Beacon Bits -- A Giving Community

Beacon is a giving community. The town could be a poster child for Peter Singer's "effective altruism" movement.  Just this past month alone, Common Ground Farm held its annual auction and raised monies towards it 'Grow a Row' project that feeds hungry families with fresh produce throughout the growing season. And the Beacon Sloop Club sponsored a Cajun dance with Krew de la Rue, which raised $1000 towards the food pantries and feeding programs of St. Andrew's/St. Luke's Food Pantry and InCare of Multi-Service Inc. Not to mention the month-long initiative, 'Month of Generosity', with a series of events held at More Good, which targeted raising monies for clean water in 42,000 people in Haiti, Uganda, and Ghana.

These events are just the tip of the iceberg since Beacon's music and art scene give to its residents and visitors on a daily basis and the level of volunteer-led organizations and not-for-profits lead the way with a variety of activities throughout the year. So now during the holiday season, it's a particular joyous time to celebrate that Beacon is a Giving Community!

It just proves that shopping locally isn't the only way to celebrate Christmas. Recognizing and experiencing a sense of abundance leads the way to giving that doesn't require a shopping list or credit card. I'm reminded about a recent broadcast on public radio about parenting issues. One family has a rule about holiday purchases that mandates no more than four gifts per person: a want, a need, something to wear, something to read. Another family set a rule that supports recycling material stuff by requiring that for every new thing one brings home, one thing must go ('one in/one out'). And a third family honors the sentiment that 'much is asked to whom much is given', so they look for ways to adopt a family (e.g., The Angel Tree project) and then spend holiday preparation time focusing on decisions about shopping for members of the family in need rather than focusing on themselves. All of these ideas support the viewpoint that a TV commercial I recently saw would suggest -- that it would be nice if the four-letter word most associated with Christmas is L-O-V-E instead of S-A-L-E.

Food for thought: There's still time to consider a new rule to implement this holiday season, or better yet, to contemplate a New Year's resolution that will support our very own giving movement in Beacon. Volunteer at one of the food pantries or feeding programs. (Stop by St. Andrew's on Saturdays or First Presbyterian on Friday or Saturday to inquire about how to lending a helping hand.) Support a local organization by renewing your 'friend' status or becoming a new friend. (More friends of the Beacon Sloop Club will get the the people's sloop, the Woody Guthrie, back into the Hudson to set sail for the public.) Donate a CD or book to Beacon Reads when you make your next purchase. Find out about the local prisons (Fishkill and Downstate Correctional Facilities) and opportunities to engage in encounters with those who are marginalized. (Check out the Puppies Behind Bars website for more information.) Get ready to join in the annual MLK parade on Main Street on Monday, January 18th, commencing at Springfield Baptist Church. Or just pick up a piece of litter/trash the way Pete Seeger would do as he walked along Main Street. Everyone benefits by each person who gives more, but it's especially heartwarming and rewarding for the person who gives well. Wishing you all a very special Giving Christmas this year!

This blog was also inspired by a recent visit to the Afya Foundation in Yonkers, NY -- a non-profit foundation that aims to collect surplus medical supplies, hospital equipment and humanitarian provisions for acute and ongoing health crises worldwide. Current projects are focused on the Syrian refugee crisis in Greece, Luggage for Life, and Haiti Rehab. Arrange a visit with family or friends to help sort supplies in the warehouse for a unique holiday outing and non-traditional way of giving. You'll be amazed with the scope of work and accomplishments of this small foundation that is a model for innovative social entrepreneurship and 'effective altruism.' Kudos to its award winning founder, Danielle Butin.

Beacon Bits -- A Tale of Two Cities

Last weekend, I attended Yanerella's School of Dance's 56th annual dance recital in the Pete and Toshi Seeger's auditorium at Beacon High School on a Friday night. And on Saturday night, I braved the soaking rainstorm to head to the riverfront to Scenic Hudson's River Center at Long Dock Park to support the annual benefit auction for Common Ground Farm. Two nights and less than three miles apart, but the distinction between the events was quite palpable. Yet I found myself feeling 'at home' in both settings with both groups of unique Beaconites.

Friday's dance recital was marked by frenetic energy. The queue of attendees arrived almost two hours prior to the delayed start time, chatting and greeting friends and families -- aunts, sisters, fathers, cousins, neighbors.  Everything was abuzz as seats were located and the dances began. Dancers of all ages assembling backstage, sometimes accompanied by a dance mom, to change costumes for the next dance routine to be presented on stage: 25 in all -- "Dancing around the world" to Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride, Calabria, Arabian Nights, Back in the USSR, Invictus, Bollywood Dreams. And in between each dance, a flurry of activity for the entourage moving back and forth from the auditorium to the dressing rooms. Cheers and support were constant for all the efforts, talents and hours of practice each dancer brought to the stage. Tears streaming down the faces of grandmothers who watched their grand-daughters tap--flap, shuffle, heel, ball change--the third generation to still be dancing at the studio! Some moms were now sitting throughout the entire show because their daughters were old enough to switch out costumes and get back on stage without their supervision. Tulle, satin, sequins and glam. Photos of the current teachers in the catalog taken when they were 20-30 years younger, in their favorite costumes for one of their own recitals. Beacon's long-term residents--multicultural and multi-generational. Non-stop motion. Organized and planned, but with just enough chaos and crisis to make it exciting. A new dancer confused about the recital routine only brought one of her two costumes thinking one of her dances was scheduled for Friday night and one for Saturday afternoon. Her mom rushing home at intermission and sending her brother back in post haste with only minutes to spare for her to run as fast as she could to quickly slip it on so she could appear on stage, nonplussed, yet heart racing, in the center of her dance troop. Three hours long and just enough time for everyone to rest before it would start all over again the next day, this time, with the youngest dancers being able to stay throughout the entire show.

