"If we're not growing, we might as well be dead."

Last weekend I journeyed back to Loveland, for a long overdue visit…after all it was my anniversary! To view it just how I remembered it, I was put right to work again! As soon as I hopped into the back of the truck, pounded twice on the side…we were off! That day's mission: to wrangle up 40+ cattle that had escaped the fields by climbing up the steep rim rock. The rest of the full time crew seemed a little uneasy, but I was quite excited for this adventure. Every day something new and unexpected happens on the farm…yet the majority of our culture thinks that the city life is more exciting?!

Back to wrangling cattle. We first had to hike the steep rim rocks, then merge the cattle together…on foot :) Even back to my intern days, I had never done this other than calling them into the next pasture of grass, and maybe a little walking behind them, but never in a wide open space like this. After letting one sneak through a gap in-between two of us…and having the rest of the cattle following in a stampede, we learned to get a little more aggressive so as to not backtrack.

At some point I was left with about 10-15 cattle who had tried to follow their friends back to the top of the rim rock, but I was the only thing in the way of their direct path. It was a pretty crazy feeling to be alone with them for a good 20 minutes…all eyes on me, while some trying to chew on rocks or eat tree bark. Eventually they got bored, one of the cows turned around, and the rest followed, back down the rim rock. Thankfully this is about when the rest of the crew and cattle joined in, and it was all downhill after that.



Til we realized there were still more missing! After securing the recovered cattle, we ventured back up the rim rock, ending up on the other side of the foothill where the cattle were alongside the road. It was a lot of back and forth across the road, thanks to red mailboxes and tempting luscious green grass. But thank goodness for country drivers…and for our friend who chased the galloping cows on his bike! Still no easy task to drive them alongside the road, as we pushed them up against fencing, then suddenly the fences dropped off and the cattle ran back up the now steeper incline of the rim rock. Somehow we got them all back. Safe and sound, huffing and foaming at the mouthes from thirst, and now very tired.



Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed burgers for lunch after all that work :)

And I saw my first live rattlesnake! Poised and ready to strike! Good thing we were in the car. And good thing this was after climbing through all the rattlesnake infested land!



It was refreshing to be back. The scenic fields and my most favoritest intern are so nourishing for the soul :)



…

Back to the city life…urban gardening is picking up momentum! Most of the spring crops (potatoes, lettuce, arugula, radishes) are planted, so we're weeding lots! Feels like Seattle here with all this rain. Love it for the plants, love it for curling up in bed at night, just a bit messy for bike riding…definitely time for waterproof pants! :)

My compost pile is really growing now that I'm eating more vegetables and, well, eating more at home :) I began noticing its odor and refreshed my mind with a little composting lesson from DUG. If it smells, it needs more dry stuff…like newspaper. Awesome! This takes care of my paper recycling pile too! So I was a paper shredder for a night in :)

I also noticed that most of my plants are outdoor plants, so I put an ad up on freecycle for any sort of plant, dying or alive (got this idea from a fellow apprentice), and met an angel named Fran! She invited me over and told me to bring lots of pots…she'd take care of me. And she went above and beyond! We spent an hour going through her house, she snipped off a few leaves from each of her plants, making sure I had my hands full! And I witnessed actually growing pineapples. Two! This woman is my hero! That is my next challenge for this year…to grow a pineapple!

She tried to give me a sampling of nearly everything in her yard…I only wish I had the yard space to accept the raspberries she offered! She too was from Chicago, so besides telling me all about each plant, we discussed what great decisions we made by moving out here. These discussions never get old!

I couldn't thank her enough for all the plants she donated to me. I only hope that I can pay this all forward someday! And am hoping that I can keep all of the plants alive and growing.



On that note, I'll leave you with this quote I just read…

"If we're not growing, we might as well be dead."

thankful for the changes in my life right now…thankful for the opportunities to learn and develop…feeling more alive each day :)

happy anniversary CO!

one year ago today marks my one year anniversary of moving to Colorado! what a year!

I still get nostalgic thinking about the picture perfect little farming community I rolled up to that Sunday afternoon. The bubble, the helpful, happy, and curious roommates, the scenic plush landscape with lil foxes and owls hiding here and there. sigh...

