Women Can't be Beet!

The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is the more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent not passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious. --Tom Robbins

So, yesterday was a sign from the universe that I am right where I'm supposed to be--if you believe in that sort of thing.

I attended a Women Farmer's Round table Discussion that was hosted by the WSU extension office in Jefferson County. Apparently, he number of females becoming farmers is growing fast--how rad is that? Intuitively, it makes sense, because women have long been know to be stewards of the earth, but in the realm of the current state of the world, its really really exciting.
I went as a part-time farm worker from two farms --Nash's Organic Produce and Johnston's Family Farm. There were about 20 female farmers present. I have to say, I felt really lucky to be included in such a gathering of movers and shakers and little like a voyeur who snuck into the event. I wondered--with my limited involvement in decisions and outcomes at the farms on which I work--what role can I play in this process? But, I tucked those thoughts aside and imbibed in the rich and inspiring company of the day.
A lot of the conversation focused on getting local food into our local schools. Its seems so simple and logical, but the amount of red tape that separates actually putting fresh food onto the school breakfast and lunch tables is incredible. Its as if we need a catapoult to launch the food over the red tape fences into the cafeterias...and that would certainly compromise the quality of the food. Regardless of these hurdles, the momentum and energy is there. Inspiring.
On a personal note, I've been getting twinkles of urges to start putting a cookbook together. And wouldn't you know it, just last week, I started a blog entitled "Tasting the Landscape". Thanks for the tap on the shoulder universe. It came up in discussion that I could use this blog as a forum to highlight the people, farms, and food of the Olympic Peninsula. Who knows what the audience may be, but getting our communities excited about the foods that grow here is one step closer to communities demanding that these foods need to be in the schools that their children attend.

Stay tuned!