Saturday night's auction was clam and candlelit with music by the trio Tall Country bringing that 'down home' feeling to an otherwise elegant setting. Well presented items displayed for the silent auction set up in the loft and aptly described thoroughly in the catalog.  More items, with their tongue-in-cheek descriptions -- Let's Get It On, Pump Up the Jam, Bite Off More Than You Can Chew, Light Up Your Life, Be the Bagel. neatly waiting downstairs for the one and only Mark Roland as auctioneer. Gift certificates for dinners and gifts, hand blown glass, baskets of organic-gourmet edibles, glamping in the Adirondacks, kayak storage at Long Dock, planted rows of food to be grown and distributed to food pantries silently waiting for the highest bid for the lucky donor who would be supporting the mission of CGF food justice. Sophisticated humor throughout the evening. Beacon's newest residents (10 years or less) everywhere. Professionals, community leaders, movers and shakers. Abundant food donated by Beacon's best. Zero-to-Go for waste collection. Systematic accounting of bids for easy check out. An appreciative and satisfied group of supporters.

Food for thought:  Diversify. Expand your repertoire. Hang out with people who may be different from you or from your usual crowd. Go across your comfort zone. You may just meet your next door neighbor unexpectedly or make a new connection. The future of Beacon's community life will be enriched as we dance together in the fields of green planted for justice.

Looking for some options to mingle? Check out the Mount Beacon Incline Restoration Railway Society (you just missed the annual gala but keep an eye open for a new store front on Main Street focusing on its history and proposed plan to rebuild), the Beacon Sloop Club's monthly potluck meal on the first Friday, and Friends of the Howland Public Library meetings and events. They are all waiting for people like you to join and support their mission while making new friends.

Beacon Bits -- Loose Ends

I recently brought in odds and ends of leftover yarn for patients residing at a state hospital to learn how to knit or crochet or to practice previously learned skills. (Recent brain imaging research suggests the act of knitting integrates cerebral hemispheres.) The scraps of yarn from various projects were separated by color and the ends were tied together in a secure manner. Then the knitting and crocheting proceeded as if it were a full skein of yarn. The result blended together the loose ends into a whole.

The project reminded me of how I am feeling about the bounty of odds and ends related to my CSA share with Obercreek Farm. All season long I've been so pleased with my bi-weekly share (i.e., a half share) of kale, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, melon, herbs, green onions, bok choy, beets, celery and turnips. 

I'm very happy that I continued with Tim Heuer and Sam Wildfong's Obercreek Farm for this second year after two seasons of a full share with Common Ground Farm. In fact, less seems to be more, and there is some trouble keeping up with cooking all of it. One thing is true of a CSA share -- the food is so local that it stores well, it lasts longer and stays fresh. But it still starts to add up and I eventually get to a point when I feel a frenzy of food preparation coming on. This seems to occur more quickly as the season progresses and the bounty of the harvest is plentiful.

In the past two weeks since my last pick up, I had such an occurrence and found myself cooking up a melange of delicacies that might not otherwise have been planned but the right combinations of veggies seemed to appear for them to come together.

Fennel Chutney

Saute chopped shallots with chopped fennel in olive oil until transparent. 
Add salt, golden raisins, honey and rose vinegar (purchased at the vinegar festival at 
Our Lady of the Resurrection monastery in Lagrangeville.) 
Serve with goat cheese on crackers.

Gazpacho

Dice 2 red peppers, 1 large cucumber, 1 onion, and 2 tomatoes. (I used an red heirloom and an orange valencia). Place all vegetables in a large bowl. Using an immersion blender, puree the vegetables until mixed and frothy. Add salt, pepper, juice of 1 lime, and fresh parsley (or basil or cilantro.)

Ratatouille

Peel and cut yellow squash and zebra eggplant into cubes. Dice one onion and 2 cloves garlic and place into a pan with olive oil. Saute until translucent. Add vegetables. Season with salt, basil, oregano and thyme. Dice 2 heirloom tomatoes (1 red and 1 green) and add to the pot. Cook for about 1/2 hour, stirring often, until tender. Serve hot or cold.

Curry 'Leftover' Soup

Peel and cube 4 to 6 white turnips. Dice several celery stalks including the leaves and 4-6 green onions (the white bulb as well as the greens). Chop several stems of kale. Slice 1 to 2 carrots. Heat canola oil in a pan and add all vegetables. Saute for several minutes until carrot and celery are wilted. Add 1 quart chicken broth (or vegetable broth). Add salt, pepper, 'monastery blend' spice (white pepper, cinnamon/cloves, nutmeg, ginger) , and 1 to 2 tbs. curry powder. Cook until all vegetables are tender (about 45 minutes.) Use immersion blender to mix; soup will thicken. If desired, add 1 cup skim milk. Bring to a boil and serve.

