entertainment.

Our adventure continued to Delores park, which is in the Mission area of the city. There were children playing on the nearby playground, couples snuggling on blankets, and groups of friends listening to music and catching some afternoon sun. As I watched these people enjoying their afternoons and looked at the city from where I sat on the hill, I thought to myself how lucky I am to I have this opportunity. I know I keep saying it, but I feel like I have to pinch myself after every adventure I have here. This is what its like to take risks. This is what its like to try new things. This is what its like to work toward something you want. This is what its like to live.




I could go on for hours about how neat San Francisco is but I am trying to keep my posts brief and post more often because A LOT goes on around here and its getting hard to keep up.

Today also marks ONE whole month of me living here! It has flown by and I cant believe we are already preparing for summer. The farm has been in hustle mode, with our booth at the farmers market opening this week, rows of cover crops are being plucked to make room for summer veggies and camp counselors arrive for training next month. Its about to get crazy around here!

A Lesson on Layering: Day trip to Half Moon Bay

As overwhelming as my first couple of weeks on the farm have been, I needed to get out and explore a place in California I had never seen before. The coast is only about 45 minutes away so I decided to take a drive to Half Moon Bay. The thought of getting some California sunshine on my pale legs that stayed hidden under leggings all winter drove me to whip out the jean shorts and pack a towel in the event that I chose to lay out for a little bit.

It was a quick drive up the highway and I was on 92-North in no time—slowing abruptly to a steady line of cars, all of whom, it seemed, had the same idea that I had. As I pulled into the small town of Half Moon Bay, I instinctively rolled down my windows, bracing myself for a rush of salty air and instead, felt a cold blast of wind that sent shivers up and down my bare legs. I noticed the temperature on my car thermometer had dropped into the 50’s and I wanted to smack myself for totally forgetting that I no longer live on the humid-tempered east coast. Let me tell you, northern California is quite a bit different.

Instead of turning back, I decided to brave the cold and park in town for a quick lunch. So here I am wandering the streets in jean shorts while everyone else is bundled in jackets. I quickly decided to remove myself from the public eye and the bone-chilling wind, finding refuge in a wine and cheese shop. The shop was empty so unfortunately there was no way I could avoid the man behind the counter, and I obviously didn’t look like a local so I was greeted with: “What brings you to Half Moon Bay today?” After a few minutes of chatting, I thought I could make better use of my time escaping the public by actually tasting some of the wine I was surrounded by. It wasn’t noon yet and I had only eaten breakfast about an hour earlier, but when in California, do as the Californians do. The smooth, balanced and might I add, pricey merlot slowly warmed my bones and gave me the gusto to brave the chill again and scope out a place to eat. I settled on a small, international café and found a seat that faced outward to the street that began to fill with locals and tourists, easily identifiable by who was wearing a jacket and who wasn't. As I sat patiently for my order, an older woman approached me and to my utter bewilderment (sarcasm) asked if I was cold wearing “those jean shorts” on a day like today. After explaining that I just moved to the area and decided to visit for the day, her face grew concerned and she asked me, “well don’t you have friends that wanted to come along?” Look, lady, I know I’m sitting here alone and I know I am wearing jean shorts in 50 degree weather, but you don’t have to feel bad for me. I didn’t say that, but instead told her that I actually decided to make the trip by myself. I think that there is a lot to be said about taking solo adventures- you’re forced to listen to things you may not hear with someone else around, talk to people you may not ever speak to otherwise (such as you, inquisitive lady), and see things you may never notice if you had someone there to distract you.



So after a quick lunch, I was ready to head to the beach and decided to walk so that I didn’t have to pay once I got to the national park entrance. What I didn’t realize is that my walk was about a mile, and I was still wearing jean shorts. On my way, I passed a small produce barn with the prettiest strawberries I have ever seen. I’m not kidding you, these strawberries were perfect. They were plump, shiny and the perfect shade of red. The woman working the store said a lot of people stop in to buy them and eat them on the beach so I couldn’t possibly turn that opportunity down. I crossed over Highway 1 and my destination was in sight. I picked a spot further down from the park entrance and whipped out my camera to start shooting. I have to note that when you arrive at the beach, you are not at sea level but are standing on a bluff overlooking the shoreline below. A quick hike down the slope brought my feet into the sand and the seabreeze whipping through my hair. I was still freezing, and noticed a family huddled together against the wind, struggling to have an afternoon picnic. I knew that laying out in the warm sunshine with my perfect basket of strawberries wasn’t going to happen so I snapped a few pictures, took in the beautiful view down the coastline and made the hike back to my car.





So my beach day wasn’t perfect, and my choice of wardrobe taught me a lesson about packing plenty of layers to adapt to Bay area weather. But despite the days few blunders, making the trip by myself made me appreciate the fact that I am able to experience new things and see places that I may not have seen if I had not made the big move out here. Every day I am grateful for this opportunity and I remind myself that it is so important to take risks, take small trips by yourself, and take in every opportunity to go somewhere new.





"Travel has a way of stretching the mind. The stretch comes not from travel's immediate rewards, the inevitable myriad of new sights, smells and sounds, but with experiencing firsthand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way." -Ralph Crawshaw