For the moment, I think I've found the best balance, designing full time now, and urban gardening on the side. Urban gardening is not as overwhelming, and a more realistic environment for today's world. The group I apprentice with, Heirloom Gardens, goes a step further than a CSA (community supported agriculture), naming themselves a NSA (neighborhood supported agriculture). Gardens in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver have been donated by their owners to us, we cultivate, and sell the produce via the Highlands farmers market and CSA shares. I challenge all my friends to find their own local markets or CSA, or even grow their own vegetables for the summer instead of going to the grocery store for produce! You will not be disappointed!

Our NSA started working back in February, planning gardens and starting seedlings in the greenhouse. I feel like winters last forever, yet with all my fun in the snow this year and realizing that garden season starts so early, this winter took off! March and April were spent prepping the gardens by tilling in compost. And this was the first year I was able to plant spring vegetables in an actual yard! Obviously I'm still learning about hardening off transplants...which means gradually adjusting them to outside temps and sunshine, not leaving them in the sun for the first time for 8 hours! I'm also learning that new transplants need a good amount of water in the beginning...not vacation abandonment :) Needless to say, when I got back from Ecuador, the majority of transplants lived (arugula, lettuces, carrots, parsley, cilantro), and the direct seeded lettuces, radishes, potatoes, onions, beets, and peas were coming up strong! And to think before my trip I nearly caved and bought reemay row cover! :)



Back in the NSA gardens, a lot of last year's plants that went to seed have already given us some tasty dinners. Nothing beats fresh arugula, green onions, and beet greens!

And yesterday while we were prepping a garden, Sundari's goat had 3 babies! So we visited them today...too precious! I hope to capture their cute 'mmmmmaaaaa' sounds on video. They are still a little clumsy on their feet, but look so good and healthy. All nestled with chickens in the backyard of a Denver home. Awesome.

happy with today

Welcome to February. Usually the second month of miserable, dreary and frigid days...short days of daylight that seem to drag on forever and ever, and make me wonder if summer ever existed.

Not anymore! Sure, I'm still a summer baby, more than ready for some time in the garden. But here I am, getting plenty of time outside and soaking in extra vitamin D with all these days of sunshine. When snowboarding lessons and equipment seemed to fall into my lap (thanks friends!), I gave it a nervous shot and think I've finally put my C turns together into S's...meaning I'm getting the hang of it :)



It's unreal leaving 50 degrees each weekend to drive an hour for another vacation destination. As per our weekend group discussions in the mountain-top hot-tub...every day feels like a vacation. Even now that my funemployment is over.

That's right, I got a job! A part time design gig, which could turn into a full time job in a couple months. I am one of 3 employees...far from the thousands I was used to in the corporate world :) I'm still getting used to not using a badge...and still getting used to hearing about people here refusing promotions so that they can still enjoy their personal lives. Love it :)

So less perks with this small firm you ask? Nope! This means there's opportunity to help a company grow...and I can still test drive freelancing on the side. And have bike commuted 100 miles for a week in January. Unbelievable :)

...and best of all, I accepted an apprenticeship for urban gardening! At 20 hours/month it won't be as intense as the farm this summer, but I hope to learn different organic styles and expand on what knowledge I have. I can't wait to meet some backyard goats and chickens too :)

Meanwhile back in my apt where I'm trying to save money on heat...it's taking more of a toll on my herb seedlings :( Growth is slow, if not stopped! Maybe I should use heat lamps, but it seems kinda fake and a waste of energy. Guess I'll just have to be patient for the next few months...concentrate on current excitement of riding (bikes and boards), visitors (fam and friends!), and training for some adventure races in Equador. oh yeah!

Home!

Hello November!

Looks like we made it!! This may be news to some, but before leaving Denver 2+ months ago I told myself and my closest friends that I'd be back...by Halloween, job or no job. I figured two months would give me a chance to beg my company to transfer me...give me a chance to catch up with all my Chicago friends...all while getting me back to the mountains in time for SNOW! And here I am, right where I want to be!

So what exactly happened over the past two months that I haven't been telling? Well, let me share...

Having worked outdoors in the fields all summer, I was actually eager to get back to the stable indoor environment at the comforts of my desk...and of course catchup with my closest coworkers over pitchers of margaritas and pulled pork tacos...mmm.



