Category Archives: People

The Walk for Hope 2013: Includes Recipe for White Chili Stew

The crowd surges toward UMA
The crowd surges toward UMA

Last Saturday was a beautiful sunny day for the Walk for Hope, which is a benefit for MaineGeneral’s breast care program. This year Team Good Eater—my daughter Shannon, our friend Alice, and me—really outdid itself. Thanks to the outstanding generosity of family and friends, the three of us raised $1,215 for the breast care program, and this surpassed what we raised last year—$1,075.  Holy guacamole! As I wrote ungrammatically in a recent email to Shannon and Alice, “We done good.” Many, many thanks to all who donated to Team Good Eater.

The Good Eater Gang (Liam is there, too, but he was hiding by Clif.)
The Good Eater Gang

Team Good Eater was joined by Alice’s husband, Joel; my husband, Clif; our friend Debbie Maddi; and the two dogs, Liam and Holly. (Shannon’s husband, Mike, had to work. We missed you, Mike!) We walked with well over 1,000 other people—men, women, children, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, sisters, daughters, sons, and brothers as well as many dogs. What family hasn’t been affected by breast cancer?

Spiked pink hair and high spirits
Spiked pink hair and high spirits

In a mass of pink, we flowed from the Sam’s Club parking lot and walked the trail at the University of Maine at Augusta. We saw many people that we knew, and the mood of the walk was as fine and as beautiful as the day. I am always impressed with how upbeat the tone of this walk is because, let’s face it, there is nothing upbeat about cancer, breast or any other kind. Cancer is always scary, even when it is treatable.

Pretty in pink
Pretty in pink

But on we all went on that golden October day. Many of us—including me—have already had breast cancer. Others were there to support the ones they loved. Down the hill we surged, through the woods at UMA and back up the big hill to Sam’s Club, where we were greeted by cheerleaders, complete with poms-poms. I must admit, I have never been cheered before, and it felt great. When I mentioned this to the cheerleaders, I got another loud and enthusiastic cheer.

After the walk, those who had walked for Team Good Eater came back to the little house in the big woods for a hearty meal of white chile stew, bread from Slate’s bakery, and a salad made primarily with greens from Farmer Kev’s garden. For dessert we had a moist and very tasty German apple cake that Alice made.

Oh, we were all good eaters. The three-and-a-half-mile walk whetted our appetites, and at the end of the meal, there was only a scraping of soup left in the Crock-Pot. I made the soup from a recipe I found online, but I fiddled with it so much in the making that I can now call it my own and share it with you. It’s a hearty stew that tastes even better if it is made the day before.

I served the salad in a pink drizzle bowl that belonged to my mother. Somehow, that bowl seemed very appropriate. Pink is the chosen color of most breast cancer organizations, and my own mother had breast cancer, too. She did not die from it, and she faced it bravely at a time when the breast cancer epidemic was just getting started—1974—long before there were any support groups to help women deal with this terrible disease.

Mom's pink bowl
Mom’s pink bowl

I walked for her as well as for myself and for all women who have had or will have breast cancer.

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Winthrop Gets a Peace Pole

Yesterday was an exciting day for the town of Winthrop, which got its very own Peace Pole and memorial bench dedicated to Tom Sturtevant, a long-time Winthrop resident who died in January of 2012. Tom was many things, including a friend, a teacher, a peace activist, a husband, and a father. Here is what I wrote about Tom not long after he died: “There are many ways to promote peace, and Tom’s involvement with various peace groups was one way, but helping to make the community—in this case, Winthrop—a better place is another way of promoting peace, which starts at home. Tom volunteered at the Winthrop Food Pantry and with Meals on Wheels. He helped establish the Winthrop Community Gardens and was involved with the Inch-by-Inch Garden project for the Winthrop Grade School.” Tom was also involved with the library expansion.

Tom was tall, lanky, soft-spoken, brave, and resolute. I still remember how at the November 2011 board meeting at the Winthrop Food Pantry, two people rode their bikes on that brisk day: Me and Tom, who was in his 80s. I sure miss seeing that man biking or walking around town. I miss hearing that soft-spoken voice.

To honor this man who gave so much of himself to peace and to the community, the Winthrop Area People for Peace got permission from the Winthrop Town Council to put a Peace Pole and a bench in the Inch-by-Inch Garden at the grade school. (Here is a description of what a Peace Pole is.) All the money for this project came from private donations, and the granite for the pole and the bench came from Tom’s house in Winthrop. How appropriate!

