E-I-E-I-O

April 21, 2009March 17, 2018Leave a comment

We spent a day at Our
Farm last week, exploring the greenhouses and meeting the goats. (Yes,
Our Farm.) Ah, but you thought we lived in town?

We do.

It's our CSA farm. And CSA Season is almost upon us. CSA, you ask? Community Supported Agriculture.

It works like this: each year we buy a "share" in our favorite farm. In exchange for our
financial support our farm grows produce just for us. Beets. Chives.
Spinach. Kohlrabi. Watermelon. Strawberries. Celariac. The list goes
on. Each week (May through October) we get a box of amazing produce, grown just down the road
by Farmer Richard and his crew.

CSA farms exist around the country and around the world. We've been members of Harmony Valley Farm since we moved to the Viroqua in 2006. Our
previous CSA (WormFarm in Reedsburg, WI) was a special place for us as
well. Connections to the farm run deep. Sage grew up correcting us when
we'd sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm. "No, no," He would say. "It's Jay and Donna had a farm, E-I-E-I-O."

Our current CSA is exponentially
larger than "Jay and Donna's" farm, but both provided our family with a sense of community, knowledge of where our food comes from, and
connection to the land. We visit the farm several times a year and watch the fields transform from brown to green to a rainbow of produce. With Harmony Valley we get
huge boxes of produce, great varieties, and some seriously professional
organic farming techniques. This food is out of control and some of the best I have ever eaten.

At WormFarm we got friendship, we
bartered for our share, and we felt at home on the farm. We even took care of the animals while Jay and Donna were away. (Which was always an amazing experience for Sage – and for us… Except the time that their goat died. That sucked. You don't want your farmer's animals to dye on your watch. Trust me. Oh yeah, and the time that the sheep got out and scared Sage worse than I've ever seen him scared before and we hid in the greenhouse until he stopped crying. That wasn't so fun either. But really. It was usually amazing. Seriously.)

To find your a CSA farm in your neighborhood, go here. You'll be glad you did. But if you're asked to animal-sit some questionable animals, go with your gut on that one.

Friendship.

January 6, 2009March 17, 20182 Comments

Although I can be a bit of a loner, community holds immense value to me. We chose our hometown to fulfill our need for providing our children with connections, roots, and a true sense of community. It is no accident that we landed in Viroqua. I can't imagine us anywhere else.

As homeschoolers, we tap into our community often to provide social (and educational) opportunities for our children – and ourselves. New Year's Eve was one such moment. My loner-sensibilities were shelved for the holidays, and we packed our house with 17 lovely (albeit loud) souls.

With adults just barely outnumbered by children, there was a dizzying volume for most of the evening. Horses, witches and squirrels ran about, beds became trampolines, and songs were sung. Finally, when all but the oldest kids were growing tired (though none would admit it), we climbed together on the couch for a winter tale, and settled into the quiet of late evening.

As the night came to a close and we said goodbye to departing friends, I realized the value that each of these people brings not only to my life, but to my children. Community, connection, and our own interpretation of family. Don't all humans hunger for these connections in our lives?

How blessed we are to have found it here.

Grass.

September 20, 2008March 17, 20182 Comments

(I mean lawns, silly).

We love our neighbors.

They are sweet and thoughtful in that neighborly sort of way that small towns are good for. They bring us flowers, share their newspapers, and wave happily when they pass. More importantly, they overlook our shortcomings (like our inability to mow before the grass goes to seed), and pretend to not notice when our naked children run screaming through the backyard.

But there is this one issue. One. Huge. Issue.

Lawn chemicals.

While our neighbors are truly good folks, they are also truly clueless when it comes to the health and environmental effects of their bi-annual toxic lawn soup. I believe that if they knew the effect that their lawn care choices had on their own health (or their pet’s, or the neighbor kids) they might would make different choices.

So I decided to make a postcard with a few pesticide facts to leave in the doors when I see the telltale white flags.

Brave? Perhaps. Brazen? Maybe. Pushy? A bit. But I thought it could be done politely and in an nonthreatening manner to just provide some information.

It’s the educator in me.

Must. Teach.

Must. Provide. Facts.

Must. Create. Informed. Citizens.

My search for statistics led me to Beyond Pesticides. And that postcard I was making? They offer beautiful (nonthreatening) door hangers to leave with the neighbors (for free no less!). I got to thinking… I need more people on this mission! So that’s where you come in. Request your free door hangers today and then stealth one on your neighbor’s front door when the chemical truck pulls away (just be sure you don’t cut across the lawn). Our kids, pets, water, and soil microorganisms say thanks.

