Earth Sky Time WWOOFER Journal

CSA

2011-09-07T05:44:00.001-07:00

Dear CSA friends,

I knew when we got married over eleven years ago that life with Oliver would probably lean more towards chaos than order. I was right. The combination of Levis life and our choice of farming as our livelihood has made me a lot more comfortable not knowing what's coming around the bend (hmm… we're building a bakery… okay, sure…) and can handle the idea that I'm not totally in control of things (hmm… the walk in cooler thermostat went haywire and all our produce is frozen). I am used to highs and lows, but I have to admit that this past week has felt significantly more out of control and a little more low than usual.

We've been hearing about more and more farmers that have lost all of their crops, all of their fall and winter income. Seeing the photos of flooded, decimated fields feels raw and empty. It's not just about the vegetables or the money but their way of life that has dissolved. The same for folks who aren't farmers who have lost so much in Vermont, in Texas with the fires, in Japan with the typhoon. Checking up on the news has become a bit like checking up on the apocalypse. And it has felt heavy, unsettling and just not right.

In that mood, I walked out to the CSA pick up today. And I was reminded that I really like what I do and didn't feel like the world was completely falling apart. To be able to see your babies growing bigger (even if I forget their names), meet your parents, learn about your new business ventures and chat about school politics, fermentation and husk cherries was the highlight of my day. I value these relationships and feel very lucky to live in a community where people support what we do. I also feel deep gratitude to our crew who we could clearly not function without. They are a group of folks who are incredibly generous with their energy and patience and are just plain fun to be around. They care about what they are doing here and they hold an important place in our business and our family.

After the CSA was Eden's naptime and then on to pick up Guv and Talula from school. Which is when the second highlight of my day happened. It was Talula's first day of full day pre-k and I was, of course, a tad late. As I was rushing towards the cafeteria entrance, they walked out of the building holding hands and she had a huge, beaming, ear to ear smile on her face. And I pretty much melted. All three of them are such amazing kids. Not easy, but awesome. I occasionally need to remind myself of that. And of everything else that is good in life.

Here are 2 suggestions for how you can help Vermont farmers affected by hurricane Irene:

The Vermont Farm Fund offers small, zero-interest loans very quickly to storm-affected farmers. http://hardwickagriculture.org/donate.html or 802-472-5840. This fund was set up by Pete Johnson, a hugely successful organic grower in northern VT whose barn burned down over the winter. After the fire he raised $160,000 in donations to help him rebuild. Since then he has been repaying that money into a fund to help other farmers with interest free revolving loans for their emergency needs.

Alternatively visit Evening Song Farm's website, they are a young couple whose farm just south of Rutland was devastated by the storm. 7 of their 10 acres were washed away when the Mill River stormed through their farm. Most farms only suffered a loss of produce, but these folks lost their soil, permanently eroding their farm (which they just bought last year). They have posted a link for donations at http://www.eveningsongcsa.com/ .

Be Well!

-Bonnie

Oliver and Bonnie Levis

Earth SkyTime Community Farm

www.EarthSkyTime.com

(802) 384 1400

slideshow

2011-08-12T05:56:00.001-07:00

follow this link to see a beautiful 2011 E.S.T. slideshow from our friends Jay and Michelle

http://www.pictage.com/photographer/slideshows/viewslideshow?autoplay=1&slideshowid=33577&slideshowkey=wdojroaakutsouhz

Oliver and Bonnie Levis

Earth SkyTime Community Farm

www.EarthSkyTime.com

(802) 384 1400

CSA

2011-08-02T04:44:00.001-07:00

Hello CSA folks,

July flew by as it usually does with lightening speed. This season has been an interesting challenge because of the bakery and the expanding VT Goldburger enterprise (we recently realized that we are in 18 co-ops throughout VT, NY and MASS ). Although the work is (mostly) fun, we do try to emerge from our bubble occasionally and we did it in high style last week—we celebrated Oliver's birthday with a retro roller skating farm prom. Oh man was that fun. We highly recommend Rollerama in Schenectady—totally worth the schlep.

In more farmy news, we harvested our garlic last week. It was a lot of fun to have the whole team out doing one task together- we're usually scattered amongst many field/kitchen/construction projects so it was a treat to have many hands taking a big project to completion. Those (approximately) 5,000 heads of garlic have been drying out in the greenhouse and today's goal is to tie and hang them from rafters in the bakery loft. Speaking of the bakery, you'll notice the beginnings of walls. Baby steps.

