Speechless in Seattle... with a side of road trip reviews

     Oh, so much change in my life of late. All (or at least, the majority) of it welcome and immensely invigorating.
     That said, it's been hard for me to make the time to post on this here blog, mostly because I haven't been able to find the words. My mind is whirring with all the newness surrounding me... people, plans, places. Everything is a' changing.
     Yes, along with its shifting winds and turning of leaves, September brought me safely to Seattle, Washington. I wrote a post back in August about my impending relocation and all the passion and anxiety that went into my decision to move out west, and to those of you who read it and wished me well on my westward journey, thank you.
     The cross-country drive from New York to Seattle was pure loveliness (with the minor exception of getting my fender cracked by an 18-wheeler outside Chicago). All those rolling hills, sweeping plains, and mountaintop views left me soothed and stirred... and a bit speechless.

The Painted Canyon, North Dakota

Salem Sue, also in North Dakota: the World's Largest Cow

Flathead Lake, Montana

Glacier National Park, also in Montana

buffalo poo

      The preceding photos are just a taste of the natural wonders my journey bestowed upon me. But to get my blogger juices flowing again, I figure I'll start with writing about the simple stuff. A nice, easy post to give you the low-down on the various gluten- and dairy-free dining options I managed to find along the way, which you may or may not get to sample for yourself at some point...
  
     Initially, when I started planning my Washington-bound road route, the culinary prospects seemed bleak. Too many open roads and tiny towns for food-sensitivity-friendly fare, or so I imagined.

     But lo and behold, I did manage to work a few scrumptious and satisfying food stops into my trip, and as I already said: for now, that is what I wish to share with you all. I promise, more insightful meditations and reflections on my transplantation to this fine West Coast city will follow soon enough. That said, I do hope you enjoy this road trip review roundup...

     Food-Allergy-Friendly Stop Number One: 

BitterSweet Gluten-Free Bakery (Eagan, MN)

     Say hello to stop one. I realize this photo is pretty lame. However, this little bakery was well worth the 15 minute detour to the town of Eagan, MN, just south of Minneapolis. After two days of tuna crackers and bananas with peanut butter, I was thrilled to savor the sweetness of their Lemon Poppy Seed muffin, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookie, and Rosemary Garlic Breadsticks. (I meant to take pics of the actual products, but I guess I enjoyed eating them a bit too much to remember in the moment.)
     The verdict? Although my dairy-free options were semi-limited, out of the selections I made the Lemon Poppy Seed muffin was by far the most satisfying with regard to taste and texture. Moist and delicious. I recall the PB cookie being good, but it wasn't a particularly memorable gluten-free indulgence. And the breadsticks, while full of flavor and breadtastic for sure, didn't really come into their full glory until paired with a bottle of white wine a couple days later at a motel in Glendive, MT.
     Overall, BitterSweet Gluten-Free Bakery = YUM. Oh, and they had a copy of Triumph's GF Dining Guide at the counter for customers to thumb through at will, which I thought was quite kind of them.

     Food-Allergy-Friendly Stop Number Two: 

Xtreme Pizza Kitchen (Fargo, ND)

     So, this little joint was fun. And the pizza was tasty. In fact, after a long day of driving from Baraboo, Wisconsin, to Fargo, North Dakota, gluten- and dairy-free pizza (with Daiya cheese!) was about the best possible thing I could've had in front of me. Seriously, its aroma was heavenly and the flavors melted into my taste buds. I loaded my personal pizza pie with fresh garlic, mushrooms, spinach, basil, and banana peppers... One word: Mmmm. 

     The verdict? Again, mmmm.

Food-Allergy-Friendly Stop Number Three: 

Naked Noodle (Bozeman, MT) 

     Of all the places we stopped and slept in along the way out west, I have to say that Bozeman was one of my favorites. I get it; it's a college town, which is part of what makes it cool, I'm sure. All I know is, I didn't want to leave. And Naked Noodle, this lovely little noodle bar of sorts, simply made my day with its clever array of gluten- and dairy-free menu options. I ordered the Pad Thai and it was oh so unbelievably delicious. Fresh, food-sensitivity-safe ingredients; rich, tantalizing flavors... I didn't want to stop eating even when I could feel my belly filling to maximum capacity. 