Seems like I finished all the cooking in time for this week's bountiful pick-up! 

Looks like I have enough for pickled beets and sundried tomatoes!

Food for thought: Whether it is knitted together or cooked in a pan, the act of creating something new from disparate ingredients feels like a fitting metaphor for a community that maintains all of its uniqueness while it blends together.  The multiculturalism of Beacon is like the chutney and the granny square; you still see and feel the distinct elements, but you can also taste something new when it all comes together.  Feels like it is time to get ready for the Spirit of Beacon Day (September 28, 2014) when the loose ends get tied up quite nicely with I Am Beacon.

Beacon Bits -- Can't Get More Local

Living in the Hudson River Valley has its perks all year long, but they multiply as autumn approaches. The apples in the orchards are ready for picking and root vegetables abound. The changing light creates a warm glow as the sun sets earlier and rises later as we move through the autumnal equinox. The energy level rises with everyone out-and-about for the annual seasonal festivals and competing events scheduled each weekend that celebrate the harvest and prepare us for the dormant period that awaits us in the near distant future.

 

There's no need to eke out the last few weeks of farmers' markets, however, with Beacon's very own riverfront market continuing through the winter months. But there's a great reminder that you can't get more local when you do go down to the waterfront and are greeted by the Common Ground Farm's iconic bus.

 

 

On the grounds of Stony Kill Educational Center, the CSA farm flourished this past season under the steady hand of farmers Tim Heuer and Sam Wildfong along with their team of knowledgeable and hard-working apprentices.

 

Tim Heuer, Director of Farming, Common Ground Farm

 



Katie from Kentucky, Summer Intern

When you purchase the weekly offerings of produce, which is set up early on Sunday mornings, you can trust that the proximity along Route 9D insures freshness that can't be beat by its competitors. Tomatoes, beets, greens, string beans, yellow and green squash, basil, and onions that easily go from our farm to your table.



  

 The local Beacon scene abounds with additional home grown talent that ripens this time of year. (Some talent even goes global.) Second Saturday events are well-attended during the brisk evening hours; don't miss One Earth at Fovea, a global perspective on ecological crises. The Howland Chamber Music Circle starts its season once again under the capable leadership of Gwen Stevens who orchestrates programming with aplomb and pulls all the strings to get world-renowned musicians into our acoustically engineered Howland Cultural Center. The Beacon Theatre gets ready to celebrate its Second Anniversary kick-off for renovations, which while still underway, have progressed sufficiently to offer plays including upcoming performances of The Gin Game and Love, Loss and What I Wore. And don't forget the Spirit of Beacon Day on September 30th, which is sure to have an international feel with the cross-cultural heritage of local residents.

 

One of the understated events recently held at the Howland Cultural Center was the awarding of the 3rd Annual Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Celebration awards to Tery Udell and Dan Einbender for their role in starting the Rivertown Kids, a classroom based, community-wide children's chorus; the event was held on Sunday 9/16/12 and was sponsored by the Beacon Democratic Committee. While some of the kids are growing up, they continue their journey knowing they won a Grammy with Pete Seeger for their CD Tomorrow's Children. Hopefully, there will be more eight and nine year olds following in their footsteps by signing up to sing about the present state of affairs pertaining to the environment and human rights and to map out the direction for a hopeful future.

 

 

Some food for thought: The local-global connection has a home in Beacon. As we move towards celebrating Beacon's centennial in 2013, there should be no reason to think of it solely as a provincial event. The sense of human connectedness and the power of the community of the 99%-ers who reside here is just a microcosm of a world-wide phenomenon. Beacon, as its namesake suggests, heralds the message that attention should be paid to this specific location at this time. Beacon has something to sing about, to paint and photograph, to grow, and to join hands together to celebrate. There is no better season, as autumn approaches, to be a beacon for the Hudson Valley. Shine on!

 

Some Upcoming Autumnal Events on the Calendar

Thursday, September 20th - Science journalists Horgan & Revkin, BIRE

Friday-Sunday, September 21st-23rd - The Gin Game at The Beacon

Sunday, September 23rd - Wine 101 - Artisan Wine Shop

Sunday, September 30th - Spirit of Beacon Day Parade, Beacon

Sunday, October 7th - Farm Market Set-up, Common Ground CSA work hours

Sunday, October 7th - Wines of the Loire - Artisan Wine Shop

Saturday, October 13th - 2nd Saturday Gallery Events, Beacon

Sunday, October 14th - Beacon Sloop Club's Pumpkin Festival

Friday-Sunday, October 19th-21st - Sheep and Wool Festival, Rhinebeck

Sunday, October 21st - Brooklyn Rider String Quartet, Howland Chamber Music

Sunday, October 21st - Be Inspired by Spain - Artisan Wine Shop

 

 

 