Another agricultural accomplishment of the past 2 weeks has been planting our new asparagus patch (500 crowns). They are usually planted in the spring, but we got a deal on these from our friend David at Elmore Roots nursery in the Northeast Kingdom, he specializes in cold hardy plants and fruit trees. The asparagus won't be ready for harvest for a couple years, but we are excited to be putting in more long term perennial plantings (like rhubarb which should start producing next year). Both of these crops will help fill out the early season csa shares .

We are also pleased to announce that our youngest chicks are now laying eggs. We are proud of them for this very delicious developmental milestone. Especially in the midst of some harrowing experiences—we have seen a dramatic increase in predation, Matt, one of the bakers and general jack of all trades wwoofer, decided to do several stake outs and has shot: a fox, a skunk, and 3 raccoons (one of which is being turned into a hat). As you can see- chicken is very popular.

Another project that we've been working on is farmer's table night at the Wilburton Inn. We cook an enormous globally inspired vegetarian buffet dinner and bring it over to the inn for folks to enjoy on the terrace. We think about a theme that we're in the mood for and then jump headfirst into the walk-in cooler to see what veggies are left from the csa pick up to create the meal. Today's theme is Mediterranean. $20 covers the buffet and dessert; beer and wine is available for purchase. Seating is from 7-8. It's a kid friendly, fun way to spend a Tuesday night. Call the inn at 362-2500 to make a reservation. And look for your potatoes growing on the hill as you go up the driveway.

If you're hungry for more earth sky time delicacies, we'll be vending food at the Hildene arts and crafts festival this weekend. Expect grilled goldburgers, hoomoos , breads and seasonal salads. Also, there's a new special treat available at the Friday pick ups—swoon worthy Isobel and Appleby fruit pies. We know they are fabulous because our good friend Lily Calfee bakes them here in our oven. And we get to try them all. We are truly lucky folks.

Hope you're all having a great summer.

Peace

Bonnie, Oliver and crew

Oliver and Bonnie Levis

Earth SkyTime Community Farm

www.EarthSkyTime.com

(802) 384 1400

Happiness must be earned (and then eaten).

2011-07-30T08:04:00.001-07:00

Lately I've noticed that when I see things become ripe and ready for use, I almost forget all the time and work that goes into each plant - almost. I become so distracted at the shiny and new offering, it's a mind blowing feeling to walk around the fields and see so many (read: too many) things to eat. Throughout this season I've become lightly obsessed with the method that things grow, the patterns of the plants, and the cycle of plant life and death. When I do get around to thinking of the effort and time spent, it still seems so worth it to have the ability to be in the midst of cooking and go run out to grab exactly what is needed right at that very moment. I know this isn't possible forever, but while the getting's good, it's good.

Shout out to everyone at the EST for making good with nature.

Cari B

Patience is rewarded handsomely! (do you need any squash?)

2011-07-20T16:32:00.001-07:00

For the last month our grounds have looked green, lush, and verdant. Beautiful. But somewhere along the way, at least for me, green became redundant. Please don't misinterpret me...I adore the old standards of spinach and lettuce. I've now savored the crisp, buttery taste of both tot soi and bok choi. Arugula and I have a long, torrid love affair. Yes! - all was green and delicious but...I was left craving more.

In the past two weeks, our other cherished vegetables have begun to ripen. Sweet peas were spotted first. Now, bright squash blossoms beg for our attention. Plump raspberries dangle with a come-hither stance. Kohl rabi beckon us over with their eager, flailing leaves. Cherry tomatoes cascade down, each a jewel to appreciate with anticipation. Yellow, pink, purple, and red - the farm is inundated with eye-candy. With the sunflowers high above us, harvesting for the CSA, market, and ourselves is truly a feast for the soul!

Being here is both fulfilling and satisfying. We hope that our vegetables, bread, and other prepared goodies project just this sentiment!

Hoomoos, Pesto, and VT Goldburgers have just met our newest edition: Uncle Moishy's Pickles. We've achieved a delightful, crisp pickle perfect for a snack or sandwich pairing. Simple ingredients create pure taste! Oh! We also just met Uncle M's cousins – The Relishes. One's a bit sweet and the other is slightly spicy. Come meet the whole family at the market!

See you there!

Meg

megg- ww'oeuf

2011-07-20T09:27:00.001-07:00

meg likes a regular egg!