It sounded like the team was swamped with work and I was ready to step back in to help. My excitement didn't last long. I sensed my other coworkers feeling a bit bitter about me having 3 months 'vacation.' I half expected this, but felt like I had to continually prove myself worthy instead of just fit back into my former role. The corporate and big city lifestyle fit me like a pair of clown shoes now.

I knew that my time on the farm was truly a mountain high experience, and I knew I'd have to come back to down to reality. But reality hit hard and fast! People at work were more stressed and upset than I remembered. One partner, whom I was working with on a proposal for the first time, actually called someone on the team a 'dummy' via conference call. Who does that?! I noticed one morning that all of the cars on Mark's block, including mine, got keyed. WHO DOES THAT?! What happened to paying things forward instead of backward?! Then things were steadily stolen from me...my bike...then my new bike's patch kit...and then my car roof rack. Did I need anymore signs to leave? Nope! :)

Someone who does pay it forward is my fantastic friend Mark, whom I already mentioned was letting me crash at his place. I felt like I was able to make some contribution when I helped him take care of his new puppy. As much as I love and adore dogs though, I don't think my independent self will be adopting any in the near future :) Which is why Mark is the selfless host! He made me feel so welcome that I think I would feel bad swapping couches for another friend's place. How he didn't get sick of me after 2 months, I'm not quite sure.



Perhaps Mark didn't get sick of me because I was always trying to be out doing something. I set a goal to run in my first ever 10K, so every other day after work I'd usually be jogging around Lincoln Park and the lake. My one goal for finishing the 10K was to run the entire distance. Maybe that was too easy, but it still felt like quite the accomplishment...thanks to the support of my family, friends...and Michael who even flew in just to cheer me on :) Next race will be HAWAII!! I'm shooting to run a half marathon there next month, though my longest Chicago run at 9 miles is now back to barely 3 miles after my month of packing and slacking :)



I'm not really sure how far I would have gotten through the past two months without the support and encouragement from Michael :) While he easily could have saved himself a 900 mile flight, or even joined the 10K and smoked me and the rest of the runners, he savored this as 'my' race and cheered me on from behind the scenes. I visited Denver one weekend, completely unprepared for a last minute interview, but he was already back with coffee and resume paper by the time I was out of the shower. No wonder my face lights up when anyone mentions him :)

What helped move along those two months, besides Skype :) were our bi-weekend visits. One thing that Denver lacks is its close proximity to the majority of family and friends, so it felt like the holidays seeing so much of everyone. And I even got to meet my aunt and uncle's grass fed cows!!



I guess it got a little bit easier saying goodbyes to friends this time, even if it's a more permanent move. This summer was a good trial run for keeping in touch with these same friends, and with technology of internet and phones and planes, we're really not that far apart. And true friendships will last.

And thank goodness for helpful neighbors and siblings and especially my mother for all the help tetrising my stuff into the moving truck, all while keeping the cops away :)



The friendly ABF truck driver took off with my stuff and away I went with a carload of bikes in my backseat! I journeyed back to my halfway point in Omaha to stay once again with my stepfamily. More great feelings of the holidays. But better yet was recalling the last time I was there, about to go to sleep, thinking that this day...'Denver eve' was sooo far off. Two months felt like forever!! But I made it! Made it to Denver the next day by noon...signed my lease...unloaded the truck...and I'm home! Right on schedule :)

A couple weeks later and I'm still settling in! Guess I'm just taking my sweet time and enjoying every minute of it :)

city pickles

Some days I feel like nothing's changed and my sabbatical never happened. Other days I feel completely out of place here. I appreciate both sides of the coin, since I'm not looking to settle for either.

I couldn't ask for a more generous roommate, Marky Mark, for letting me crash at his place until I figure out where to go next. In fact, Mark's so generous that we had a third roommate...all of us sharing his one bedroom in a hi-rise. Tight quarters, but I'm so thankful to be able to spend time with him since I haven't for the past few months. And thankfully this weather's been great, so we spend the majority of our time outdoors anyway.


