December: Forgone Forks in the Road

This Thanksgiving we traveled way way back in time. All four of us packed into the car, dropped the farm dog off at my parents to realize her dreams in the suburbs, and headed east. We traversed the Allegheny Mountains, following signs for New York City. This is the drive I know so well from when I fledged the nest and moved to the Hudson Valley to enroll at the Culinary Institute of America. All those drives eating granola bars and screaming to my music to keep my wits about me in order to make it back to Dayton to see family for the holidays. And then back again to the enchanting Hudson Valley.
We drove over the George Washington Bridge at 10 pm...to feast our eyes on the ever-changing skyline of the big city glittering in the distance. Finally we landed in the busy suburb of Mamaroneck, Rich's hometown hunkered down alongside the Long Island Sound. Long stretches of time away from a place remind you of how special it is...all those memories that awaken with sights, smells, and the energy of that place.
All the various visits or stopovers at Rich's childhood home where we wondered about how to build our future...There were forks that could have led us out to a ranch in Montana, property in New York's Finger Lakes...or the unknowns. And you know, we would have likely found purpose and happiness somewhere down those forks. But having chosen this path to Brookville, our little oasis outside of Dayton...I'd say we really walked a swell path. That's precisely what we reflected on on that longggg stretch of Pennsylvania on our trek back. We are so grateful for our life here...doing work that we want to come back to. That big old apple of a city with its magic and outrageously energetic vibration will always be there when we are looking to dip our toes, but boy are we so content where we are, living this life where we get to spend our time doing this dance of farming with mother nature, indulging our curiosities, making things with our hands, and being enriched by our little ones.
Stepping out of this life for a week...we've got the inspiration jitters and can't wait to keep walking this path to see where it leads.
HOUSEKEEPING
-Weekly ordering continues…weekly produce and scratch-baked goodzzzz abound
-Shop small for the holidays…Give the gift of Foxhole apparel, gift card or a 2022 CSA membership (link below)
-Christmas pies and bread: Rich will be baking his latest specialty sourdough for Christmas orders this year…chocolate cherry bread. I’ll be making pies this year…look out for pie pre-order emails
-The hoop house is FULL of germinated greens and we will be harvesting from there throughout the winter
-We have a meeting with the NRCS regarding a potential 2nd hoop house grant. FINGERS CROSSED!