Beacon Bits -- America's Bounty

Looking back a year, I see that I spent the day doing similar things: catching up in the kitchen with all the items that I’ve been gathering at Common Ground Farm’s weekly harvest so that they don’t go to waste. It seems as though a critical mass accrues by this time in July. It’s been a year of bounty on the farm. We’ve had a most wonderful variety of lettuce, arugula, turnips, beets, fennel, celery, green onions, radishes, broccoli, kale, mustard greens and other greens, kohlrabi, basil, cilantro, dill, cucumbers, bok choy, scapes, patty pan squash, green zucchini, peas and garlic thus far. Despite the blanching of greens and freezing for future use, the best salads I’ve been eating for lunch, and the sharing of some of the harvest with friends at work, I found myself in the kitchen today preparing several dishes so that I could be on top of the bounty. Given I did this on Independence Day last year, it felt like a tradition was emerging; a tradition that seems to be rooted in the rhythms of the Hudson Valley where local farming has taken root.

Of course there are other traditions for 4^th of July. And where else to feel so connected to them but living along the Hudson River where bombs did indeed burst in the air! This year, I’ve been invited to a barbecue and a chance to see the Beacon fireworks in Memorial Park up close and personal. So spending the morning in the kitchen was a simple and centered way to begin the holiday.  Cooking is a flow experience for me. I never feel as present in the moment as I do when I wash, slice, cut, chop, sauté, stir, whip, season, bake, broil, and taste. Even the anticipation of the finished product doesn’t distract from the tasks at hand. It’s a wonderful experience to feel rooted in nourishing the body, mind and soul---all at the same time.

I’ve had years of being inspired by great chefs on TV shows: the Frugal Gourmet, Julia Childs, Jacques Pepin, Lidia’s Italy and now Andreas Viestad and Tina Nordstrom of New Scandinavian Cooking. I call it inspired cooking because there are times that the only measurements are done by eye and taste, not spoons and cups that are exact; inspired because it is the spur of the moment-- what is lying in wait in the cupboard, refrigerator or basket on the counter and what has been purchased that needs to be used up before it spoils. I’m not sure if the only motivation is getting to prepare something that is worth eating or if it’s the challenge of analyzing and predicting what will actually taste good. Either way, it’s a great outcome.

I guess that’s why I find barbecues boring. There is only so much you can do on the grill. From start to finish, it is a bit more precise. So I think I’ll continue to leave the grilling to those who may not want to spend hours in the kitchen, lost in the moment, grounded in the present, and in no need to rush.

Some food for thought: Traditions are important. They are anchors, touchstones, bookmarks and the rituals we create in our lives. How many years does it take to have an event become a tradition? I think it depends on how important the task or the routine is. Sometimes it takes a while to see the pattern of repetition. Other times, it is evident from the start that this is something to return to over and over again. Guess I’ve found my 4^th of July tradition: connecting to the earth’s bounty and identifying with the work of farmer’s wives who pickled and ‘put up’ food for future use; feeling independent from fast and processed foods; and being content with the here and now. And after tonight's fireworks with new local friends, Jens & Betty Ann, Steve & Barbara and Mindy [a.k.a. "Princess WOW!"] & Roland (among others), and good food, I hope this new tradition lasts for years to come.

To the right of Beacon's fireworks, which were delayed after a quick and fierce moving thunderstorm, nature had it's own display of lightning behind some nimbo-cumulus clouds, competing and outlasting the colorful and beautiful manmade version

 

America's 4th of July Bounty

Roasted Beets

Wash beets and trim. Place into tin foil. Sprinkle with tarragon vinegar and salt. Close foil. Bake at 350 degrees until tender. Rub skins off. Beets are ready to be a side dish or as an add in for salads.

Quick Pickled Cucumber

Place 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add 2 tbs. chopped onion, a handful of celery leaves, and 2 sprigs of dill. Bring to a boil. Add 1/3 cup tarragon vinegar and 1 generous tbs. sugar. Simmer for a few minutes. Set aside to cool. Slice cucumber into container. Pour vinegar over cucumbers. Refrigerate.

Farmer’s Delight Vegetable Soup

Chop ½ cup yellow onion, 1 white turnip, ½ large green zucchini, 3 stalks celery including the leaves, 3 stems basil, 1 stalk of fennel, 2 garlic scapes, 4-5 large beet green leaves, peas and 1 dried cayenne pepper. Heat 2 tbs. olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add onions and the garlic scapes and sauté until onions are transparent. Then add turnip, zucchini, celery, and fennel to the mixture. Finally, add the peas, basil, greens and pepper flakes. Saute together for approximately 15 minutes. Then ½ cup wine (whatever you have open in the fridge) and 32 oz. Pacific Foods organic beef (or chicken or vegetable) broth. Bring to a boil; lower and simmer for up to 1 hour. Halfway through, open a can of cannellini beans, rinse and add to the soup. Add salt to taste.  This can be frozen for a rainy day. (The cayenne pepper is something that was leftover from last season; I was afraid to use it. It reminded me of the red pepper flakes on the counters of pizzerias that I avoided. But it seemed appropriate to add the ‘heat’ today being 4^th July.)