I was overly confident thinking that since I could run 3 miles in the mile-high city that I would be able to run twice as fast or twice as long in the second city, but the humidity soon stopped me about a mile in my tracks. Ick! After a few bike commutes to help me adjust to the weather, I'm back to running precisely 3 miles. Don't ask me my time though :)

This weekend I biked up to the Evanston farmer's market to find the infamous "Henry" of Henry's Farm in Congerville, IL...where my farm manager, Michael, apprenticed and learned everything he knows about gardening. I've been many of farmers markets around the city, but none quite of this size! Henry's farm stand was spilling out of 3 tents...and there were a dozen other farm vendors this size. Heavenly!


I thought back to my farming friends in Colorado, harvesting a plethora of these farm goodies...while I had to limit myself to a bookbag and walletful :)

I returned to Mark's and stacked the fridge with my purchases, while he wondered what he signed up for! I can't help but get super excited talking about fresh produce and the happy grassfed cows I once knew! For the rest of our meals I drag Mark to 'Whole Paycheck' or spend hours reading labels in Jewel and educating Mark about the importance pasture raised chicken. I even guilted him into buying a reusable bag and recycling at home. Sorry buddy! You'll thank me later :)


Needless to say, I'm overwhelmed being back outside the sunrise bubble, with the abundance of plastic bags and processed foods at restaurants and grocery stores, and the lack of composting and knowledge of our impacts. I'm still finding that happy balance between going out to dinner with friends and staying in to cook my own meals. One step at a time...

back to reality

Turns out waterproof mascara is perfect for more than just swimming and wakeboarding...also good for trips back to the midwest! I dilly-dallied packing the car... waiting til the very last moment to say goodbye to home...

Mountains gradually disappearing in my rearview mirror, kombucha spilling at every stop for gas, and me passing every car on the right (as Coloradans do)...I eventually made it to Omaha for the night. It wasn't until here when I was tossing the end of my eaten farm zucchini out the window (highway composting!) that I felt the thick air. Eek! Humidity! I forgot that even existed!

I spent an enjoyable night with family, then left the next morning for central Illinois. This drive through Iowa I actually noticed a few grassfed cow farms! I didn't use an entire hand to count them all, but I was impressed to see cows in the land of corn nonetheless.

Apparently I-80 was closed down after Des Moines for flooding, and within that hour and a half wait to get through the parking lot traffic, I decided that perhaps grassfed cows ARE the solution to everything. If these cornfields had a more stable root system, with perennial grasses vs. annual corn, the roots could soak up all that water. And of course, grassfed cows would help mow and fertilize the grasses in the meantime. hmmmm....

Here's a shot from the exciting drive in the midwest... :)


I made it back to central IL, repacked my car with the city life necessities (dress clothes, heels, mace, bike locks) and it was back to Chicago for me! My excitement to get back to my friends and coworkers and pizza and bike riding on flat land and the 'beach' was overcome with anxiety as I approached the traffic and the high rises. oi! But I appreciated the aggressive drivers...and especially appreciated all the welcome hugs :)

Turns out my entire first week has been an easy transition...full of welcome backs :) I stepped into my office building, seeing it in a whole new light. That place is so clean...and so sterile! Definitely not in Kansas anymore. I was greeted with a desk, completely wrapped in wrapping paper, even individual desk items...like pens. LOL.


My coworkers' fantasy football party, also my boss's birthday, included a 'welcome back, Pickles' cake instead of birthday cake...


My car got welcomed back to the hood with some lovely key scratches :)


...but I soon remembered that there are thoughtful people in this world :)

end of chapter one

For as slow as farm life goes, those three months sure went fast! The last week of July marked my final week on the farm. Who knew it would be so emotional too! This entire internship has been like an extended trip to summer camp...building friendships, living with lots of dirt and bugs, and learning and growing as an individual. Like my momma says...it's hard coming down from these mountain-high experiences...literally.

It was fantastic being around these farmers...such real, genuine people. I was able to put away the outfits, hair-dryer, make-up, and yes, even showers and deodorant, for a few days at a time. The only judgement I got was for not wearing enough sunscreen...and I see that as a life-saving suggestion :)

As Julie did in her blog, here's a little blurb on these fine folks:


Kate. As one of my roommates, she was the first intern I met. My first impression was her plopping down on our couch with the lovely large college-style pillow in her lap, ready to chat with me about my story coming to the farm....because of this I bonded with her the most...and I knew then that this was going to be a fun summer with her :) When our managers asked one of us to step up to a task, she was first to volunteer (until Dave came!) regardless of whether she knew what the project was, or if she could handle it. She's a girly girl of much strength, inside and out. Real. To the point. No BS. And always asked me if it looked like something was bothering me. And my partner in crime for Starbucks, roadtrips, and an occasional drink to give us an excuse to enjoy some time off the farm. IMUNNAMISSCHOOO! :)


