The Great Snow

 Every season has a purpose. Each winter I am reminded that this is a time of replenishing, taking stock of what we have, and slowing to be more observant and introspective. Grateful for the weather that places us around the hearth; we take this opportunity to think to the future. To look forward to the coming seasons. We have used this time to focus on projects that have been waiting for us, but we've stayed in the present with tasks like processing some plants that needed attention. Green Tomato Relish is how we utilized our unripe Toms from the end of the season. I didn't know I would like it so much, but YUM! It has easy ingredients like pickling salt, apple cider vinegar, raw sugar, bell and hot peppers, onion, garlic, and pickling spices. Takes a while to make because you have chop everything up, salt all the veggies for multiple hours to draw out extra liquid, and then simmer everything together for an hour. This being the first year of processing though, it's been so much fun to learn and try. Plus, working over a stove right now is great, it's warm.

Print by Talia Migliaccio

Keeping us inside has also allowed Ryan and I face to face time to further our plan for this coming years Community Supported Agriculture boxes. A clear outline of it's functionality and what we'll specifically offer is coming together. We're figuring out how many weeks we can offer it, and what types of goodies you can, without a doubt expect us to deliver. If you have input on what you're interested in seeing please feel free to inquire about it, this early in the game we still have a lot of flexibility.

The Winter Solstice presented in our home and farmers market booth as hand made wreaths. Ryan has craftily produced some gorgeous, handmade, no wire, wreaths from plants around the farm. These include Grapevines twisted and entangled with incense cedar, sequoia, pine, and dried herbs. More symbolic and healing- St. John's Wort, Yarrow, Fennel, Mullein, and other unique herbs.  he's tied using jute, not wire which makes these fire worth when the season is over and you're ready to be out with the old and in with the new,

These now adorn our walls while they wait to find homes. They've been to the Oregon City Farmers market where they'll be again on the 17th of December, and we've donated to a neglected veterans grave in an Oregon Cemetery.  If you have a Hanging of the Greens Tradition for this Solstice or Holidays Season you can special order through our email: brownbottlefarm@gmail.com Or to pick and purchase a already made artful wreath by Ryan go to our online store:

Phlox and Figwort Etsy Store

I'll leave you with a thought. Most of us had a challenging year. Personally, my father passed away a few months ago. It has been incredibly debilitating, Instead of suffering alone though I have pulled close the people I love the most. I'm convinced that with all the fear being created in the world "bad things" are almost certain to happen. I hope for this winter to represent the melting away of what we don't need to make space for our true purpose. Let's transmutate all the fear and frustration into a new purpose. To every dark there is a light. Don't lose sight of the brevity and preciousness of life because horrible things happen. They happen to us all, and we must support each other through them so we can laugh another day, hold each other in a warm embrace, and melt the winter off our hearts when it's the coldest day.