Roasted Vegetables du Jour

Chop onion, turnip, patty pan and green squash, fennel, basil and celery leaves and place into a roasting pan. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle salt, chopped cayenne pepper pod and toss to mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. or until tender, depending on how much you prepare. This is a great way to have vegetables ready ahead of time for several days.

Red-White-and-Blue Dessert for Betty Ann and Jens’ Barbecue

Make 1 pound cake from scratch. (I use a recipe, “Grandma’s Pound Cake”, passed down from a tried-and-true family kitchen, that gives ‘pound’ a new meaning – pound of butter, flour, confectioner’s sugar, eggs and flavored with vanilla and almond extracts.)  Rinse 1 pint blueberries and 2 pound strawberries, hull and slice the latter. Place ¾ cup white wine (I used a German, organic Riesling -- Weingut Heymann-Lowenstein Riesling Uhlen Erste Lage Blaufusser Lay Mosel 2006 from Artisan Wine Shop) and ½ cup maple syrup (I used the local Crown Maple Syrup) into a bowl. Chop 5 to 6 stems of spearmint leaves and add to the mix. Macerate the berries for several hours. When ready to serve, whip 1 cup of Hudson Valley Fresh heavy cream, and when the cream forms peaks, add 2-3 generous tablespoons of crème fraiche (I used Ronnybrook Farms), 2 tbs. powdered sugar and the grated rind from 1 lime. Slice the cake, spoon on the berries with lots of juice, and top with the whipped cream for a finish equal to the fireworks display.

Bon Apetit!

Beacon Bits -- Beacon's Rainbow!

Just as I pulled up to Yanerella's for tap class on Monday June 25th, a quick moving thunderstorm traveling from west to east, straight up from the Hudson River, along Main Street towards Mt. Beacon, let loose. A drenching downpour ensued intensely for 5 minutes, so I sat in the parked car to wait it out with some concern about the tree limbs that were swaying above. I was able to get out of the car in time to jump the rushing water at the curbside and head under the awning at Dance Bag on the corner of Chestnut Street across from Rite Aid. Since I sensed the timing was perfect, I decided to risk being late for class in order to gaze in anticipation for the break in the clouds in the west until the streaming sunlight emerged. When I turned back to the east, I wasn't disappointed. A most wonderful rainbow appeared in the heart of Main Street framed by Mt. Beacon, which reappeared as the mist lifted its veil after the passing storm had obscured the mountaintop momentarily.

ROY G. BIV intensified over several minutes and the sight was riveting and awesome.

There was an ironic twist as well; I learned that it was pizza, not a pot of gold, at the end of this rainbow. Yum!

And as every good rainstorm does, the air cleared beautifully so that today became a perfect day for my pick up at Common Ground Farm. Peas, turnips, kohlrabi, arugala, basil, savoy cabbage, radishes, braising greens and a couple of sunflower stems were included in this week's share. Receiving the bounty of the earth felt like a reminder of how blessed I was feeling. As I headed home, I remembered it was a primary day and that I needed to stop at the polling place where neighbors sit on the Election Board. I was utterly delighted to see that Pete and Toshi Seeger were heading back to their car just as I pulled into the parking lot. It was an even bigger thrill than yesterday's rainbow to know that I was heading into vote right after Pete and his family. I knew I was in the right place at the right time.

Some food for thought:

Being in the right place at the right time is pure serendipity. You cannot plan it. You cannot take it for granted. You cannot take responsibility for it. But you can notice it. Always be aware of what is possible. Pay attention to subtle cues. Put the cell phone down. Turn off the computer. Stop driving the car. Go dancing. Eat your vegetables. Don't forget to vote. Keep your sense of humor. Open your eyes. Put your hands out. Listen carefully. Take a whiff.  Life can be sensational. 

In memory of Nora Ephron, a sensational woman

Beacon Bits -- Doing Good

Some people are amazing. And many amazing people do so many good things. This past weekend brought me face to face with amazing people doing good things in and around Beacon: the volunteers, organizing committee and donors for the Common Ground Farm annual harvest celebration and fundraiser auction on 11/5 and Jim Heron, who presented his last BIRE authors' talk on 11/6.

'It takes a village' to put together a well-planned event and that village included local vendors such as Homespun, Tas Kafe, Hudson Beach Glass, Beacon Pilates, Dance Beacon/Ballet Arts, Isamu, Sukothai, and Dia Beacon, The Roundhouse Beacon, Hudson Valley Shakespeare, Manitoga, Boscobel, all of whom generously donated goods, food and services for the benefit of our local CSA. The bidding wars for the silent auction occurred while patrons sipped on cider and spiced red wine and listened to Tiki Daddy play instrumental background music (jazz, Hawaiian, swing) that inspired serious auction bidders to mingle and weave in and out of hay bales and candlelit tables in time to the music to seek out special selections. The live auction, hosted by Mark Roland, was fast paced, but focused on getting the best bids for items as unique as a house and garden blessing by the priest from St. Nicholas Episcopal Church and a hand-powered lawn mower donated by Mark himself. I got involved in the fun by having a volley of bids for a glass bowl with a beautiful blond model who hails from Venezuela but now lives in Wappingers; the bowl went for $370, well over the $200 value, all for a great cause! Since I hadn't gotten to last year's auction because I got a flat tire on the way north, this year's involvement as a farm member volunteering some hours to help serve potables more than made up for last year's loss. And with a winning bid on the private Pilates lesson, I'll be inspired to get ready and be in tip-top shape for next year's event.