Sandy. She was my 2nd roommate, brave enough to ditch the only place she knew, warm and sunny LA, for exploring another garden path in life. My first impression was her lugging my 2 ton bag of shoes out of my car and to my room, regardless of my pleas for her to not worry about it. Firecracker indeed! She was initially skeptical of nice people, especially those drivers on the country roads that would always wave at her when she ran, but she eventually warmed up to them :) I was a terrible and messy roommate, but Sandy was very motherly in keeping the apartment tidy and homely, even by cooking for me and Kate. And she loved weeding :)


Avana. She came to the farm a few weeks after me, and I first thought she was the most innocent of everyone, so wasn't sure what to say or not say around her. Turns out that she craves a good debate, but I'm still not sure she approved of my jokes when she gave me the shocked 'look'. Each of us interns took a couple days to get adjusted to farm life, but not Avana. She started on day one...and started with digging potato mounds. Now that is hard core! I told her to take a break, but she just winked and smiled...Avana style ;) She invented the Rototill dance, always made sure I was wearing sun protection, and I opened her eyes to going out for drinks with friends :)


Julie. This girl does not stop laughing, I love it! At first I couldn't believe that someone could laugh this much without giving themselves side stitches, but Julie disproved this theory right away. Most of us interns secluded ourselves from the rest of the community, and Julie miraculously bridged the gap with her compassion for everyone. She is not intimidated by creepers or new adventures with random people. Julie's also great at sharing: music, birthday breakfasts, kombucha...and the coolest present ever: my handmade Ree-may shirt! So creative and thoughtful!


Dave. This guy would not stop volunteering...more noted, he was always the first to volunteer. I first thought as the only male intern that he was attempting to prove his manhood to us established lady interns, but Dave was just naturally eager to get the most out of his experience here on the farm. His enthusiasm for organic farming is so strong that he actually practices what he preaches. While most of us compromise with what's available in this non-organic society, Dave has set a standard for what he eats, even if it's the more difficult thing to do...like making most of his food from scratch, and not being afraid to tell his mom he won't eat her food. Thank goodness for the college situation that brought him here! :)


Alisha. When I think of strength and determination, I think of Alisha. Specially, I think of how she snugs those irrigation pipes with such emphasis! :) If she's going to do something, she's going to do it well! Alisha did not hesitate to ask questions, and I don't know how she could come up with one after another, but that's how she knows so much. I especially admire how she's applying what she's learning about preserving to her personal life, moving from city to city via train...and on a budget. We'll all learn best by making acquired knowledge relevant to our situations. And she was always great at shining a new light on situations or opinions..."Well yes, I see your point, however..."


Sylvan. Slave driver. Ok, not quite, but close :) She has a real personal relationship with the garden and took garden work very seriously, as managers should to keep business going. This was Sylvan's first year as garden manager, so kudos for managing all 7 of us! (8 including Patrick :) We bombarded her with questions, and she answered each thoughtfully...digging deep into her wealthy memory database. She was always in touch with the land, seeing things that us innocent interns overlooked. I could see the real passion come out when we enjoyed her delicious recipes at her hip potlucks.


Patrick. Dreamer, storyteller, teacher, jokester, poet. He was the other garden manager, telling us many stories of his past travels and experiences that brought him to where he is today. What we first thought would be short stories became hours of detailed tangeants to a story, complete with jokes and life lessons. And suddenly it was lunch time! Us interns had Patrick all to ourselves on Mondays, so we soon learned that although Mondays included smelly compost and trench digging, it was also a day to ask lots of questions, and sit, reflect, and enjoy.

We all have a passion for the fields. We are proud of our hard work. All of us are strong, eager to learn, and even more eager to help. We all realize that there's more to life than money and reality TV shows and who won the super bowl. And we all want to educate the rest of the world with what we learned on the farm, so that we can together improve the world.


This crew has opened my eyes to farming, lifestyles, and myself. I am so appreciatives of this experience...it has really been more fulfilling than I ever could have imagined :)