Monday, March 2, 2009

FIELDTRIP REPORT - Tierra Miguel



This time it was Carrie's turn to drive, and the trip to Tierra Miguel was perilous, to say the very least. I think we almost died at least twice. My complaining about how we should stop and steal oranges along the highway distracted her enough to freak out about possibly missing the turn to get to the farm.... and what do you do if you miss the turn? How would you know? Should you turn around and go back, and risk getting hopelessly lost?

These questions aside, we got there, and listened to a presentation about how California is pretty much screwed if there's an emergency and we need food. That was their mission: make sure we're NOT screwed. They are trying to create a convenient, practical way of providing locally grown foods to the community, which is both healthy and better for all things in the long run.


After this presentation (which was legitimately interesting,) we toured the farm and it was awesome for many reasons. One part because the valley was beautiful, one part because I got a few good pics in during the trip, and one part the eccentric people accompanying me. But mostly, it was the food. I hadn't eaten all day, so for me, the farm was an open buffet. Carrots pulled from the ground, broccoli, all kinds of herbs and stuff, and some purple plant called kalrabi (sp?). It tasted kind of like a combination of onion and apple... I'm not sure if these plants actually tasted good, or if I was just so hungry I would've eaten anything, but I'm glad I got to try something new, which is something I don't do nearly enough.


The downside to the trip was the lack of lighting later in the evening - had the presentation occurred after the tour instead of before, it probably would've made for some better photography. That aside I had a fun time and learned some things too.

After that, I went to karaoke night and sang Billy Idol.

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