John and I arrived on Orcas Island at nearly 10:30 at night. The ferry from Vancouver Island only goes to San Juan, the namesake of the San Juan Islands chain above Washington State. From there, you must transfer to the local inter-island ferry to get to Orcas, and the 10 p.m. sailing was the last and only one available to us after our long journey from Tofino, B.C. which began early that September day.
Consequently, we didn’t actually see what Orcas Island was all about until the next morning when we awoke to discover the view from our cottage.
We chose to linger there for a while — for a very apparent reason — before finally pulling ourselves away to search out the town of Eastsound and grab some lunch. After stuffing ourselves with Dungeness crab cakes at a waterfront restaurant we paused for a quick photo op,
and took off on foot for a closer look at the little town. Tucked in alongside coffee shops, restaurants, gift stores and the like were a couple of real estate agencies. At the first one, John turned to me and asked, “You want to go in and talk to an agent?”
Without hesitation I replied, “Yes. Yes I do.”
Until that spontaneous exchange, neither of us had ever expressed to the other that we might consider a move. Certainly, we hadn’t talked of selling our farm.
Yet there we were, walking through the agency’s front door, asking the receptionist if we could meet with someone. The agent we spoke with gave us a detailed map of the island and pointed out the best areas for gardens or small farms. The next day we took off in our rental car and got to know the island a bit better.
And we fell in love with it.
In all the years I’ve been writing the farm newsletter, I never anticipated this one. But people are starting to ask us when we’ll reopen the farm stands after our usual winter break, and although we’ve danced around the answer as best we could thus far, we can’t continue being evasive (and we’re both lousy liars). It’s time to just come out with it:
We’re permanently shutting down our two farm stands.
It’s not happening quite yet — we’ll keep the Jonestown stand open until the Saturday before Christmas, and will continue selling at our Austin stand every Wednesday (except over the holidays) as far into January as Mother Nature will allow. After that, however, we’ll no longer have the help of Dana, Mary, Stephen and Zac. It’ll just be John and me, and we’ll be busy readying our house and farm to put on the market.
Weird, isn’t it? Honestly, John and I were absolutely, 100 percent positive we would be here at this farm for the remainder of our lives. We’re no spring chickens, after all.
It’s not as if we’re still trying to figure out what we want to do for a living. We’re doing that now — except we’ve come to realize we’ve reached a point at which farming at this intensity is no longer what we wish to do. Like I said, we’re not getting any younger.
And while we’re not looking to move into the Old Folk’s Home quite yet, we are wanting to slow down. We need to have time to relax a bit more — to perhaps get back out on the water and sail, or kayak, or even tool around an island lake on a paddleboat, dork-style — and we need to be able to do it more than only once a year.
Although we’ll obviously sell our house and property to any interested buyer (and happily so), it would also be nice if our place were to end up with someone who wants to continue it as a farm. We’ll pass along everything we’ve learned about farming in this beautiful valley — and believe me, in 14 years we’ve learned a lot — along with all the infrastructure we’ve built in order to produce food to nourish ourselves and, most importantly, you.
We hope you understand our decision. We hope, too, that you’ll stick with us through these next few weeks at the farm stands. We’re not ready to say goodbye just yet.
* * *
With today’s dry north wind and what will most surely be a hard freeze Tuesday morning, harvest is a challenge! Leafy greens especially don’t like these conditions. We’ll do our best, though, and for Wednesday’s stand we hope to have:
Romanesco cauliflower and white cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce mix, Euro salad mix, spinach, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, kabocha squash, sweet white turnips, bulk purple and golden beets, bunches of chard, bunches of dinosaur kale, Brussels greens, bags of arugula, purple and green kohlrabi, watermelon radishes, green bell peppers, and anything else we can manage to gather together.
Thanks!
Jo Dwyer
Angel Valley Organic Farm
Farm stands:
Saturdays 9:00-1:00 in Jonestown on FM 1431 at the blinking yellow light; and
Wednesdays 10:00-2:00 in NW Austin at the Asian American Center, 11713 Jollyville Road (1-1/2 blocks north of the intersection of Jollyville and Duval)
December 10, 2012 at 2:29 pm
John & Jo, You have been such wonderful friends and your broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, kale, potatoes, lettuce mix, carrots and EVERYTHING you grow for us is the very best in the world. Oh how your farm stand customers will miss you. And we all wish you every success and happiness in your new life. Thank you for so many wonderful years!
Eleanor Newnan
December 10, 2012 at 7:06 pm
Thank you so much Eleanor. The feeling is mutual — you and all the others who’ve been with us a long time mean a whole lot to us. It’s going to be rough to finally bid you all adieu!
December 10, 2012 at 3:16 pm
I never thought I’d see the day that you would close your stand. I am, however, very happy for you and Farmer John for another chance at a wonderful life. Your new place looks absolutely serene and beautiful. Good luck to you both hard workers. Now it is time to rest and enjoy life.
suzanne kain rhoads
December 10, 2012 at 7:07 pm
Thank you Suzanne. We’re not quite there yet — we still need to sell our place before we can look for something in Washington, but this is the first step. I so appreciate your encouragement, and we wish you all the best as well.
December 10, 2012 at 3:37 pm
We will all miss you and your abundant writings and veggies. Those tomato crops were something special! Have a great new start and we all hope your Angelic Valley will go to someone with as much verve and faith and love s you all had there. Tell the new owners they have a set crop of customers whenever they’re ready!!!