All summer was spent planning, organizing, and raising money for the Peace Pole and bench, and yesterday the big day for the installation finally arrived. John Jennings, owner of Forgotten Stoneworks, and his assistant David Krantz came with their equipment to install the Peace Pole and the bench. Margy and Steve Knight and Clif and I were there to supervise and be enthusiastic cheerleaders. To say we were thrilled by the Peace Pole and bench is a vast understatement. Ecstatic might be a better word. Did we jump up and down a little? Probably not. But I know I felt like doing so.

All went smoothly, and within an hour so, the pole, which according to Steve, weighs about 1,300 pounds, and the bench were in place in the Inch-by-Inch Garden. The phrases inscribed on the sides are: “May Peace Prevail on Earth”; “Be the Change You Wish to See”; “Let Peace Begin with Me”; and “Inch by Inch…Gonna Make this Garden Grow.”

On Sunday, November 3 at 1:00 p.m., there will be a Peace Pole Celebration at the Inch-by-Inch Garden by the Winthrop Grade School. A reception will immediately follow in the Winthrop Town Hall. Everyone who knew Tom (or who would have liked to have known Tom) is invited to come. We are anticipating a big crowd. Tom, you are still missed, and you are certainly not forgotten.

 

 

Peace Pole Slide Show:

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Rob Hopkins, of the Transition Movement, Comes to Maine

Rob Hopkins
Rob Hopkins

Last Friday, I went to the University of New England in Portland to hear a talk by Rob Hopkins, the founder of the Transition Movement, whose purpose is “to support community-led responses to peak oil and climate change, building resilience and happiness.” In the green world, Rob Hopkins is a rock star, akin to Michael Pollan’s and Mark Bittman’s status in the foodie world. The event was held in Ludcke Auditorium and was sponsored and supported by, among others, Portland Maine Permaculture, The Resilience Hub, and the School of Social Work of Student Organization.

Before I write about Rob Hopkins and Transition, I’ve got to come clean about the food. Margot, of Sustain Wayne, organized this trip, and her friend David and his daughter Vanessa came as well. Margot registered all of us, and I didn’t pay too much attention to the details other than the time—6:00 p.m. Because of Hopkins’s high profile in the green world, we knew the place would be packed—it was—and we all agreed we should be at Ludcke Auditorium early. I also had a vague awareness that there would be some kind of reception before the talk.

In fact, the reception was a potluck, and what a potluck it was. There were pickled beets with goat cheese—I could have easily eaten half of them; a kale salad; cheese biscuits; sushi; the sweetest homemade apple sauce, made from wild apples, that I’ve ever tasted; a roasted eggplant spread as well as many other delectable items. When a woman dropped off a plate of sliced carrot cake, I decided it was time to move away from the table, to return to my seat and start taking notes.

Those beets!
Those beets!

But because I didn’t realize there would be a potluck, I didn’t bring anything to contribute, and I hang my head in shame. “Never mind,” Margot said. “There was plenty of food.” This was certainly true. But still! If I go to another event sponsored by Portland Maine Permaculture and the Resilience Hub, you can be sure I will check to see if a potluck is part of the program and then duly bring something to add.

Rob Hopkins is from Totnes, England. He is attractive, smart, articulate, and funny. Then, of course, there is the accent. All his qualities ensured that he would receive rapt attention from most of the women—I certainly don’t want to speak for everyone—in the audience. Few American women can resist a cute, smart, funny chap with an English accent.

However, attractiveness aside, what is most important about Rob Hopkins is his message of how community and local work can address the biggest challenge of our time—climate change. While Hopkins made it clear that there is a definite need for government action on every level—from national to state to regional—he also made it clear that communities shouldn’t wait for government to lead the way. “We” can do something now, and it is crucial that we get started. (The Transition movement came about with that realization and with many years of teaching. Hopkins started the first two-year permaculture course at Kinsale Further Education College in Ireland.)

Using a slide show, Hopkins gave examples of the various projects that different communities around the world have started, from community gardens in public spaces to solar panels in a London inner-city neighborhood to the design and use of local currencies. The Transition movement’s philosophy is that because all communities are different, the projects will vary from community to community.