The highlight of the weekend, though, (as if the auction weren't enough joy) was being present for Jim Heron's last talk about his historical research, resulting in the published book, Denning's Point, A Hudson River History,  since he is now retiring for the second time after ten years of service to BIRE. Many Beaconites know of his 'discovery' that Alexander Hamilton resided on the peninsula during the Revolutionary War. But those who were present heard about his deeply moving, very personal and spiritually-healing work for the last decade; you see, Jim is an Episcopal priest who worked for a year in the morgue, blessing the remains of bodies found at Ground Zero following 9/11, during his tenure as chaplain in NYC. He retired from his work as a witness to the consequences of terrorism and walked into the caverns of museum archives, archaeological digs, and historical document searches in the Vassar stacks to find liberty, resurrection, and new life blown into the 'old bones' of Dennings Point. He told his truth about a wonderful journey of grace and healing for a wounded healer; his honest reflection was most touching. He says he is now ready for his next project, rising from the ashes and remains left behind; he knows it's time to move on with faith and continue the journey into the future.



East to Dennings Point
(Taken on board the Mystic Whaler, May 2011)

Some food for thought: I started to muse about Jim's resilience, optimism and persistence and wondered about this balm that is found in the Hudson Highlands and its affects on so many of the residents in the area who have been true beacons of hope like Jim. Those we can name, like Pete Seeger, Fanny Reese, Samuel Morse, Madame Brett, General Howland, and those who remain anonymous, like the countless volunteers serving our local communities, schools, conservation projects, social justice initiatives, all for the sake of doing good. Volunteerism and finding passion in life is not only psychologically rewarding, but it is physically invigorating as well. Health effects of volunteering have been documented. Findings suggest that older volunteers, starting at ago 60, benefit more than younger individuals, but all individuals who volunteer service to two or more organizations, or 40-100 hours per year (i.e., 1-2 hours per week), have health benefits such as personal well-being, increased social networks that buffer stress, lower rates of depression and a longer lifespan. Taking time to engage in meaningful ways and taking on a project, like working with a CSA farm or asking 'what can I do to help', like Jim heron did when he first walked into BIRE, can become part of a positive reinforcing cycle that leads down the paths where others have walked, but also where you can blaze new trails of life sustaining work. For those of us heading towards age 60, it's time to reach out in our communities and start to build our very own and new, passionate road for the future.

"One for the Road"

Spiced Red Wine

1 bottle red wine

1 cheesecloth bundle of mulling spices *

(*1 cinnamon stick, 6 whole cloves, 4 black peppercorns, 4 cardamom pods,

1 slice of orange peel, 1/3 vanilla pod, 1 piece crystallized ginger*)

Pour wine into stainless steel pot. Tie spices into cheesecloth with a string. Wet spice bag under running cold water. Place into pot with wine. Bring to simmer. Serve warm.

Beacon Bits -- It's All Local

I picked up a share of apples from Threshold Farm this past week as arranged by Common Ground Farm. The timing was good since the usual pick-up at the farm had been suspended as a result of storm damage form the remnants of hurricane Irene. Our crops had been damaged by extensive flooding; the planned harvest of winter squash and other ripened crops in time for the early autumn harvest was not possible secondary to soil erosion, exposure of roots and rotting after the water receded. So the downside of farming risks was felt very close to home. One CSA member said this was the first time in seven years of membership that pick-ups had been suspended. One board member stated it was clear that a 'grocery store mentality' would not be suited to this type of occurrence where nature dominates the course of events.

I happened to be present the last night of distribution because it was a shift I'd selected for some of my work hours. I was amazed to see the empathy with the farmers (Tim, Sam, et al.) and the concern about the future plans for recovery of the soil; there was  extra care with greeting each other during this sad evening. The children, adorned with colorful slickers and rain boots on yet another rainy evening, entertained us by stomping in the puddles and gleefully arching their necks to catch the cold, heavy raindrops on their face. The age and gender distribution of members of the farm was as varied as the carefully placed bins of potatoes, onions, peppers, squash and tomatoes across the tables. My fellow worker for the evening, a local minister, and I remarked how we were the 'crisis team', ready to deal with angry comments or hostility or grief because of the disappointment experienced by the members, but we were only heartened at the camaraderie, compassion and congeniality that we witnessed.

The week the distributions stopped was the same week I heard an NPR report about how the cattle business in Texas was detrimentally affected by the severe drought. Farmers were slaughtering steer at a faster rate because they didn't want to pay higher prices for hay to feed them. The predicted outcome is higher prices for beef in the future because of the diminished number of cattle in the here and now. Another NPR report addressed the high cost of infrastructure repair. They focused on highways and roads across America in dire need of major upgrades and noted that the first thing to be affected if the necessary construction projects didn't proceed would be limiting the transport of goods from state to state. It occurred to me that beef or no beef, vegetarian or not, trucking goods such as produce, dairy and meat across the county could be curtailed. It seems that the 'perfect storm' for the food industry  (i.e., random effects of Mother Nature and limited and excessive costs of transportation) is rapidly approaching and that it just may be time to adjust our thinking about how we get our food, which is exactly what the local food movement is all about. When I mentioned these thoughts to a colleague, they retorted, "that's why I get my food from Chile", oblivious to the implications of depending on global farming and its own set of problems.