     I tried to save some for later, but Conan (the barbarian) pounced on my take-out carton as soon as I left him to explore the wonders of Naked Noodle's neighbor, a natural foods store complete with aspiring Bastyr student working in the supplement section. Needless to say, she and I got caught up chatting and before I knew it, Conan had climbed in the backseat and pawed his way into my pad thai. Sigh. Thank goodness Thai food is everywhere in Seattle or I think I'd be having a much harder time forgiving him.

Conan licking his chops as I sat at a nearby sidewalk table enjoying my semi-naked noodles.

Oh, how could he resist?

     

     The verdict (which I'm assuming is obvious at this point)? Absolutely loved it. You must eat here if you are ever in or around Bozeman. Just thinking about that dish is making me hungry.

     Okay, and that's it for my cross-country road trip reviews. You'd think I'd have more to share considering the almost 3,000 miles I drove to get to my new Seattle home. But it was a bit trickier than I thought it would be to work in all of my intended stops. A good deal of food-allergy-friendly cafes and restaurants don't have late or flexible hours, and I missed out on a few simply because I wasn't in the right town or city at the right time. 

     In fact, these are the places I would've checked out if I'd had the chance:

Organic Bliss Gluten-Free Bakery and Deli (Toledo, OH) 

The Cheese Factory Restaurant (Wisconsin Dells, WI) 

Pegasus Blu Restaurant (Great Falls, MT; no website)

The Green Tea House (Whitefish, MT)

     Of course, I've also had the pleasure of sampling some gluten- and dairy-free delights in the Seattle area over these past few weeks (with one not-so-pleasurable experience), and I'll soon be sharing my thoughts on those. 

     For the time being, however, I am spent. Good night.

     

And the winner is...

     It was such a lovely treat to get to know Pamela of Pamela's Products, as well as to host my first-ever giveaway last week. Thanks to all who stopped by to read the interview and participate! It's funny... I realized that I'm not very good at giveaways because I want to send everyone a prize package!

     Well, if I could have, I would have, but I had to just choose one lucky gal and leave it at that. And so, the winner of the Pamela's goodie box is... Alea of Gluten-Free Flavor Full!!! Alea, thanks so much for reading and have fun experimenting with those baking mixes! Please e-mail me your mailing address and the Pamela's cookie you'd like to try at sweetsensitivity@gmail.com.
     Thanks again to all who participated!

Hello Pamela, and a Giveaway!!!

     I’m honored and excited to share this particular post today; as I’ve mentioned before, this blog was partly inspired by a cookie: a Pamela’s Products Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk Cookie, to be exact.

     Ever since that savory moment of inspiration, I’ve wanted to know more about Pamela, the woman behind these deliciously indulgent treats—made sans gluten, wheat, and in most cases, dairy. Thanks to the wonderful world of Facebook (and social media in general), I was fortunate enough to hook up with some of Pamela’s people, and voila! An interview with Pamela is what followed.

     So, without further ado… Hello Pamela!

Sweet Sensitivity (SS): I have to ask what the story is behind the Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk Cookies; they are, after all, the product of yours that made me fall in love with your line of gluten-free goodies! Is there a particular place and time that you came up with the idea and/or discovered the perfect combination of ingredients to make them taste so irresistibly delicious? (Because they are by far the best wheat-free, gluten-free, non-dairy chocolate cookies I’ve ever tasted.)

Pamela (P): That is so sweet—thank you for the kind words. The story is, I am a chocoholic, and I was working on the Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk Cookie (because what is better than chocolate and more chocolate) and testing various recipes on my bachelor neighbor. I started with the first version and tweaked it, and my neighbor and friend Dino would always go back to that first version. He was so passionate about it, that I figured I had it right.