Hopkins also spoke of the myth of endless growth that seems to have taken hold in the minds of too many economists and politicians; of how dangerous it was to have our food production and distribution in the hands of so few; and of how we cannot burn all the remaining fossil fuel without disastrous results. Hopkins even stated, during the Q & A at the end of his talk, that he didn’t see how we could continue driving cars the way we do, especially here in Maine, where there is rural “sprawl.” (Naturally, we don’t like to think about our state that way.)

Because I am so familiar with the Transition movement and Rob Hopkins, none of what he said was exactly new to me. However, as someone who cares very much about climate change, it was good to be reminded of the various points—the dangers of climate change, how our current system is ill equipped to deal with the challenge of a new economy, and the importance of community work.

And speaking of community…before the talk, David, Vanessa, and I were looking at the crowd. “There is such a range of ages here,” Vanessa said. “Young, old, and in between.” Yes, there was a range of ages, and it was notable. All too often at such events, the age of the audience is either heading toward retirement or already there. But not this audience.

“The event is also well organized,” I said.

“Yet relaxed,” David said.

Diversity of age. Organized yet relaxed. A timely, important message delivered with humor and passion and an English accent. All in all, a very good event.

The crowd
The crowd

 

 

 

 

Carrot Ginger Soup with Esther

img_4145Last week, I went to Esther’s house for lunch. Esther doesn’t like to drive very far from her home—our houses are about 25 miles apart—which means I go to her house when we get together. Therefore, I offered to bring a ginger carrot soup, and Esther readily agreed.

Esther has a large, bright kitchen with a long wooden table. She made biscuits to go with the soup as well as a tomato and cucumber salad. For dessert we had apple cake with ice cream. As we ate, we talked about the volunteer work we do—the Winthrop Food Pantry (me) and the Homeless Shelter in Waterville (Esther). We both agreed that working with people who struggle opens the mind and the heart, and Esther spoke of a discouraged young mother who didn’t see any way to improve her situation. To get a job, the young mother would need training and education, but to get that training and education, she would need childcare, which she couldn’t afford. Certainly, it would have been a better plan to wait to have a child until training, education, and a job were already in place, but life doesn’t always go according to plan. And then what? Give up? The young woman’s situation illustrates the need for additional programs to help mothers who are in her situation.

After lunch, Esther and I went to Waterville, to the Colby College Museum of Art with its new Alfond-Lunder Family Pavilion. This is the third time I’ve been to the museum since the new addition opened, and each time I go, I notice something different. On this visit it was a painting by Louis Comfort Tiffany, who is best known for his stained glass work. The painting—Tin Peddler at Sea Bright—was painted in the late 1800s, and it is a slice-of-life painting that captures a time when peddlers went to people’s homes. What makes this picture interesting is that the customers are African-American, and Tiffany does a terrific job of portraying their modest circumstances without making the people seem desperately on the edge.

As Esther and I walked through the museum, I was once again reminded of how lucky we are in central Maine to have an art museum that not only has first-rate art but also has free admission. This means that viewers can come whenever they want without feeling that they have to look at everything in one visit. Such a gift!

In the collection, there were some Maine seascapes, of course. Esther asked, “When you think of Maine, do you think of the ocean first?”

“No,” I answered. “When I think of Maine I think of forests and fields. Lakes and streams. Factories and rivers.”

Esther nodded. “That’s because we’re both from central Maine.”

Yes, we are, and while we might love the ocean, it was not our first impression of Maine.

The view from Esther's house
The view from Esther’s house

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On Apple Picking and Generosity

img_4155Yesterday, I picked apples with my friend Debbie and her friend Dot. We went to a lovely, private orchard that belongs to Chuck Acker, also a friend of Debbie’s. Because of the rainy summer—annoying to humans but great for apples—Chuck has an abundance of apples and invited us to come and take as many as we wanted. We picked for ourselves, we picked for friends, and we picked for the Winthrop Food Pantry, which received 35 pounds of Chuck’s apples.

Chuck’s orchard is a green avenue lined with apple and pear trees bearing red and green and yellow fruit. The avenue was spotless. There wasn’t one drop, not one rotten apple on the ground. “The deer and the turkeys take care of the drops,” Chuck said. As we picked, he told us about the varieties—-Cortlands, Empires, Wolf River, to name the few that I remember. He brought us proper bags for picking, the kind that you sling across the front of your chest. Slim and calm and unhurried, Chuck gave the impression that he had nothing better to do with his time than herd 3 women around his orchard while encouraging them to pick as many apples as they wanted. While it’s true that Chuck is retired, it’s also true that along with tending his orchards and gardens, he teaches courses at the Senior College in Augusta, and he is taking an advanced Spanish course. He is not an idle man.

