The Wanderlust Farmer Chef

"Bless the hands that prepared it" A prayer I have heard from around the dinner table throughout my entire life. In my adolescence, I had always imagined the hands of the person who had labored in the kitchen to prepare a meal for us.  As I grew older, and began to nourish others, I would picture my own hands when I heard the phrase.  For so many years "the hands that prepared it" began and concluded in the kitchen.  Until I made a batch of vanilla ice cream. . . The perfect scoop of frozen custard, infused with whole vanilla beans; drizzled with  blood orange infused olive oil and dusted with raw cacao. My mother and I sat in perfect silence, savoring each bite in slow motion.  After the first few moments of utter bliss, I found words taking formation on my lips. "Thank you, dairy cows who so graciously provided us with this organic milk and cream" My mother smiled at these unexpected words; But we were just getting started. "Thank yo...

Flashback to the moments I was learning how to say yes to an adventure in the face of uncertainty.  It was just another Hawaiian full moon evening; perfect for a 3 hour hike down a mountainside in the dark? Sure! Four of us set off with some headlamps, hammocks and water. . . Not knowing our final destination.  We just needed to go.  Guided by the light of the moon and the sound of the ocean we made our way towards the water.  The earth below us was unstable and we kept sliding and falling, sliding and falling.  Our downhill path was adorned with spider webs and strange noises coming from deep within the trees.  After walking for more than an hour we stopped to consider turning around. We knew where we had come from; It was safe.  Despite the logic in that thought we kept pursuing the unknown.  Further and further we ventured down the mountain.  Tall trees shot up on all sides of us blocking out the guiding moonlight.  We could see noth...

I sat in the dirt stroking the silky fur on the head of a darling little calf.  My hand was stroking, but my mind was wandering to the day before when this precious calf earned  the title of Annabelle Rae The Stray. Word had reached my ears there was a lost calf near a large mud bog at the bottom of a coulee.  "Just north east of here, where four roads come together at a big mud pit."  I knew the place.  Soon my Subaru Forester was bumping its way down an old dirt road to complete what was quite possibly mission impossible.   Step 1: Figure out which way the calf could have wandered from the pit. Step 2: Actually find the calf, being sure to check all the old cow trails that go deep into the bushes. Step 3: Somehow get the calf to follow me back to my car. Step 4: Manage to get the calf back to the barn. Step 5: Get the calf fed and watered and comfortable. I parked my car and began wandering down a trail for about 1/4 mile.  "Hey ...

Have you ever wondered enough to wander?  Have you ever wandered enough to wonder? Join me as I travel wherever the wind takes me.  We'll ponder through occasional deep oceans of thoughts, and some light hearted musings as well.  A Montana girl living in upcountry Maui, I happened to wander to a permaculture farm after spending much of my time wondering about sustainability in the food industry.  Not just the restaurants, but also the farms and ranches and CSA's and backyard gardens, etc.   The United States wastes an average of 40% of its food every year.  This is a combined effort of the farmer, processor, chef and consumer.  We waste food, but we also waste energy in the production and preparation of the food that we waste. . . So basically we waste so we can waste? I wonder.  If we were to wonder enough, could we possibly wander towards a more sustainable system?  I think yes.  Let's explore solar power.  And windmills. ...