SS: I read a bit of background on your website, so I know that you grew up in the midst of health foods and food-allergy-friendly “treats” via working in your grandparents’ store when you were younger. What motivated them to open the store and cater to the gluten-free and otherwise food-sensitive population?

P: My grandmother became a vegetarian in 1920 and remained [one] throughout the rest of her life. She meditated, did yoga and drank carrot juice for over 50 years. My grandparents attended nutritional lectures and found out that one of the first  health food stores in San Francisco was for sale. This was a perfect opportunity for my grandmother to be involved with a world that she was passionate about. There was a small bakery in the back where “special dietary baked goods” were made daily. This included salt-free, dairy-free, alternative sugar, raw food, organics, and gluten-free goods. We outgrew the store after about 15 years, and became a wholesale bakery and flour mill (the mill is still in business today). I worked at the wholesale bakery, which by then my father and uncle had purchased from my grandparents. It was and still is an industry that we understand and care deeply about.

SS: How did they (and the store) influence your personal food choices and overall health consciousness?

P: I was the kid with the brown bread and carob chip cookies during the 1960s in a world of white bread and Ho-Hos. I completely understood what it meant to eat food that looked different than your friend’s. But my parents raised me [with the understanding] that “natural” foods were what was healthy for you. As a family, we never ate out so I was very influenced by the meals that my mom put on the table and the baked goods, wheat flour, brown sugar, [and so forth] that my dad brought home from the bakery. Also, having a vegetarian grandmother, alternative lifestyles and diets were a part of my upbringing. It never seemed odd to me.  

SS: What drove you to take on the challenge of venturing out on your own in 1988?

P: I could see the need for improved gluten-free foods, and I felt that if my products tasted good then everyone could enjoy them and the retailers wouldn’t have trouble selling them. I wanted to alter the typical attitude of just having something on the market no matter what it tasted like. What frustrated me was that I loved the family business but had two brothers working there. I was told that I couldn’t run the company because I was a girl, so I packed up my belongings and rented a warehouse down the street (close enough to steal boxes from my dad and use his copy machine…), and I was on my way.

SS: Did you have a lot of outside support, or did it feel more like a lonely pipe dream at the time?

P: I did not have a lot of outside support in the form of cash. I had friends and my husband and mom who believed I was smart and believed in my abilities, but my dad kept asking me, “Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel?” I could only see that I owed money and I couldn’t stop until the debts were paid. I sometimes would find myself crying at my desk, feeling alone. It’s a long, stressful process to grow a business, in particular when you are learning on the job.

SS: When you look back now, do you think you could have envisioned at the time just how successful your company would become?

P: I never knew that gluten-free was going to become mainstream. Natural food stores were very small in 1988 and I assumed I would only be selling to them, same as my dad’s company.  No one cared about gluten-free foods back then except those who had to eat GF. I don’t believe anyone thought that it would become a recognized issue. I was only thinking about the customers that had to eat the horrible GF food my dad made. I just wanted food to be different for them.

SS: How have you seen the gluten-free community evolve over the years? 

P: The grassroots Celiac Support and Gluten Awareness Groups have been the catalyst for moving the gluten-free industry forward. Without their unrelenting dedication to getting the message out and asking stores, doctors, manufacturers, and the like to understand their needs, I believe gluten-free foods would still be ignored. Technology is also a part of the huge surge in awareness. There are meet-up groups, websites, blogs, and so much more going on because of it.

SS: I notice that you seem to go out of your way to use top-quality ingredients in your products. From a business perspective, I’m aware that the good stuff typically costs more (which is why the majority of processed, packaged food producers opt for the cheaper ingredients). Why is it so important to you to use organic, top-of-the-line ingredients?