Chuck reminded me that there are different kinds of generosity. There’s the kind of generosity where an actual thing is given—in this case apples, which will feed many people besides Chuck and his family. But there is also the generosity of patience, time, and attention, which Chuck gave to us in his orchard. In our hurried world, this second type of generosity seems rare and somewhat precious, and I must admit that I am sometimes stingy when it comes to being patient and to giving time and attention.

This weekend, I will be making apple pies with Chuck’s apples, and his generosity will continue to ripple forth. There will be pie for me and Clif, and I’m also going to make a pie for Farmer Kev and his family as well as for our friends Dawna and Jim.

Ah, apple time!

Scenes from an orchard:

The avenue of fruit trees
The avenue of fruit trees
Debbie picking apples
Debbie picking apples
What a turkey left behind
What a turkey left behind
Chuck on the ladder
Chuck on the ladder
Lovely pears
Lovely pears
On the edge of the orchard
On the edge of the orchard

Clif at 62

The birthday guy
The birthday guy

On Saturday, we celebrated Clif’s birthday, and as the title of this post indicates, he is now 62. As is the birthday tradition in our house, Clif chose the activity of the day—a bike ride—and what he wanted to eat—pizza at Mia Lina’s and then a supper of pulled pork tacos at Shannon and Mike’s home in SoPo. For his birthday cake, a homemade spice cake with a butter cream frosting.

In addition, I gave him the gift of time. This sounds like a funny kind of gift to give a person, and a little explanation is in order. Normally, our weekends are filled with things to do, both inside and outside. Clif is quite handy—lucky me!—and there is no end to the things that need to be tended or fixed—from replacing a door sill to unclogging the tub drain to fixing a leaky hose. There is wood to be stacked. Peppers to be chopped and frozen. Lawns to be mowed. On Saturday, I told him not to worry about any of those things, that this was a day to do exactly as he pleased. I would take care of the trash and the other errands. Clif didn’t argue, and he spent part of the day doing what he loves best, working on his computer. (Clif, Clif, the computer guy.)

After I did the errands, we had pizza at Mia Lina’s and went on a windy bike ride along Marancook Lake. The day was sunny and fine, but we had our work cut out for us as we rode into the wind. After the ride, we sat on a bench at the public beach and watched the gulls, who seemed to have forgetten they were sea gulls and were instead spending time at the lake. Perhaps they were on vacation, needing a rest from all the summer tourists?

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As we looked at the water and the birds, Clif ruminated about being 62, which in our country is a hallmark age, the official start of retirement age.

“Since I was 16, I’ve had to think about working,” Clif said. “But at 62, society tells you that you can stop thinking about it so much.”

Clif plans to work until he is 66, so his benefits will be better, but I understood what he meant. Clif is entering another stage of life, and such transitions always make a person stop and reflect about what he has done and what he would like to do with whatever time is left.

“True enough,” I replied. “And you have every reason to feel good about turning 62. You can bike 20 miles and still get on a bike the next day.”

Clif nodded. The wind rippled the dark blue lake and ruffled the feathers of the gulls. Undeterred by the breeze—they are used to much stronger winds at the coast—the gulls sat serenely on the float. Before them, the small beach was empty, and there were no swimmers in the water. There were just two people sitting on a bench in the grass, two people talking about time and age and birthdays.

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My 56th Birthday in Pictures (With a Few Words, Too)

Yesterday was my 56th birthday, and it was filled with all things good. First, I met my Franco friends Joan Vermette and Susan Poulin for lunch at the terrific restaurant Petite Jacqueline in Portland. (A very appropriate place for Franco-Americans to meet.) Franco-Americans are a chatty bunch, and Joan, Susan, and I talked well past the closing time. Yikes! I felt a little foolish when I realized the restaurant had closed, and we were still there talking, but the tolerant staff remained pleasant.