Some food for thought: I am realizing more and more that inflation and the growing American economic crisis has created an opportunity to adjust our thinking about the increasing prices for food and fuel so that we can make better informed choices. Increasing prices for food make it easier to choose organic or local, usually thought to be a luxury because of additional cost, because the quality is better and support for the local community is enhanced. The time to choose local organic grass-fed beef over Texas cattle is now. The time to shop the local, year-round Beacon Farmer's Market is this coming Sunday. The time to visit the Beacon Natural Market is today. The moment to consider becoming more knowledgeable about "Slow Food" and becoming a 'locavore' has arrived. It couldn't be easier to step up to more mindful food shopping and eating practices because living in the Hudson River Valley couldn't make these choices more affordable and convenient. Along the way, it mobilizes the community to become resourceful and to depend on each other. It's time to check out the Slow Food movement in the Hudson Valley!

Spaghetti Squash Surprise

1 spaghetti squash, cooked

1/2 cup raisins (Paul Newman's organic)

1/2 cup chopped, mixed nuts (macadamia, Brazil, cashews) or 1/2 cup pine nuts

Grated organic Parmesan cheese

Melted butter (about 2 tbs.)

To prepare, spaghetti squash can be easily cooked in the microwave. Cut squash in half, seed and cook 5 to 10 minutes until tender. Use fork to scrape shell and create 'spaghetti' strands. Toss with melted butter. Mix in raisins and nuts to distribute throughout. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

Beacon Bits -- Peas to Ponder

Another week has come and gone and it's time again for my weekly pick-up of my Common Ground Farm share. There is such a sense of ownership as a member of a community supported agriculture farm (CSA). The time for 'u-pick' is quite enjoyable at the end of a workday as it allows you to gather your thoughts as you harvest some basil, string beans, peas and flowers for drying, while walking in a vast field of sunshine along the horizon.

I've noted the progression of peas over the last six weeks. First, the tender shoots and flowers were distributed in a tight bunch and so I placed them in a vase as if they were a bouquet. I wasn't sure how to use them but I heard they were great tossed into a salad bowl. The next week, the peas were identical to Chinese pea pods, great for a quick stir fry. The next two weeks they were snap peas and required the string along the outer edge to be removed before cooking so you don't choke, a most unpleasant feeling while eating this explosive vegetable. Then the following week the snap peas matured into 'Green Giant Le Seur French peas', small and delicate, taking a lot of effort to unearth a modest handful of tiny morsels from the pod, just enough to dress up some sauteed zucchini squash and sweeten the mix. Then, for the last week, we could pick all the peas we wanted. While most were bulging and looking quite plump, suggesting full sized peas to uncover, the outer skin was marred and drying out. I scanned the vines like I was playing a visual  search game and used the mottled appearance to locate each pod. As I gave a tug to unleash each one, I anticipated these would be the most pea-like and very satisfying to eat, so I was motivated to pick at least a quart's worth.

Some food for thought: As I picked that last harvest of peas, I pondered the journey from beginning to end. The cycle of the ripening peas reminded me of the life stages of a woman - from the virginal and maiden-like tenderness, to the developing identity and transition into the essence of feminity, to the maturity and being-ness of womanhood. As a midlife woman, I connected to the stage where the exterior surfaces were showing the wear and tear of growing older, but with its inner world revealing one's authenticity, fully ripened for the tasting. I realized just like the many peas that may have been overlooked because they didn't look so great, there was a tendency to make the maturing woman invisible. But for those who appreciate the weathering, the rewards of ripeness can be claimed from within and the harvest can be most sweet.

"Worth the Wait"

1/2 cup mature peas

1 small bunch field lettuce, shredded

3 scallions, chopped

Wilt all ingredients together in a pan with 1 tsp. canola oil.

When cooked, add 2 oz. feta cheese and 1/4 cup walnuts into the warm pan.

Serve in a toasted pita pocket, or make a wrap using a whole wheat tortilla.



Beacon Bits - Kitchen Fireworks

It’s the 4^th of July along the Hudson River where we remember that the heart of the action took place here during the Revolutionary War. Somehow, between the mists and clouds of the early morning, it seemed easy to step into the not-so-distant past of American history. Cannons and artillery echoing from West Point past Storm King Mountain on the eve of Independence Day appealed to this historical sensibility that this very place is where battles were fought and won with the British navy as the chains across the Hudson River stopped the forces from moving forward. Wouldn’t it be appropriate for the President of the United States to celebrate in the Hudson River valley at West Point rather than on the lawn of the White House watching fireworks over the Capitol? Has anyone ever extended an invitation to the President in office, I wonder. Maybe next year some of the politicians could make this gesture?