P: It’s important to me that food satisfies both mind and body. I look for flavorful ingredients to completely satisfy the palate, and ingredients that will not harm—no artificial anything, and organic if I can. If you have a special dietary need, the last thing you should have to worry about is the food going in your mouth. Food needs to be delicious and nutritious, and in the case of Pamela’s Products, not harmful for those eating gluten-free. 

SS: Of the cookies you’ve created, which one is your favorite?

P: That depends on my mood. I don’t like really sweet cookies so I tend to go for the Extreme Chocolate Simplebites, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, the Spicy Ginger Cookies, or the Pecan Shortbread. But every time I try one of the others, I am pleased that I still find them delicious even though they are not my favorite. 

SS:  Empty your mind of all thoughts, but contemplate the cookie. This is one of the meditative cookie reflections that appears on your website. What does this mean to you?

P: I love these meditations. I believe in being aware of the smallest treasures in life. Stop and smell the roses, acknowledge how perfect the blue in a blue sky can be, and how nothing else matters as you eat your favorite cookie.

    Phew! Wherever you are, Pamela, thanks again for taking the time out of your busy schedule; this was such a treat!

    And now, for the giveaway… 

    The folks at Pamela’s have a lovely package prepared for whoever wins my first-ever product giveaway: a bunch of baking mixes and one box of cookies (of your choosing!).To enter, you just need to do three things:

1. Leave a comment on this post sharing your favorite Pamela’s Products cookie. If you’ve never tried her cookies before, choose one from the following gluten- and dairy-free flavors that makes your mouth water: Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chunk; Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip; Spicy Ginger; Peanut Butter; Chunky Chocolate Chip; Old Fashioned Raisin Walnut; and Espresso Chocolate Chunk. 
2. Visit Pamela's Products on Facebook and "like" their page.*
3. Visit Sweet Sensitivity on Facebook and "like" my page.*

*Obviously, if you don't use FB, numbers 2 and 3 don't apply to you!     
    
     It’d be lovely if you would share about this giveaway on other social media outlets, too, seeing as how I'm still fairly new to the blogging world. But that’s just a request—not a requirement. 

     And finally, Pamela's next Gluten-Free Challenge isn't until May 2011, but it's never too early to start prepping. Click here to find out more about how you can receive recipes and tips from Pamela's in the upcoming months.

     Thanks! 

Simply Sweet Recipe Reviews

     I'm tired. As in, can't get off my butt right now and do a single thing exhausted. This is, in part, because of my long day working at the restaurant, and in part because I haven't been getting much sleep lately. Just a few hours a night if I'm lucky, and the self-induced sleep deprivation is catching up with me.
     I am beat.
     That said, I haven't been doing much in the kitchen these days. But occasionally, I bake. And because I've been so ridiculously tired, I am incredibly grateful for the plethora of gluten- and dairy-free recipes available to me in the blogosphere. Like many of you (or so I imagine), I have a steadily growing list of bookmarked recipes in my Web browser, and over the past months of fatigue and pre-moving stress, this list has certainly come in handy.
     For example, the night of my dad's 56th birthday, my mom bought a Wegmans Ultimate Chocolate Cake, which for those of you who aren't familiar with Weggermans, is to-die-for delicious. Moist and chocolatey, I used to eat this cake more often than I'd like to admit when they first started selling it. But all that gluten, wheat, and dairy—not to mention the laundry list of additives and other strange, hard-to-pronounce ingredients—simply put, makes me sick.
     And of course, my family adores it. It's become a staple at birthday gatherings since my mom has gone back to work full-time and doesn't have as much time or energy to bake at home. So I knew that it was either watch everyone else indulge and enjoy while I stood by salivating and cursing my food-allergic insides, or suck it up and make a little side dessert that would satisfy both mine and my brother's sweet tooth (he's gluten-free, too).
     Well, thanks be to Chelsey over at The Crazy Kitchen. I had marked her Bad Ass Black Bean Cake recipe months ago, but it wasn't until this celebratory night in August that I had a reason to buckle down and bake it.