After lunch, it was off to SoPo to join Clif and Liam at Shannon and Mike’s home. After cake and presents, we went for a walk on the beach at Pine Point in Scarborough. It was dusk, and the sky and the ocean were silver gray. The dogs frolicked, and I found a piece of sea glass to add to my collection. While there were people on the beach, it was far from crowded. As I mentioned to Shannon, given it’s not too cold, off season is my favorite time to walk on the beach. Lucky Mike and Shannon to live so close to the ocean.

After the walk, it was back to Shannon and Mike’s home for a dinner of appetizers—chicken wings, chocolate hazelnut spread on bread, cheese straws, brie, and crackers.

What a great way to celebrate the start of my 56th year. If only Dee could have joined us…

My birthday in pictures:

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Photo taken by Joan Vermette
Photo taken by Joan Vermette
Pain Perdu (French toast by another name and utterly delicious)
Pain Perdu (French toast by another name and utterly delicious)
At the beach
At the beach

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Labor Day Weekend—An Anniversary Feast for Shannon and Mike

img_3993In Maine, summer is pretty much over, and although it wasn’t the best summer ever—too much rain and too hot even for me—I am still sorry to see it end. Soon the hummingbirds will begin their long migration, and soon we won’t hear loons calling to each other on the Narrows Pond. The male goldfinches will lose their brilliant yellow, and frost will begin nipping the tomatoes. Yes, I know. With its brilliant color and crisp days, fall is beautiful in Maine. Perfect for bike riding. But right after fall comes winter—that cold time of high heating bills, and for someone like me, who is bothered by arthritis, it is a difficult time, hard to be outside, hard to get around.

Never mind! I will focus on apples and brilliant foliage and as many bike rides as I can squeeze in before it gets too cold. Ditto for meals on the patio.

This past weekend—Labor Day weekend—we had a wiz-bang dinner to celebrate Shannon and Mike’s wedding anniversary. (They’ve been married 3 years!)  They came on Saturday, and while the weather wasn’t perfect—we had rain showers—it was good enough, as Shannon put it, to do everything we wanted to do. We had grilled bread on the patio, and while we ate, the dogs—our Liam and their Holly—played and sniffed and ran in the backyard at the edge of the forest.

Then came a rain shower, and in we went. Would the rain stop so that Clif could grill the steak we bought from Wholesome Holmstead? By gum, it did, and although we ate inside, we had grilled steak. And also lobster rolls with lobster  cooked fresh that morning by Hallowell Seafood; corn on the cob from Jillson’s Farm; and red potatoes from our own Farmer Kev. Even the butter—Kate’s Butter—came from Maine. How good it all was, and how full we all were after the meal.

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After dinner, as we cleaned the table, I looked outside and noticed the rain didn’t seem to be coming back.

“Should we try having a fire?” I asked.

“Why not?” Clif asked.

He and Mike and the dogs went outside to start a fire. The weather continued to hold, and we were able to have homemade ice cream pie as we sat around the fire and chatted. As evening settled over the backyard, the dogs stayed closer to us. There is something both compelling and soothing about sitting around a fire, and we stayed by the fire until the rain came back.

But by that time, it was getting late, and it was time for Shannon, Mike, and Holly to leave.

Happy anniversary, Mike and Shannon! A lovely evening with a very lovely couple.

 

 

 

 

Another Two-for-One Meal: Chicken in a Crock-Pot and Chicken Pot Pie

img_3940We are more than halfway through August, and what a lovely month it has been. The excessive rain has stopped, and while some crops have been harmed by all the moisture, others are doing just fine. When I called Lakeside Orchards in Manchester to get a progress report on their apples—specifically their organic macs—I was told that if things continue as they are, then there will be a bumper crop of organic macs along with conventionally grown apples, and the organic macs will be available mid-September. Good news! Lakeside’s organic macs are usually very affordable. I don’t know what the price will be this year, but generally they have gone for about 99 cents a pound.

With all the rain, Clif and I fell behind in our bike riding, and it looks as though we won’t be going on any long bike rides this season. Ah, well! Most nights we are putting in 10 miles, and in a week or so, we have planned a ride from Hallowell to Richmond, about a 20-mile ride trip. Maybe next year we will go on a 50-mile bike ride.