December 10, 2012 at 7:08 pm
I sure hope it works out that way! We’d love nothing more than to see someone take over the farm. Fingers crossed!
December 10, 2012 at 3:43 pm
You couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful place to move!! It’s long been a favorite of my family’s. God speed and all the best to you. You both (and your newsletter) will be greatly missed. Any chance you’ll continue to keep us posted on your new life?
On a selfish note, where, oh where will we get our delicious, tomatoes next summer??
Have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!!
Donna
December 10, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Thank you Donna. I’ll give some farm suggestions to everybody in the very near future — believe me, there are some great farmers in this area. And yes, I do indeed intend to keep blogging. I’m not sure what it’ll be exactly, but once I get it figured out I’ll put a link in an upcoming AVF blog for anybody who cares to follow along. Thank you for asking! You have a wonderful Christmas and New Year too.
December 10, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Oh my goodness!!! When can you come over and tell us more? So sad you will be leaving us.
December 10, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Crazy, huh? Yep, let’s get together and we’ll catch up. We still need to sell our place before anything else happens, but this is Step No. 1.
December 10, 2012 at 5:01 pm
How exciting for you!! Sad for us. But the San Juan Islands are special and oh so beautiful. And I’ll just bet crops may grow a little easier there! How do you spell JEALOUS??? All the best with the sale of the farm and your new adventure! Take care. Dianne….a Jollyville Rd customer
December 10, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Thank you Diane! Yes, it is incredible up there. Colder, rainier and grayer than here in the winter, for sure — which is something we’re a little freaked out about yet feel like we’re ready to tackle. If everything falls into place like we hope, it’ll be a new adventure indeed. And YES, it’ll be one heck of a lot easier to grow food!
December 10, 2012 at 6:50 pm
Congratulations! We are empty-nesters, too, and though we do love farming, my achy old body thought it way too cold to be spending mornings like I did on this day trying to farm all on our own. It’s tough! Plus, new adventures are what keeps us all young and vibrant and ALIVE. Best of luck to you guys!
December 10, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Thanks Maggie! You definitely understand from a firsthand perspective. I really appreciate your encouragement — and we wish you all the best with your farming adventure as well!
December 10, 2012 at 7:06 pm
Oh my gosh! I almost fell over reading this! For one thing, that sounds like my dream and I’m so happy you’re going to be living it. But also, oh my gosh. I sure hope you’ll keep posting your latest, greatest adventures. I’m thrilled for you!
December 11, 2012 at 8:53 am
Freaky, isn’t it?! We’re even a little shell-shocked about doing this…but it’s something we know we need to do. It’s “time.” And yes, I will continue blogging — I have to do SOMETHING, right? — and whenever I figure out what exactly the new blog will be, I’ll post a link to it in my last AVF newsletter. Thanks for your support Linda. You can bet I’ll continue reading your beautiful blog every week!
December 10, 2012 at 8:31 pm
Oh, How I will miss those Wednesday morning trips to your market. I would have paid almost anything you asked for those wonderful tomatoes and cukes. And this fall has been so special to have fresh tomatoes right up to Thanksgiving and beyond. You will be missed! Best wishes as you begin a new set of adventures!
December 11, 2012 at 8:54 am
Thank you so much Shirley. Believe me, we’re going to miss the market too — we love seeing everybody at the stands. We send our best wishes to you as well!
December 11, 2012 at 4:34 pm
Dear me!
I’ve seen that part of the country a lot. My sister lives in Portland, and I visited an old friend in Seattle several times back in the 80’s and early 90’s. Didn’t get to know you guys personally, so I won’t miss you so much (as the many friends you have here) – providing, of course, that we’ll not be deprived of your blog! There will be such a great store of new and exotic material!
Have you seen the Olympic Peninsula yet – the Hoh Rain Forest? And once you’re settled enough to wander further afield exploring, you MUST look at Canon Beach, and especially Oceanside, on down the northern Oregon coast.
Lovely prospects for you! Great scenery, nice place for gardening, and the NW is the craft beer capital of the whole country………
December 11, 2012 at 6:11 pm
Oh you can bet John’s looking forward to that beer! We visited Portland many years ago and he remembers the beer to this day (it’s one of the important gauges he uses to determine a good or bad vacation…). Thanks for all the other tips on what to see. We’re really looking forward to exploring that area. And as for the blog, I will definitely keep going — it’ll have a different name, I’m sure, but as soon as I figure it out I’ll send a link in an AVF newsletter for anybody who wants to follow along. Thank you Gaines!
December 15, 2012 at 9:32 am
John & Jo, although we’ve only became casual friends; I know that there will be an empty space in Austin’s culture. You smiles and conversation and veggies will be missed.On the flip side, you two are going to have a fantastic, and wet, time exploring new surroundings/
December 15, 2012 at 2:48 pm
I’m sorry we’re not getting a chance to be more than just casual friends with you — John and I really enjoy you guys. We do appreciate your well wishes, very much. And honestly, we’re looking forward to the wet part of our new adventure!
December 15, 2012 at 10:12 pm
Heres another thought for your new environment:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbellularia
The california bay laurel, or Oregon myrtle, makes a great culinary alternative to store-bought bay leaves. I used to harvest it from a particular roadside tree every trip to Bandon, Oregon (another must-see, once you’ve explored your near environs). Don’t know how far north it grows normally, but you could probably grow one out on your homestead in the Islands.