     So, I did. I followed her recipe exactly, with the exception of the pecans. I don't like nuts in cake, so those got the boot. I decided to use chocolate chips instead. Also, I substituted Earth Balance vegan buttery spread for the butter, and I used 100% dark chocolate cacao powder.
     And the verdict is?
     Delicious! Seriously, this cake is one of the most pleasantly surprising recipes I've ever tried. Of course, the batter is a little funny looking until you get the beans fully blended. But once it's smooth and creamy, it's also one of the best-tasting GF batters I've sampled to date!
     Out of the oven, this cake is moist, smooth, and light enough to not be too rich or fattening. Oddly enough, I kept commenting to my brother about how much the texture reminded me of cheesecake. Overall, quite a delectable treat.
     However, I do not recommend the Mocha Cream Avocado Icing recipe listed along with the cake. This was my first time experimenting with avocados in frosting, and it really just did not work with its pudding-like consistency and mildly unpleasant aftertaste. I know there must be a way to make avocado icing taste good, but this one just doesn't cut it for me. Any thoughts? Because I like the idea of staying away from all that confectionary sugar, and mocha cream frosting sounds like the perfect topping.
     Regardless, even without any frosting, I liked this cake so much and it was so easy to make that I baked it again tonight! Mmm, mmm good.

     I tend to be a bit lazy when it comes to my food pics, but I put in a little extra special effort this time with the strawberry garnish (which makes for a refreshing pairing in your mouth, as well!).
     And this post wouldn't be complete without a brief mention of those Rainy Day Chocolate Chip Cookies over at Hope for Healing. I wrote about these a while ago for May's Adopt a GF Blogger carnival, and I've made them several times since. It wasn't until last week, however, that I tried using sunflower seed butter instead of cashew butter (as per Stephanie's suggestion) in this super simple, five-ingredient recipe (five when you include the gluten-free vanilla extract, which I like to add for a little extra flavoring).
     I don't know what it is about those sunflower seeds, but when buttered down and blended with a little sucanat and some chocolate chips, they make an unbelievably tasty treat!

     Last night, I baked these same Sunbutter Chocolate Chip Cookies, as I'm now calling them, to bring into work this morning. I really didn't know what to expect, considering the gluten- and dairy-friendly palettes of my coworkers, but to my utter delight, the cookies were a hands-down hit! I had to endure a decent amount of food-allergy-related teasing, but as a whole, these cookies held their own. One girl kept saying how delicious they are. Another of my coworkers actually told me they're the best cookies he's ever tasted.
     I can't tell you how happy this made me! I used to love baking for people prior to the wheat- and dairy-intolerance diagnosis, and it's been a long road getting to a place where those same people actually enjoy my culinary concoctions now that I'm baking sans flour, dairy, and refined sugar.
     So here's to the GF and DF blogging community and all these lovely little recipes being passed around! I have no idea when I'll get around to making everything on my list, but as for the ones I've tried so far... Yum!

Fibromyalgia, and the Beauty of Release

            I just got back from the gym. I almost didn’t make it there tonight. I worked at the restaurant all day, I’ve been feeling bloated, moody, and hormonal, and I just didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to get up, get changed, get in the car, and go.

            But I did. And it was almost entirely thanks to a video I borrowed from the public library the other day: Mayo Clinic Wellness Solutions for Fibromyalgia. Here’s a teeny little sneak peak at its contents:

            Seeing as how it’s been seven years since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), it’s easy for me to forget that it’s even a part of who I am. Chronic pain is something that you just learn to live with when it’s happening to you on a day-to-day basis. Headaches, fatigue, and overall achiness have simply become my reality—to the point where I don’t really think about the label the doctors have given me anymore. After all, an FMS diagnosis doesn’t leave you with any real answers. There are no tried and true treatments; ultimately, the only way to cope is to learn how to live with the pain. Day after day after day.

            So, this video was an excellent refresher course in what exactly is going on inside of me, and how the absolute most important thing a person who has been diagnosed with FMS can do is to slow down, take a few deep breaths, and relax.