(Oh, and when you get home from your Door Hanger Mission, be sure to blissfully roll around on your maybe weedy but beautifully non-toxic lawn. My kids suggest this move sans-clothing, but really that’s up to you.)

Sauced.

September 16, 2008March 17, 2018Leave a comment

Last week Sage, Lupine, and I went to Turkey Ridge, our local organic orchard for a day of picking, playing, and picnicking.

It’s a cooperatively run farm utilizing some cutting edge organic pest management strategies. Their use of livestock for pest control is inspiring.

So we found ourselves alone in a vast orchard, the sun warming our shoulders as we climbed, picked, and nibbled our way through the morning.

We picked a case of apples, had our lunch on the hills overlooking the orchard, then headed home to make some sauce. Lots and lots of sauce.

It seemed daunting. All that chopping. Cooking. Smooshing.

But it was, well, stupid easy. So easy in fact, that all night I kept thinking – people actually buy applesauce? I have actually bought apple sauce?

Um, yeah. Many times.

From now on, applesauce will live eternally on my list of homemade treats. We used Sally Fallon’s recipe (requiring just apples, lemon juice, a stove and a food mill) with no peeling, coring, or chopping. In essence, quarter the apples, add lemon juice and a splash of water, and cook. Press down with a potato masher occasionally, then cool and run through a food mill (we picked ours up at the thrift store for $5). And though I prefer chunky applesauce, the ease of this recipe may convert me to a smooth sauce girl.

An easy, delightful evening spent storing our harvest for the chilly months to come.

H-O-M-E.

August 25, 2008March 17, 20182 Comments

Coming home after eight days is like dessert. The meal was great but dessert – always the best part.

We had a delightful vacation with family and old friends, and now, at last! we are home. Our week was busy, relaxing, challenging, fun, exhausting, and inspiring.

We grilled out and swam in the lake.

We caught frogs and crickets (and sniffles).

We went to the park and the pool and the baseball stadium.

We had chocolate cake twice (one birthday, one wedding). And watching my high school best friend marry the right guy made my heart smile.

We colored and baked and made messes and cleaned up and went to bed. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but nearly all delightful.

Parenting without my sweetie was sometimes trying (and I missed him besides), but I think we’ll spend a week there next summer too. It’s good for us to break our routine and head to the city.

And now? It’s time to unpack. We leave in three days for another week away!

Beauty.

August 11, 2008March 17, 20181 Comment

I have begun to stalk the beautiful.

I carry my camera with me everywhere, seeking beauty in the most obscure places. Like coffee. Or legos.

Beauty. Right here in the family room at 7 am.

But really, this is my life. I can find the beauty in this everyday or lose myself in the minutia of what isn’t pretty. Like the sandy floors or heaps of dishes or mountains of unfolded laundry, all beckoning my critical gaze.

It won’t ever all be done, so I’m working to find the beauty lurking behind the chaos; the bliss lurking inside of the “work”.

Yesterday we were blessed with an afternoon with friends on their homestead, tucked into the hills outside of Viroqua.

They are a brilliant study in finding the beauty and joy in the everyday as they grow their food, wash their clothes, cook their meals, raise their girls and build their home – all by hand, day by day.

Welcoming beauty and purpose into a day so filled with “work” transforms their existence into something rather magical. Their life is full, real, lived, and beautiful. And I admire them in a very big way.

The Non-Negotiables.

August 6, 2008March 17, 20181 Comment

We moved to Viroqua, Wisconsin nearly two years ago. I was extremely pregnant, and extremely ready to be Home with a capital “h”. We fell for Viroqua a few years before because it fulfilled our requirements of What-We-Want-To-Surround-Ourselves-With-Everyday.

Pete and I very deliberately aligned ourselves with this life we now live. We sat down one night and made a list of our “Non-Negotiables”. After a week of tweaking, six items remained on our list. They are:

1. Community: We chose to surround ourselves with kindred souls. A beautiful place loses much of its beauty without the connection of community.

2. Proximity to my family: Close enough for weekend visits with my parents and sister in Milwaukee.

3. Green Space: We all need to surround ourselves with the peace of nature. Especially moving from the country, we need our biophilia fix.

4. A home that we love: Why settle for anything but a place to make your heart sing?

5. Alternative schooling: Should our kids ever decide to go to school, we’d like to have a rockin’ option. (Viroqua’s options are Waldorf, Waldorf, and charter. Not too shabby for a town of less than 5,000.)

6. Work: Pete was commuting 2 1/2 hours a day. Done with that.

And so we looked at the map and, as one friend here put it, Viroqua was the place where all of those lines intersected. How true. Each year a few more kindred souls roll into town, and we’re thrilled to meet each of them. This place is magic, and they are much of the reason why.

