Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Week Six- Bringing it All Together




Internship- Black Star Farms
Stephanie Sheffer
Week 6



Warmth from a purposeful sun is radiating into our piece of this earth.  The calculated plans and the measured amount of time and effort that has been put forth into the slice of soil I call home is beginning to show a reward for our labors.  Our brood of seedling babies in the garden are bursting forth, shaking particles of dirt from their appendages and announcing their presence.  They will produce their thankfulness for our love and attentions very soon now.  We are prepared to foster them through their infancy until they have reached their successful potential.  Our commitment is declared and realized because together we will all appreciate the health and spiritual wealth that will arise from this natural partnership. 

Our garden rows ready to go


My garden at home is alive and so is the farm life at Blackstar farms.  We are using all kinds of products from Nine Bean Rows now- the CSA owned by Nick and Jen Welty that is affiliated with the property.  Just this week I made a dinner salad for our TAUCK group that had a foundation of greens from Nick and Jen.  The breads that we use for breakfast and dinners are also exclusively from Nine Bean Rows too. By the way- it’s the most beautiful bread- We are so proud to support each other with our products on the farm- the brick oven bread is truly phenomenal!   
Some of the breads from Nine Bean Rows- YUM!

This is just another component of my work at Blackstar that is so special.  Even the animals that are on the farm, all the new babies that have arrived recently are an important component to our commitment as an agricultural destination.  (We just got new babies on our farm too)  Once again I will say that I love how Blackstar is a well-rounded destination and especially that it is a food lover’s dream come true!  To be apart of it all is really exciting to me.

Our baby chicks



This week I learned that letting the food simply shine is soooooo important.  I tend to want to over garnish everything.  People don’t want a plate of garnish though- they want to see the beauty of their food- the garnish is supposed to only help highlight that.  Chef Jon has very patiently helped me work on this skill- it obviously takes a lot of practice, restraint and trust to know and sense that there is already enough there on the plate.   Even when it doesn’t seem like enough to me.  I have watched the ease at which this plating element can be achieved and I am determined to master it too! 

Cucumber radish stack with Fromage Blanc and Chive blossom garnish

 I am excited to think that maybe I will be able to contribute some of my own garden produce to my work at Blackstar someday soon.   I will continue to nurture our garden’s success and will love how this is a way to contribute something special from my family to the place I am so eager to be apart of.