            As one of the docs in the film reiterates, FMS is, among other things, the end product of an overly sensitive person’s tendency toward “an overactive mind and an underactive body.” Stress, depression, and negative thought patterns all play a part in this lethal combination. And exercise, along with other outlets and relaxation techniques, are crucial to the health and well-being of anyone suffering with the symptoms of FMS.

            Dietary issues, of course, are an essential component, too. For me, discovering my allergy to dairy and intolerance to wheat—and changing my diet accordingly—has vastly improved my symptoms. Eliminating overly processed foods and avoiding chemical additives and preservatives has proved enormously beneficial, too.

            But stress… that’s a whole other story.

I don’t handle it well; I even have the blood tests to prove it. Apparently, according to my neurotransmitters, everything is a crisis. My body’s fight or flight response is on overdrive. And the rest of my body suffers for it.

            As a result, it's easy for me to sit around feeling helpless. But that brings me to one thing I really appreciated about this video; it emphasized the importance of understanding that we are in control of our own minds. Yes, we are inclined to think and react in certain ways; some of it is genetic, and some of it is learned. But that does not mean we are enslaved to those habits and patterns for the rest of our lives; we have the power within us to change.

            It’s such a beautiful, amazing thing when you think about it. No matter how stuck we feel, a simple change in perspective is all it takes to lift us out of it. And in the case of an FMS patient, those changes in perspective take an extra special amount of effort, because everything in our bodies is whining and crying and screaming against it.

            In fact, as I sat there watching that video tonight, all I could think about was how much pain I was in. I had a headache, my muscles were tense and sore, my belly felt swollen, I was craving chocolate and sugar, my jaw ached from the grinding and clenching of my teeth all day long, and even my eyes were feeling sore from wearing my contacts for too many hours in a row.

            And yet, something about listening to those doctors and seeing and hearing the stories of fellow FMS sufferers and how they deal with their daily struggles made me feel lighter—a little less burdened, and a lot less alone. Suddenly, I was breathing more deeply, easing myself into yoga poses, and realizing how badly my stiff muscles needed to be exercised.

            And let me tell you—when you are in almost constant pain, there is nothing like those first few moments of true relief. It makes the slightest of tension-releasing movements near orgasmic!

That said, I try to be consistent with my workouts, and some days and weeks are better than others. Lately, it’s been a challenge. I made it to spin class on Monday, and I try to take my dog for at least one walk a day, but with all the changes going on in my life right now (more to come on that soon enough!), I have not been taking the time I need to just relax and let my pent-up anxieties and resulting toxins pour out of me.

Writing, singing, stretching, breathing, and sweating: these are my most reliable and rejuvenating modes of detoxification and release. My best days are the ones where I get to do all of these things on my own time, in my own way.

Of course, it’s a rare day that I can move entirely at my own pace and do exactly what I want to do when I want to do it, and due to certain upcoming changes in my life, I fear that those days are going to become even rarer in the very near future. So it is essential that I get on track and stay on track with working these crucial moments of re-centering into as many of my days as possible.

Tonight, that meant spending 10 minutes stretching, deep breathing, and yoga posturing; 15 minutes playing my guitar and singing; and then 33 minutes sweating on the treadmill. Followed by about 45 minutes (or so) of writing… here, on this lovely blog.

And breathing, well, I do it all day long, but do you ever just stop and take a really long, deep breath—one of those five-second inhale, five-second exhale types—and suddenly realize how disturbingly shallow your habitual breathing has become? I do. And I’ve found that just pausing every so often to take one of those incredibly deep, cleansing breaths can do wonders—for my body, mind, and spirit.

Anyway, I guess this is a long post. All I really wanted to do, in my endorphin-induced state of enlightenment, was share my thoughts regarding the tremendous benefits of exercise.

