Today it’s raining! I think I am living in a upside-down world. The wind kicked up a while ago and I stood there out in the field and watched the ashes blow like a wave or mist across the hills. It was so powerful as it swirled and moved along the ridge and at that moment I thought, How beautiful.
I’m very in love with this farm, every tree, every inch of pasture, all the crazy chickens and all the space to make new dreams.
We have had ourselves buried in work all week but have read every email, every letter, and listen to every phone message. It amazes me that so many people knew about it. It never occurred to me how far our eggs and chickens had traveled. Sometimes, it is overwhelming to me how much people love Soul Food Farm.
Our good neighbors Bill and Fern, who own Sunny Slope Farm, are helping us set up some quick irrigation in the olive orchard , and Matthew and Terces who own Be Love Farm are lending their new seed driller and irrigation pipe to get us back on track. I see waves of grass bending in the breeze very soon, and hungry chickens pecking away. And to make it even better (at least to me), I’m learning quite a lot about seed depth, pounds of seed per acre, and how to operate this new equipment. And to bring it all full circle, the seed comes from Laura Trent , who farmed off of Pleasants Valley Road. Laura was an amazing farmer and somehow, even though she died two years ago, manages to keep helping me out.
Eric is working nonstop, Today he will make a hundred trips to Ace Hardware to find all we need to fix the pumps and irrigation line and get that water flowing to the olive field. Next is organizing the plans and purchases to buy materials to rebuild the chicken houses that burned down. We have a workday planned for next weekend (see Bonnie’s post below), and I for one will be happy to see other faces here besides our own.
Soul Food Farm belongs to everyone now, and people working and helping and eating together will make it all seem more hopeful.
We continue to do our everyday chores, and I appreciate the routine. New baby chicks arrived on Friday. Two very loving friends did the egg deliveries this week. We are moving the remaining meat birds over to the front of the farm and redesigning our layout to accommodate all these birds at the front of the property.
Thank you to everyone for all the help you are giving to two very tired farmers, who for one brief moment thought they were finished. Now, with so much concern extended to us, it would be selfish to not get back up and try again.
My dear friend Kathryn wrote to me, “Feet on the ground, chin up.” That is our new motto.
Hey Bonnie and Alexis and Soul Fooders,
Just catching up to your news and new blog. It was hard emotionally to read it but great to see how you and your foodshed are rallying. I hadn’t really known about Soul Food except as part of the promising new wave of community ag startups. Down here at Molino Creek Farm Collective we are now one full month from the onset of Santa Cruz Mtns.’ Lockheed Fire. Sorrowed that you got damaged. We are less scathed than you guys, and the sweet rain last night started to wash down the ashes that were still everywhere. Fallen redwood and fir are still smoldering down deep in Molino Creek, right between here and Swanton Berry Farm on the coast. The forest around the farm burned on 2/3 of our circumference and right up next to several of our homes. That last third marks the southern boundary of the fire. Thanks to CalFire’s amazing response, and other good luck, we lost no structures. There’s a big burnt and bulldozed break in one of two fenced perimeters. Fortunately most of this year’s crops are in the other one still intact. We’re harrowed but all safe and no buildings lost.
We’ve been out here for 26 years, knowing this could happen anytime. It’s wierd that it finally did but we are extremely lucky and grateful that we were only singed. The dryfarm tomatoes are just hitting their main flow and tasting really great. All Organic Smoky Flavor!
Witnessing the full spectacle of the coastal redwood forest burning has been an amazing experience. Wildfire is about the steep slope of entropy, radical transformation of highly organized organic mass into dispersed energy. El Nino’s rains could still wreak a lot more destruction too. But more than anything, natural wildfire is also about renewal and regeneration. That too will be on fast track. We can only hope to make the most of that power.
Glad you are all safe and that Bonnie finally got you blogged up. Stay careful and get as much rest as you can.
Mark L.
Dearest SFF,
Heartfelt condolences about your tragic news, but how uplifting your spirits and those of so many around you. I have posted Bonnie’s post on Facebook and will attend at least one of the fundraisers to keep your chins up!
From an avid egg supporter through Fatted Calf