Thinking about the past yet standing in the present reminded me that vegetables were sitting in the refrigerator that were picked up in the last two weeks at Common Ground Farm (http://www.commongroundfarm.org). Since my fifth pick-up is scheduled for tomorrow and without a barbecue or picnic planned for the day, I decided it was a ‘good thing’ to spend some time in the kitchen cooking up the ‘greens’. Two hours later and very satisfied with myself, I ponder the simple wonders of fresh vegetables. Some food for thought: With the variety of cooked and stored vegetable delights, it seems easy enough to get those five to six recommended servings per day in the next week.  This kitchen duty has to be the game plan going forward since I hear that the deceivingly meager pick-ups at the farm (until you see what you have accumulated in the refrigerator bins) begin to accelerate as crops mature and are harvested in the height of the summer. Two hours per week for 6 servings of vegetables per day is merely minutes per serving. It all sounds more do-able.

For several of the recipes, the basic method is stir fry in a nonstick pan so the oil is minimal (only 1 – 2 tbs.); the amounts of vegetables are approximate so the ingredients can be adjusted according to taste and exact amount being cooked. Cooking time is about 10 minutes for each dish; it’s the preparation of the washing, chopping, and that adds up. The dishes can be done in succession or simultaneously if you like to multi-task. Tastings between the pan and storage container is the reward to keep cooking and imagining what other combinations and seasonings will be just right.

Bok Choi Asian Style: 3 heads of bok choi, a bunch of scallions, a finger of ginger, canola oil and low sodium soy sauce – start with scallions, ginger in the oil on high heat, add bok choi, stir and when wilted add soy sauce and lower heat until cooked through.

Turnip Greens and Kale Crisp: ½-1 pound chopped/mixed greens, 10-20 sprigs basil, 1-2 garlic scapes, canola and olive oil – start with canola oil, scapes and greens on high heat to crisp, then add basil until all leaves are crisp, add a little olive oil and toss; then still on high heat add some water to further wilt the greens until all liquid is absorbed. White wine would be a good substitute for the water if a bottle is open.

Snap Peas and Garlic Beans: a handful of each type of bean, 1-2 garlic scapes, lemon pepper, olive oil – start with oil and scapes, then add beans (remember to take the string off the snap peas), toss on high heat, sprinkle with lemon pepper, add some water to make tender and cook until liquid is absorbed.

Sweetened Hakurei Turnips and Onions: 12 young Hakurei turnips and 3-4 heads of white onions, butter, honey – boil together the turnips (peeled/quartered) and onions until tender; drain and add back into pot with 1-2 tbs. butter to coat the vegetables, add 1 tbs. of local honey. If you have any cognac or cointreau open, add about 1 tsp. for extra flavor.

Have-On-Hand Vegetable Broth:  For all the odds and ends of greens and whatever ends of vegetables have been used over a few weeks and stored in the freezer – wash and place all in a large pot, cover with water and bring to boil, add salt and simmer for one hour – you’ll have a good vegetable stock to use now or to freeze for those soups that will be good to have on the stove. This pot of broth had bok choi, spinach, asparagus, brussel sprouts, carrots, dill, basil, cilantro, turnip greens, scallions, white onions – the combinations are endless. Just keep storing new vegetable scraps in the freezer for the next pot. I think leftover milk containers and juice cartons would be the perfect storage to freeze the stock for future use. Another good way to recycle at home.

Not bad for an afternoon’s activities while waiting for the fireworks at West Point tonight!

Haiku for the 4th

Nature’s fireworks --

Booming and flashing above;

Rain is on the way.

Beacon Bits - Farm Fresh

An occasional blog (otherwise known as "food for thought")

in celebration of community life in Beacon, NY

Finding a short-cut that bypasses traffic on 9D near the Newburgh-Beacon bridge was a random act of kindness. Traveling east on Route 52 to Red Schoolhouse Road north to 9D led to a quick left and right to enter the Stony Kill Education Center for my second pick up at Common Ground Farm (http://commongroundfarm.org/), my "CSA" ('community supported agriculture') farm. Still early in the season, members were instructed to take 2 lettuce (1 romaine, 1 ruby red), 2 bok choi, 6 sprigs basil, 3 garlic scapes and 1/2 pound spinach -- all harvested during the day for the pre-assigned Tuesday pick-up slot. The evening air was crisp as the temperatures were dropping after the rain that passed through earlier. The sky was mesmerizing as the shadows of the clouds turned five shades of gray with mauve and teal highlights from the vesper light shifting towards dusk.

The farm is located on the Stony Kill Education and Environmental Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1833.html; see also Stony Kill Foundation, http://www.stonykill.org/), which lost funding in 2010 budget cuts, and hopefully will never see its demise like much of the farmland that met its fate in the lower Hudson Valley development heydey of the housing and commercial property boom.  Some food for thought. What better way to insure local farming as a homegrown industry by purchasing shares and enrolling as a member of an available community supported farm? And what better way than to find one's way back home to juice a cool, refreshing, healthy green drink?!

Green-All-The-Way

2 apples (golden, granny smith)

6 stalks bok choy*

1 small lime

3 sprigs mint*

Wash and clean all items, peel lime.

Place into juicer and juice as per manufacturers' guidelines.

Pour into a container to shake and then serve immediately.

Written on June 15, 2011