Because after my 33-minute low-impact cardio workout this evening (that’s all the time I had before they started shutting off the lights and announcing, “The time is now ten o’clock, and the YMCA is closed”—man, I miss my 24-hour NYC gym sometimes!), I left feeling uplifted, exhilarated, and about ten million times better than I did just 33 minutes earlier.

            And the best part? No pain. As in—no headache, no muscle aches, no gnawing feelings of anxiety and depression, and no sugar cravings.
          In short, I know exercise is good for me. I know it’s what a healthy person does to stay, well, healthy. But my primary reasons for doing it can be whittled down to the following:

(1) feeling pain-free 

(2) staying sane and stable 

(3) calming my cravings 

(4) maintaining a weight that makes me feel good and pretty

            So there you have it. As a closing remark... Whether you have FMS or not, life involves suffering. And I am so incredibly thankful for the many options available to us as human beings to relieve our various aches and pains, both of the physical and metaphysical sort.

           

Swiss Chard and Skinny-Dipping

I need to stop thinking so much about food. I need to stop thinking so much, in general. I know this, but it helps to be reminded. And that’s exactly what my experience this past weekend did for me—taught me to once again quiet my mind, open my heart, and just be.

            From Friday, June 25th to Sunday, June 27th, the Rochester Folk Art Guild hosted a Craft Workshop Weekend, which mainly revolved around the arts (pottery, drawing, poetry, weaving, photography, music, and woodworking). But thanks to the East Hill Farm's steadily expanding array of crops—grown in part to support their fairly recent community supported agriculture (CSA) endeavor via the Good Food Collective—the Guild also offered a workshop in biodynamic agriculture. Of course, I had to be there. And because I opted to go as a work-study volunteer, it was an all-expenses-paid experience!

            Quick personal note: If I could’ve found a way to swing it, I would’ve spent the entire summer volunteering on small, sustainable farms via the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) network; that was my original plan, anyway. But for various reasons, it didn’t work out. So instead, I chose to volunteer and get the farming experience when and where I could. (Hence the recent Farm Sanctuary Saturday! post.)

So, on Friday morning, with my tent and sleeping bag in hand, I drove to East Hill Farm in Middlesex, NY (just outside of Canandaigua) for my three-day, overnight farming workshop.

            First impression? Beautiful setting. The community is like something out of an antique painting—a village of custom-built houses and shops, where the community members live and work on their various crafts. And all of it nestled in the midst of rolling fields of vegetable gardens, fruit trees, grape vines, and wildflowers. Oh yeah, and a steam bath, built right next to a big swimming pond.

            After a quick work-study orientation, a hearty breakfast (complete with dairy-free yogurt, gluten-free granola, and freshly picked mulberry jam!), and a long day of agriculture classes, I set up my tent in the apple, cherry, and pear orchard. It’s been a while since I’ve gone camping, and this was my first time sleeping in a tent by myself, so I have to admit, I was pretty proud of myself!

            Aside from the pleasantly picturesque setting, the classes were incredible. Going into this workshop, I knew next to nothing about biodynamic farming; I just saw it as a sustainable, environmentally friendly alternative to industrial agriculture. But I was fortunate enough to have Nathaniel Thompson, who owns and operates Remembrance Farm—a biodynamic, organic vegetable farm in Trumansburg, NY—as my teacher, and now, I know quite a bit.

            I won’t go into full biodynamic detail here, but I will share one truly beautiful aspect of this agricultural method: its acknowledgement of the need to plant and harvest in harmony with the natural world—its rhythms, cycles, and energies—in order to truly nourish the body and spirit with the foods produced.

            Typically, when I think of organic produce, I focus on the chemical-free aspect of it. But with biodynamic farming, painstaking attention is paid to the health and vitality of the soil out of which the plants will grow. The basic idea is that the more energetic and nutrient-rich the soil, the more vibrant and nutritionally satisfying the produce. 

            In short, interesting stuff.          