Put it on the LIST

2011-05-28T20:23:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary,

I have never felt so strongly that the day's allotted hours are not enough. The actions and conversations here have spawned so many good ideas/projects and I deflate a bit when I realize how many of these I have already forgotten about. I vote to create a WWOOFer official-blow-the-whistle list of stuffs we should be doing at any and all times. It feels mighty fine that I am in a position wherein I can pick and choose projects and goals that are so diversified; and I look forward to working on banging out the list with my homies on the farm-front.

In other news, the plants are growing (and bolting) faster than we can currently deal, and I hope to be able to get a handle on this before it gets all MacGruber in here.

xo and much harvesting,

Cari B

Everyone's Atwitter

2011-05-18T19:08:00.001-07:00

Dearest Llopis Oven,

You are currently crossing the Atlantic Ocean. We are plotting what we will do with you with much excitement. Here's an idea.

Love and safe travels,

Cari B

Chick Shack

2011-03-30T17:11:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things about working on a farm is raising chicks. Everything from setting up the brooder to helping them take their first sips of water to seeing how fast they grow and how quickly they outgrow their first home is both exciting and miraculous. It is always comforting after a long day of hard work on the farm to spend time with the chicks, watching them hop around, jump over each other to reach their food, and cuddle under the heat lamp.

When I arrived at EST at the beginning of March there were about 300 week old chicks living in the basement in a cardboard box. It was a great surprise and in my first few weeks I busied myself feeding them three times a day and cleaning their brooder every few days to keep them dry and prevent their smell from reaching the kitchen. Soon they were figuring out how to jump out of their box and had grown so big that they took up 3/4 of their box. It was clear that they were getting too crowded and would need to be moved.

Oliver and I spent some time deciding which greenhouse they would do best in and then got to work building them a new home. We screwed together a few boards of plywood, put on a plastic roof, and installed a sliding door for easy access. Next we loaded the chicks up into boxes, 100 at a time, and drove them down to their new home as they chirped nervously, not knowing where they were going or what their future held. As we unloaded the chicks their screams of terror were almost unbearable. We knew that they were scared and confused and vowed to monitor the situation. However, by the end of the day they had settled into their new home and were chirping contentedly. The only thing left to do was name their home. After throwing around a few names we decided on the "Chick Shack."

They've been out their now for a few weeks and they are thriving. The've survived many a cold night, started to eat compost, and have practically survived the awkward "teenage years" when their feathers change from yellow to brown. Not too far down the road they will be moved again, this time to live with the rest of the chickens where they will start laying eggs and become productive members of the farm.

Happy Spring!

Peace,
Sarit

semantics

2011-02-25T08:06:00.001-08:00

semantics debate earth sky time style:
"it's as good as the best baguette you can get anywhere"
not the same as boasting that he made the best baguette
"i'm tied for first place"
says oliver

it was a damn good baguette

The Oven

2011-02-17T09:59:00.001-08:00

On Tuesday we went to Orchard Hill Bakery in New Hampshire to test out an oven that Oliver and Bonnie want to buy. It's a huge rotating oven from Spain that cooks a lot of bread (or veggie burgers) at one time, and we loaded it up with VT Goldburgers to see how they would fare. The experiment was a success, and the campaign to get the oven is underway!

Mia

M. Gavarile, S'il Vous Plaît

2010-07-10T08:50:00.001-07:00

bon.

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Heed the Sign(s)

2010-06-26T15:11:00.001-07:00

Sar's latest masterpiece
(which would have been infinitely better if she'd let me paint red leather trousers, I mean, pants on the Aubergine, I mean, eggplant)

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The Night the Chickens Moved, and the Earth Stood Still

2010-06-26T15:07:00.001-07:00

So, a few weeks back, it was decided it was the appropriate night to move the 250-or-so chickens from their current resting place to someplace else entirely different. Right on cue, the night skies above blazed with pink electrical storm lightening, Ben One retired to the, um, safety of the Apple Shed and the night heat approached something tropical.
As the clock struck 10:30pm and half the flock were, um, safely loaded into the EST Jeep, the world went weirdly silent, before the sky caved in on itself and what felt like hurricane-strength winds ripped across the farm sending chickens and humans scattering in it's wake. I distinctly remember running after Oliver shouting,"What do we do?" to which m'boss yelled back "I REALLY DONT KNOW?!"
We all ran towards the greenhouses, which considering the lightening above, probably wasn't the, um, safest thing to do...I hurriedly closed the open side of the third greenhouse and was promptly sent flying through the air by the strength of the wind ripping through the plastic.
The winds ripped one of the sides clean off the middle greenhouse, The big white house lost all power, Trees fell left & right (proving Brother John Lynch not entirely wrong regarding certain things) Ben Two looked Shell-shocked, Max took his shirt off and got a chest full of chickstein poop for his troubles, and somehow no body (human or otherwise) lost their lifes.
The storm came and went in under the hour and we finished moving the chickens.
The next morning they all escaped.
True story.