But rain or shine, any time is a good time for a Crock-Pot meal, and I want yet again to thank Shari Burke of Craftivist in the Kitchen for giving me so many great ideas for the Crock-Pot. One meal that I have been making regularly is with chicken thighs, potatoes, and carrots. After everything has cooked, there is a lovely broth left behind, and I have mixed it with rice and chicken to make a burrito filling. Then I started thinking, what if I cooked extra potatoes and carrots, mixed them in the broth, added some leftover chicken, and put everything in a pie shell for a chicken pot pie? How would that work?

Last week, I decided to see how this would indeed work. I was so confident of the results that I promised half the pie to our friends Steve and Margy. Steve recently had knee surgery, and it seemed to me that chicken pie would be just the thing to perk him up. At the same time, a part of me was worried. What if the pie did not come out as well as I thought it would? What if it didn’t come out well at all?

I pushed those nagging little thoughts aside and commenced with the process. On the night before I made the pie, we had meal number one—chicken, potatoes, and carrots. But, following Shari’s model, I cooked extra—10 potatoes, sliced small; 1 1/2 cups of carrots cut in rounds; 7 chicken thighs with the skin on; 2 cloves of garlic, chopped; 3/4 teaspoon of dried thyme; 3/4 teaspoon of dried sage; as well as salt, pepper, and olive oil sprinkled on top. The potatoes and carrots went on the bottom, and the chicken thighs went on top in one layer. I sprinkled the garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and olive oil on top of the chicken. I always like to bring the food to a boil on high and then let it simmer on low until everything is done, about 7 hours from start to finish. (A family of four would probably have to use 2 Crock-Pots and double the ingredients. My Crock-Pot is 6 quarts.)

Clif and I ate and enjoyed the chicken, potatoes, and carrots. After we were finished, I used a slotted spoon to scoop the leftover carrots and potatoes into a dish. Discarding the skins, I took the leftover chicken off the bone and put the meat into a separate dish.  Into yet another dish, I poured the chicken drippings.

The next day, the fat had risen to the top of the drippings, and I skimmed off this fat. I always feel bad about doing this. Chicken fat is pretty tasty, but enough is enough. We would be having pie, after all. In a big bowl, I combined the vegetables and the chicken. In a small pan, I heated the chicken drippings—they had congealed—until they were runny and warm. I added the drippings to the vegetables and chicken.

Next came the crust. Now, I like making pie crust, and I seldom buy store-bought ones, but there are some good ready-made crusts at the supermarket that could be used.

I made a pie crust, filled the pie, crimped the edges, and put foil strips around the edges so that the thin edges would not burn before the thicker middle was done. I preheated the oven to 425 and set the timer for 25 minutes, at which point I took out the pie, removed the foil strips, and returned the pie to the oven to cook for another 15 minutes or so until the whole top was nicely browned.

The results? Here is what Clif said: “It couldn’t be any better.” High, high praise coming from my Yankee husband, and I have to admit the pie was pretty tasty.

With a light heart, I delivered the pie to Margy and Steve, and I already have plans to make another chicken pie again soon. I do want to note that the filling is very stiff, which I like. It makes it easier to slice the pie. However, for those who like the filling to be a little softer, milk or cream could be added to the potato and chicken mixture.

I’ve been thinking that the chicken mixture could also be put into a pan and topped with biscuit dough. But that is an idea for another post.

 

 

 

Of Melons and Gophers

img_3932Yesterday, Farmer Kev delivered our CSA share. In his nifty wooden crate, he brought us cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini, garlic, green beans, dill, basil, and red potatoes. But no melons. In an email to customers, Farmer Kev had mentioned that soon there would be melons in his deliveries.

“I can’t wait for the melons,” I said to him as he handed me the crate.

“Let’s just hope I can keep the gophers away from them,” Farmer Kev said.

“Are they getting a lot of the melons?”

“Yeah, the gophers are a real problem. We’ve tried using Have-a-Heart traps, and we are going to sprinkle cayenne pepper around the plants.”

Farmer Kev smiled at me and shrugged. He’s very young—just out of college—but he’s certainly well aware of the many challenges farmers face, from too much water to tomato blight to gophers. Yet on he goes, planting crops and hoping for the best.

“Wile E Gophers,” I said.

“Wile E Gophers,” Farmer Kev repeated. Then with a slight wave, he went back to his car, which was loaded with crates and vegetables, and drove off to finish his deliveries.

Will we get melons in the next week or two? Will the gophers prevail? Or will Farmer Kev?

The contest continues. Stay tuned.