November 27

We are grateful to all the eaters who bought from us this past year. We sold or used everything we grew– that's a good feeling since "waste not, want not" is a saying every farmer embraces, even though it's not always possible.

Thanksgiving Day we took the day off to reflect and eat heartily. We traded the triticale Karla talked us into growing for 60 lbs of her butchered turkey meat. We smoked a bit of that turkey and was it ever good! We hope that everyone of you had a chance to feel bounty in a personal way too.

One of our farm residents, Lewis – a Lewis Woodpecker, that is – was flying-in crab apples from the Kropp's orchard next door and stuffing them into the bark of the big Cottonwood in our drive. Could that be why Lewis Woodpeckers like Rogers Mesa, even though it's not their usual range? They can preserve delicious fermented fruit for the coming snowy days!

Lewis was telling us something! There's an elemental satisfaction in preserving something of summer's bounty to help get us through the cold fallow season of winter. Of course that's not easy or even necessary for city dwellers, especially if they are working long hours, two jobs, and/or have small children!

Thanksgiving falls at the tail end of the year, between late crops and no crops at all. What's on the table is a sampling of what Wink and I will be eating until spring radishes and lettuce, if we eat local like our forefathers did.

Who has responsibility for preserving America's food? Are they doing a good job providing safe containers and quality ingredients? Are they honest about additives and preservatives, telling us where the food was grown and how? We are fortunate in our valley. We know who grew and processed our turkey. We know the turkey ate the grain from our field. We cooked it with wood cleared from that same field.

We are very grateful for another season of farming and the eaters who bought our fruit and fruit products this year. Some of you canned, dried or froze our peaches and apples as well as fresh fruits and vegetables from other growers. Congratulations to you! We've enjoyed meeting you and look forward to seeing you again next year when we hope to add more variety to our offerings.

All the best, Max & Wink.

PS Maria Kalman has created a graphic Thanksgiving blog published in the New York Times, The Pursuit of Happiness."Since the beginning, Americans have connected the bounty of the land and the goodness of the life to democracy..." Accompany her on the walk in her head. We think you will enjoy her Post-Thanksgiving food thoughts and photos.