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destructobots

2010-06-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

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Spooky is as Spooky does

2010-06-26T14:46:00.001-07:00

Spooky, Molly & Sophie. Southern by the grace of god.

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And on the 7th day, Theo broke the tractor...

2010-06-26T14:42:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-zk2MDw6Po

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I want a wristwatch that tells me it's always earth sky time

2010-06-12T21:15:00.001-07:00

grub is gone, too good

dear oliver and bonnie and max and the whole mishbucha:

i want a wristwatch that tells me it's always earth sky time

the grub is gone

it was too good

cause you guys got

the awesome food

it is so chewy

it makes me sing

it gets me high

keep cvelling

your food comes down

from up above

with blessings from

zush,tilul and guvr

so when we taste

the chow you're feeding

we get a whiff

of pure gan eden

so thanks for all

that you guys do

from oliver and bonnie

to the sweetest crew

and please stay strong

and please keep happy

you give us food

you share papu

i want a wristwatch that tells me it's always earth sky time

love, dovid

Sign me up!

2010-06-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

Noodles on a haystack... the EST crew Ben1, Ben2, Loovly Sarah, DaddeeO, Alex, Jess, Merrilee, Grant, Denison, and Pushbike Dave (lowtrouser)

2010-06-09T21:54:00.001-07:00

Max Rides Again

2010-05-19T18:30:00.001-07:00

Brother Max is back for Summer...yeehaaaaaw!

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To bee or not to bee pt 2 (fire magick)

2010-05-13T18:25:00.001-07:00

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FW: To Bee or, not to Bee

2010-05-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

An evening off the farm to go see a man (well, a couple of men, and a woman) about a dog...I mean, some bees. The next addition to the Levis family.
Afterwards we celebrated a lack of stings with some ol'time tree killing, bonfire burning, pagan dancing and fine dining by a good-looking lake.

(good to see you again Anna, we miss you)

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Lottie's Lovely Letter

2010-05-09T07:00:00.001-07:00

2010-05-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

"Love em' and Leave em'!"

2010-05-08T16:10:00.001-07:00

It just can't be that easy for me, Oliver.

My beautiful Earth Sky Time Family,

Man, pulling out of that driveway was rough. Heartache, baby - some of the most genuine that I've felt. My insides were screaming, "I'M NOT READYYY." So now I'm here, listening to Taj Mahal and recounting the number of new experiences EST has given me. Thank you for sharing everything you have - wisdom, friends, celebrations, and maple syrup. This was my first real journey into a completely new space, filled with completely new folks. I remember feeling a bit choked up at that first Shabbat dinner. Jeez, what an ambiance! Now, it's hard for me to remember my life before you, Earth Sky Time. Though I'm sure that line can be found in a ton of corny love songs, just know that I mean it. Enough to write a corny love song about it. You all helped me to discover what I really need in order to live a healthy, happy life. There's so much love, what can I do? I guess I'll just write letters to Bonnie.

Oliver - Please, keep talking me into doing new things. I love you for it all.

Bonnie - I'll never forget when you asked me if you could hug me at the two(and 1/2)-week-meeting. You are an A+++ schlepper of children, and pretty good at being the maternal yet ball-busting force at EST.

Guv - You may be the world's greatest vegan food inventor/angsty punk rocker. I'll be at every show.

Talula - As I festival hop this summer, I will be sure to show America your excellent dance moves.

Eden - SAY BIRD ALREADY!!! or Anna.

Spooook! - One day, I'm going to creep into the bus while you're in some weird state. THEN, spook YOU.

Mollie - Let's be sisters. I'm going to write a letter to Yim Yames asking him if he needs two armrests on tour.

Theo - Send me recordings of your beautiful thought process! Let's team up on the traveling burrito kitchen.

Sara(h) - Is there such a thing as a graceful fireball? BINGO.

Meredith - Every time I watch a chick flick, I'll hear your voice yelling at the lead actress for being such an idiot. Also, when you're ready to chop your hair off, I'm ready to chop your hair off!

Shalom, Y'all.