And thanks to East Hill Farm, I came home with a bag full of freshly picked rainbow bright variety swiss chard, sugar snap peas, and beets. We’d been eating swiss chard all weekend, but still, I prepared it as part of a stir-fried vegetable medley for dinner last night. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that prior to this past weekend, I had never in my life seen nor tasted swiss chard, especially not these lovely specimens of pink, orange, yellow, and green goodness—one of the most beautiful vegetables I’ve ever seen. Yum!

Over the weekend, I had so many wonderful experiences—connecting with open-minded, warm-hearted individuals from all over; eating freshly prepared, home-cooked meals; singing underneath the stars by the campfire with some incredibly talented folk musicians; and sitting at the feet of a remarkably wise and insightful farmer/teacher.

But the thing I love most of all, once again, is that I was reminded of the importance of just being. Quiet the mind, open the heart, and just be.

Oh, and while I didn’t join in the skinny-dipping, I did go for a swim. Sigh. I already miss that place.

            And now, for your contemplative enjoyment… The following is a quote from Rudolf Steiner, the Austrian physicist in the early twentieth century whose essays and lectures set the foundation for modern-day biodynamic theory and practice (emphasis mine):

“Nutrition as it is today does not supply the strength necessary for manifesting the spirit in physical life. . . Food plants no longer contain the forces people need for this.” 

            What say you regarding the energetic quality of the foods produced today? Do you feel satisfied and revitalized after you eat, or just heavy and full? 
            And finally, what's your favorite smoothie recipe? I've been making one every morning for the past week or so, and I must say, I feel so energized after drinking it! My current fave is mango-banana-blueberry-flaxmeal... but I'm open to suggestions!

Farm Sanctuary Saturday!

          Today was a special day—one I've been looking forward to for a while now: Farm Sanctuary Saturday (or at least, that's what I'm calling it)! And I was so happy to have my dear friend, Rachel, join me for the adventure.

          If you're unfamiliar with Farm Sanctuary, here's a wee bit of background: Basically, it all began in 1986, when Hilda the sheep was pulled from the "dead pile" at a stockyard, rehabilitated, and then went on to spend 11 years living life to the full in the green pastures of central New York. 
          Hilda became an emblem of hope and inspiration for rescue workers, who turned her recovery into a lifelong mission to "end cruelty to farm animals and promote compassionate living through rescue, education, and advocacy." Today, Farm Sanctuary is the leading farm animal protection agency in the United States.

brown cow (not Hilda)

          So, why was I so psyched to be a part of this thing?
          My dietary changes may have initially been sparked by sheer physical pain and discomfort, but the more I've learned about foods and ingredients and the way they affect my body, the more my eyes have been opened to the horrific truths behind how certain foods are processed in this country—namely, meat and dairy products. 

dairy industry = mean to cows

          I don't want to go off on a factory farming rant in this small space, but let's just say that I sincerely believe in what the folks at Farm Sanctuary are doing, and I was delighted to be a part of it, if only for a day.... even if it meant shoveling a barn full of cow manure, which it did!

          But aside from the pitchfork poo scooping and shrub-pruning yard work, we had plenty of fun bonding with both workers and animals (and each other, of course!).

meet Snickers, the steer

Rachel and the goat, sharing an inside joke

a particularly goofy goat

turkey says, "wassup..."

bonding with Fiona, the pig

sleeping beauty

me having a moment with another pig...

and finally, meet Emily...

          So, all in all, my muscles are sore and the backs of my legs are sunburned, but I'd recommend a day at Farm Sanctuary in a heartbeat to anyone who wants to get an up close and personal look at what true compassion and kindness can do for a bunch of otherwise ill-fated farm animals.
          To learn more about Farm Sanctuary and their ongoing efforts to rescue, educate, and advocate, as well as how you can get involved, click here. And if you happen to live near one of the two sanctuaries, located just outside of Watkins Glen, NY, or  Orland, CA, sign yourself up for a farm tour or a volunteer work party (which is what we did today)!
          Oh, and here's their most recent blog post: Animal Photo of the Week: Lily