It seems Mother Earth News thinks so, too. Our little town is one of this month’s Nine Great Places You’ve Never Heard Of.

My favorite fair.

July 27, 2008March 17, 2018Leave a comment

This weekend was the Kickapoo Country Fair in La Farge, Wisconsin.

Sponsored by Organic Valley, the KCF is what every county fair should be (in my eco-mama opinion). The events are sweet and magical from the stilt-walkers to the uber chill animal tent; the glittery tribal face painting, and the amazing flower labyrinth. In the true spirit of our region (birthplace of Organic Valley) all of the food is organic. And the speakers are always world class (or so I hear. My kids chose the animal tent over Anna Lappe and organic brats over Jim Hightower).

Here are a few photos of our day for your enjoyment.

Sleepy pigs.

Stilt walking butterflies.

Exploring the trails.

Vintage tractors.

And the highlight of the fair in our family – maple cotton candy!

Hell or High Water.

June 10, 2008March 17, 2018Leave a comment

In our house it is neither.

In our county and our community and our state it is both.

Personally, my family is blessed with a business that is still functioning, a home that is still dry, and a family that is safe, together, and home. But all around my lovely Viroqua and stretching across the state to Racine and Milwaukee, this week’s floods have done some major work.

One friend (just minutes from Viroqua) described the moat that surrounds their rural home. A farmer we know in nearby Avalanche said that 95% of his plants and 50% of his soil is gone. Gone.

An hour and a half away (if the bridges weren’t out) my best friend in Baraboo had a bucket brigade of twenty-some neighbords save her house from disaster. And in the eastern part of the state, my parents described floating cars in their town and chest deep water in their backyard.

And on. And on. And on.

So what is all this eco-mayhem about? Mother Earth is pissed off. As a mother myself I know what it feels like to loose my cool (forgive the pun). To be pushed too far. To snap. We have been unruly children and our mama has had enough. She’s pushing back.

What can we do?

We can work damn hard to make her happy again. Change our habits. Change our lifestyle. Go here and click on the tree to figure out your carbon footprint. Then change it. Now. Today. We don’t have any time to waste.

What new steps is my family taking to reduce our impact? As of this week we are line drying our laundry. Eating less meat (even organic meat uses more energy getting to the table). Selling our extra vehicle. Reducing car travel to twice per week. Installing a rain barrel. Planting a garden. That’s the the start. We’re still working on it too.

As for the flood, we are doing what we do best. Making soap. For all Salute to the Sun, Laughter, and Earth Child soaps sold between now and June 19th. we will donate 100% of our profits to flood recovery efforts in Wisconsin. Click over to our website www.LuSaOrganics.com and stock up.

Our neighbors say thanks. And so do we.

Community.

June 6, 2008March 17, 2018Leave a comment

We are not alone.

Before we moved to Viroqua, we were usually alone. We didn’t have many connections with our neighbors, despite everyone – including us – being friendly. My closest friend was 22 minutes away, and rarely was someone dropping by (with kids or without).

Sage was an only child in a very big way.

Lupine is growing up in a different world.

Our backyard connects with the backyard of my best friend from college, D. and her husband and son. We gave birth to our babes just three days and one hedgerow apart. Lupine and Cedar know only this reality, of people with connections. One where home extends beyond the back door, and a few short steps brings more loved ones to your day.

I don’t think a day has passed since we all collectively moved here when we didn’t see one one another – either across the yard or across the dinner table. Both Cedar and Lupine direct many of those exchanes, leading us through the yards to play, borrow toys, talk, or today – splash in the hot tub.

Community isn’t without effort.

There are times that our two families are falling all over each other and needing some space to breathe. But usually that’s about our own issues rather than anyone else’s. Or that phase where Lupine was beating on Cedar, and then that phase when Cedar was beating on Lupine.

But we evolve. We grow. We become better neighbors, better friends, better parents, better partners for the closeness. We have someone mere feet away to say “I had a terrible night” to when the babies won’t sleep or “you have to see what I just made” at 10 PM. (our baby monitors reach across the yards). We share lawn mowers, picnic tables, weekly meals, and sandbox toys. We share child care, coffee, campfires, and hot tubs.

We share our lives.

I cannot imagine life without community anymore.

It is at the heart of how we live and what we do each day, beyond our friends across the yard. When Lupine was born (just six weeks after we moved here) strangers brought us dinners for well over a month. Every single night. Really. Amazing. Dinners. With sweet little note and phone numbers and “welcome to town” loveliness.

Community runs deep here.

But having dear friends across the yard is the the microfoam on the latté (pardon the random metaphor – D and T own a coffee roastery). They plan to build a new house some day. I hope they don’t but I know they will.

Will I cry when they move? Most definitely. We all will.