Anna

springtime in the greenhouse

2010-04-27T16:51:00.000-07:00

Strong enough for a man but ph 4.5 for a blueberry

2010-04-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

Spookey welds again

2010-04-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

I've. Had. The time of my life.

2010-04-26T19:31:00.001-07:00

Bob and Andrea,

You're time spent here at EST was greatly valued, my friends. I thought of going into detail about how many life lessons I've taken in from such beautiful folks, but it was all just too overwhelming (one main reason that this post took some time). I have a whole-lotta love and respect for you guys; it's sincere enough to make me explode. So, thank you.

Best,

Anna

...and on that farm, he had a drill.

2010-04-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

elmore roots

2010-04-21T20:49:00.001-07:00

Monday, Bob and Andrea's last day in Vermont, the Earth Sky Time crew took a field trip to Elmore Roots Nursery. We were dazzled by fruit trees of varying types, ages, and sizes and seduced by the thought of fresh fruit...no more bagels and heavy, carb-loaded food, puh-leeze! During our picnic Spooky compensated for the lack of utensils by manifesting a Martha Stewart worthy appetizer that I promised to share--a hard boiled egg stuffed with black bean mush and homemade bagel chips. Looks pretty good, eh?

Although we left before the planting ensued, I'm sure EST will benefit greatly from their addition to the farm. Thank you, David!

We will continue to send our love your way.

Be well, WWOOFers and friends,

Andrea + Bob

Jumping and Growing

2010-04-12T16:50:00.001-07:00

Kids and vegetables, yes, that's right! 'Tis the season for looking up...can't wait for fresh greens and warm summer nights.

grey zone

2010-04-12T09:03:00.001-07:00

the grey zone started last night. no, not talking about fruit, flower,
root or leaf.
it was a baking grey zone- 2 batches of weird cookies.
then it got complicated-- moving the chickens turned into an hours
long high intensity aerobic fiasco.
luckily there were southern home fries and espresso to revive everyone.
then i left a dozen eggs and our camera on top of the minivan when i
put eden into his seat and promptly forgot about them. eggs aren't too
precious around here these days but it was extremely unfortunate to
see a car run over the camera. it was a sad mess of squished metal and
drippy eggs.
is there such thing as a household grey zone?

Farewell to our Friend Chris

2010-04-01T05:38:00.001-07:00

Our comrade Chris left EST yesterday after several months of WWOOFing. We will miss his sense of humor, his homebrew beverage experiments, his Tetris-in-autumn jewel of a sweater, the black metal, Long Island, and Icelandic references, and, selfishly, his willingness to daily do the hard, dirty work without complaint. Cheers to Mr. Meister! Bon voyage and keep us posted on your nordic adventures!

"Good idea?"

2010-03-22T18:50:00.001-07:00

Eggcellent.

2010-03-21T16:40:00.001-07:00

Ice Skating Costume Extravaganza

2010-03-10T07:37:00.001-08:00

Bob and I joined Earth Sky Time Farm as WWOOFers only one week ago and we love it! Already, we have adventures and stories enough to talk all day. The people are amazing, the food is delicious, and vibes are good! This past week we have harvested the rest of the greenhouse winter crop, built twenty 10'x4' tables for tomato planting, pruned apple trees, cooked delicious meals and desserts, stoked the fire, hiked through the woods, celebrated Shabbat, played with the children, and swept the awards at the end of the season costume contest at the local skating rink. Check out our costumes and tell me we didn't deserve a $10 gift card to Pet Etc!

Thanks, Bonnie, Oliver, and all the rest of you, for welcoming us into your family!

Peace,
Andrea

2010-03-07T17:43:00.000-08:00

somehow it is already march.
somehow the growing season is upon us and we are already scrambling.
and somehow, thank goodness, we've got another great household of wwoofers to share this adventure with. i am not sure how i feel about this new online format. my initial reaction to oliver suggesting a blog instead of a good old lined notebook was, of course, my usual "no". i truly enjoy going through past wwoofer journals. there's something about them that would be impossible to capture with a keyboard-- like lottie's fantastic doodles (especially the corn maze at night with everybody yelling for joe- oy vey). oliver thinks that we will scan people's doodles in with our fancy new scanner. we'll see.
eden turned 1 in rock star mode with a jam session that turned into a high energy, high volume dance party thanks to the enormous speakers that oliver insisted on lugging up from the basement. yes, it was worth it. eden fell asleep in anna's arms while working the dance floor. excellent moon crater wacky cake made by andrea was enjoyed by all. so here's to a great year for eden and a great season here at earth sky time farm.