On the Farm and in the Trees

Any weekend is good that starts on Friday and this one was very good.  We spent two days in Athens at the annual Georgia Organics conference. And just like last year, it was excellent.  1,100 people attend and these are some smart, progressive folks who are rewriting the rules on growing food.

This year we learned about growing Shitake mushrooms, fighting insects with natural predators, and planting fruit trees and shrubs. Perhaps the best and most impressive session was one on natural herbs taught by Patricia Kyritsi Howell.  She has a book titled Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians and teaches at her school BotanoLogos School for Herbal Studies in Mountain city GA.

We also heard the closing keynote speech from Carlo Petrini, the founder of the Slow Foods movement.  I think I know where the 'Slow' in Slow Foods comes from after listening to his ramble.

These Georgia Organics folks are really impressive.  Quite an event; we've really learned a lot both this year and last.  Congratulations on a GREAT show!

And Sunday was another highlight!  An afternoon of working on the coolest treehouse I've ever seen.  Mark Fockele was brave enough to let me help him work on part of a two-level treehouse connected by a  skywalk ladder.  It was terrific fun.  Mark and Mildred's daughter Emma is both the beneficiary of the project as well as its straw boss. Don't let him slack off now Emma - you're almost there...

Snow in Atlanta

This has been a cold wet winter. No surprise that the snow would come at least once in conditions like this and it did come on Friday. We reckon about 3-4 inches here beginning mid afternoon Friday through midnight. It was a beautiful snow; not enough to be destructive and no accompanying wind.

A major limb fell from the neighbor's house shaking the whole house and pulling the power cable and phone lines from the house. Fortunately, the power remained connected and Georgia Power came within a half hour to re-attach the power cable. All experiences with the Georgia Power guys have been awesome. They are polite, efficient and really good at what they do.

The pond in the back is more than half frozen again. Looks like more stuff is on the way tonight, only this could be the destructive sleet.

Spring and a little less rain would both be welcome here. 

Here are some additional pictures here if you're interested.

Afternoon in the Country

Here we are writing about food again and asserting that we are not foodies.  Maybe we are after all.  Jan treated Icky, Greg and me to Afternoon in the Country.  And what a treat it was!  This is a benefit for the Atlanta Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (sounds yummy already doesn't it) at Serenbe Farms.

You can read the list of chefs who prepared food for the event, but it's another Who's Who of fine restaurants in Atlanta.  Absolutely beautiful afternoon on the farm; music, wine and teriffic food.  Thanks Jan!!!

Woodland Gardens - Garden Party

Jan went with us to Winterville, GA just outside Athens to a Georgia Organics benefit dinner hosted by Woodland Gardens. It was quite a happening and it was sold out.

We first toured the 5-acre farm, which is beautiful. They have acreage for outdoor plants as well as hoop houses for growing in the cold months. Recently they've added about 40 egg-laying hens and have them housed in a mobile hen house atached to a free-range enclosure. The link below has some photos of the farm.

Then some of the best chefs in Atlanta entertained the 150 - 200 guests with a sit down dinner that was the most amazing display of food and cullinary skill I've ever attended. 100% orgainic of course.  These are the chefs who were there:

Anne Quatrano - Bacchanalia
Hugh Acheson - 5 & 10
Gary Mennie - Livingston
Joseph Truex - Repast
Joshua Hopkins - Abattoi
Steven Satterfield - Miller Union
David Larkworthy - 5 Seasons Brewing
Drew Belline - Floataway Café
Carla Tomasko - Quinones
Matt Palmerlee & Edward Russell - farm255

David Roberts - Community Q
Luis Vasquez - Star Provisions
Ron Eyester - Rosebud
Andy Carson - Bacchanalia
Hilary White - The Hil
Matthew Roher - Cha Bella
Cathy Conway - Avalon Catering
Angie Mosier - Angie Mosier Food
Tiger Mountain Vineyards
The Johnston Family Farm.

This thing was over the top.  Normally I'm not much of a food person but get this:  just one of six salads was House smoked Escolar with Endive, Apple and a Hard Cider Vigaigrette and Rey Croutons; darn yummy.

For the main meal there were a dozen entrees including  Mom's Macaronu & Cheese from Bacchanalia and Mr. Wang's Wild Georgia Shrimp served by Rosedud in the Highlands. We had some of each.  And yep, there was dessert - lots of dessert.

But the best deal was the atmosphere:  two long tables in a big old hoop house with lots of smart happy folks.  We are definately on for next year.  Take a look at a few images.

Whit Gibbons at ABG

Whit Gibbons gave a great talk at the Botanical Garden last night.

Dr. Gibbons is Professor Emeritus of Ecology, University of Georgia, and Head of the Environmental Outreach and Education program at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL). He is author or editor of twelve books on herpetology and ecology and has published more than 250 articles in scientific journals. He has had commentaries on National Public Radio, and more than 1,000 popular articles on ecology published in magazines and newspapers. His encyclopedia articles have appeared in World Book, Compton's, and for the past 25 years have included the annual summary of Zoology for the Encyclopedia Britannica Year Book.

We've heard him talk before at Fernbank about his Savannah River Project.  That was to a mostly adult audience.  Last night he brought lots of turtles, snakes, lizzards and aligators and the audience was full of kids.  He was teriffic;  beautiful animals and he really connected with the audience.

One of his snakes was a Timber Rattlesnake, which is found in Georgia.  It was quite large and there was no mistaking the sound of that rattle!

Badlands South Unit

We certainly saw wilderness today. Thirty miles from the cabins we stayed in (if you can call them cabins) on the way back to Rapid city, we drove about 15 miles from Senic, SD. And then, when the road ran out we hiked further in about 2 1/2 miles. Some of the most dramatic scenery we've seen yet.

And we just missed getting a photo of  a snake - not quick enough.  But he was sunning on the road as we approached and crawled quickely into the tall grass.

The Badlands are way cool and provided some of the best information and hiking on the entire trip.

We're behind on posting photos, but the one on the right is from Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  We'll bore you with more when we get back tomorrow, so unless you want to see them, don't answer your phone.

Click here for a few from the last 3 or 4 days.

The Big Pig Dig

According to the park rangers, the Badlands is home to the science of Paleontology. Interesting, if it's true, because no dinosaur bones have been unearthed here. That's because this land was under an ocean that split North America in half at the time of the dinosaurs. However, just 90 miles NW of here is where Sue was unearthed.

What has been found here are the remains of lots of sea creatures(some very large), mammals like the ancestors to the dog, cat and horse, and pigs. We went to a site today where palentologists have been unearthing bones for the last 15 years; over 10,000 so far. The first bone found was that of an extremely large pig type creature.

We got in some good back country hikes today and registered some amazing landscapes. Maybe we can post some photos tomorrow night.

An earlier post reported that it was dead here but we were wrong. There are a surprising number of people in the park. Maybe it's because it's not 110 in the shade.