Today has been very productive…not particularly for my academics, but it was my “break” from the 700+ pages of reading for classes over the last week! It has been a film-filled day.

I woke up this morning to rain, and thought my plans to film more at the 61st Street Farmers Market were ruined. But by 10 the rain had cleared up quite a bit and I biked down with the camera bag strapped to my back. Last week, my group from Fire Escape was able to get some great establishing shots and close-ups of veggies, but we didn’t bring the consent forms for filming interviews or getting recognizable shots of people. This week we came prepared with the right forms, and captured a few hours of great market interactions. I am still getting used to the camera and sound equipment, and we will have a look at the footage later this week. Unfortunately, the camera malfunctioned around 1, and we weren’t able to figure out a quick fix. I’m getting a great introduction to the obstacles facing documentary filmmakers! I think we will be entering an exciting little piece in Chicago in 60 Seconds from this footage, but shoot the documentary footage two weeks from today. It will be a blustery fall-winter day, and our plan is to follow a day from harvesting to (indoor winter) marketing. More details as they happen!

Later in the day, I went to a free film screening at doc films. I had heard quite a bit about the brand new documentary The Garden from my foodie/farmie friends, and I was thrilled to hear doc would be screening it for free! I love all these freebies lately (last night I went to see Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile for free through U Chicago Presents), but I would’ve paid to see this film.

Here is a little blurb from their website on the backstory:

The fourteen-acre community garden at 41st and Alameda in South Central Los Angeles is the largest of its kind in the United States. Started as a form of healing after the devastating L.A. riots in 1992, the South Central Farmers have since created a miracle in one of the country’s most blighted neighborhoods. Growing their own food. Feeding their families. Creating a community.

But after just two weeks of filming for what would’ve been a purely positive documentary, this garden faced the threat of eviction via eminent domain rights of the City of Los Angeles. The story quickly becomes political, as we watch the underhanded techniques of a privileged few impact this poor community. Many of the community gardeners take to action when they are threatened with eviction, and the film exquisitely lays out the history, characters and events that transpire. Today, there is no garden and the lot remains vacant, but the passion and solidarity of the South Central Farmers is inspirational and educational for anyone involved in food/agriculture activism.

I had the chance to speak with Scott Hamilton Kennedy for a bit after his q&a following the screening, and mentioned my various film projects. He was very encouraging and offered a few words of advice, namely to keep chugging through even when you feel like you hit a brick wall. Timely advice considering my various obstacles these past weeks!

The film premiered at the LA Film Festival, and won Best Documentary at SILVERDOCS. I also just joined their facebook fan group, but that’s because I’m a facedork like that…Check out these videos on youtube to learn more, and see the movie!

Speaking of movies, I’m about to go see Let the Right One In downtown, whee!

A note on the other side of what you consume: the liquids. Check out this article I just read about Midwestern wines. It referred me to the Drink Local Wine idea, which I’ve heard about (and participated in) more in the last years.

As a Michigander, I consider myself lucky in the realms of local adult drinks. At Michigan State University, a number of my friends and I got into beer brewing and wine making. Most of it turned out awesome, and some of it was pretty questionable. My friend Jay referred me to the Alaskan Bootleggers Bible for inspiration and technique. It doesn’t get much more local than your own kitchen, right?

Luke knows how to brew up a storm

Every year when I was young we would make a trip to Uncle John’s Cider Mill, especially in October to get a pumpkin from their patch and visit the haunted barn! A few years before I turned 21 they opened their own Fruit House Winery, adding tasty wines, hard ciders, and sparkling drinks to their more kid-friendly ciders. My favorite is the Fruit House Red, as I’m not too wild about sweeter wines.

While in France a few years ago, my friends would laugh every time I mentioned Michigan’s wine industry. But there are plenty of delicious and affordable wines around these parts. Last summer a few friends and I went up to the “pinky” of Michigan’s mitten, and I was impressed and surprised at the wealth of vineyards and wineries. We had a great time with friends who were all growing food or making wine, among other things. I’ll keep this limited to the drink-related places on that trip:

• Brian works at Chateau Chantal, a B&B/winery/vineyard with incredible views of the Grand Traverse Bays. We got a tour and a private tasting, yum
• Christin works at 2 Lads, an uber-modern winery that utilizes gravity-flow processing to save energy and to handle the delicate wines with greater care. Another tour and tasting (and yes, we visited one winery after another)
• Andy (former SOFer) works at Peninsula Cellars, a landmark winery with a fabulous Cab Franc…and I’m told they have a good Pinot Noir, but I’m not really into that Earthy flavor thang…

The region was, at the time in early June 2008, bouncing back from a late and devastating frost. It hit the vineyards pretty hard, particularly the ones on flatter (rather than hilly) plots of land. We’ll see how the wines from 2008 fare after this early trauma.

While I’m still new to Chicago, I recently tried August Hill’s Hieland Red, and it was a deep rich (nearly figgy, but dry) blend that inspires me to try more of their wines. This winery is about 90 miles Southwest of Chicago, and I’m keeping my eyes peeled for other local drinks. And of course, my friends, this isn’t limited to wine.

My favorite local adult beverage of late has been the delectably hoppy Harvest Ale from Goose Island. While the Goosey beers are plentiful and quite local, I’m surprised at the lack of other local breweries. Am I missing something? I checked out the Illinois Beer page, but I haven’t heard of any of the listed beers from Illinois. Further investigation at my local liquor store is on the way!

Perhaps I have been spoiled in Michigan, surrounded with so many delicious local microbrews that I have been blind to the virtual tastybeer famine going on even in the great state of Illinois. Michigan has its own Brewers Guild, and you can check out the locations on their interactive map. Close to my heart is the Michigan Brewing Company, who (rumor has it) will be opening a new brewpub in Lansing, my hometown and the capital city. Hoorah! Bell’s is also famous far and wide, for the beer and the great brewery venue.

But enough about Michigan! I want to drink local Chicagoland beverages as much as possible. Suggestions?

Another brilliant article by Michael Pollan was published in the New York Times this week. In this, he writes “An Open Letter to the Next Farmer in Chief,” a list of reasons our next president should care about food policy. Michael Pollan has perhaps done more to shift the general public’s perceptions and knowledge about food and agriculture than any other popular journalist.

While working at the Student Organic Farm, I heard Pollan’s name dropped in conversations a few times before I finally read one of his articles in the NYT. In the article I thought he came off as a somewhat elitist gourmet foodie, but also hit on a number of interesting reflections about our food system. In 2006 I read one of his many books, The Omnivores Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. His witty style and use of history as well as politics to teach had me hooked. In this book, one of his main arguments is that “the way we eat represents our most profound engagement with the natural world.” He illustrates how things have changed on our plates throughout history, and gives us a laundry list of reasons we should make conscious decisions about the food we eat. A recurring theme in his writing is that food is very political, and that our food and agriculture system affect our lives in more ways than most people realize. His most recent book In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto gives more of a how-to guide for the public. As a general prescription for the eaters of the world, he gives a simple mantra:

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

But in his latest article, he lists reasons why food matters and needs to be discussed more in politics:

• Health care, energy, foreign/trade policy, and climate change are all hot issues in the campaigns. Our food system is rarely discussed, yet it intimately relates to all these issues
• Health costs have risen dramatically, and 4/10 deaths in the US are related to diet-related chronic diseases. “You cannot expect to reform the health care system, much less expand coverage, without confronting the public-health catastrophe that is the modern American diet.”
• Our food system uses ~29% of US total energy supply, and is highly inefficient
• Trade policies and food security are increasingly important, as the world prices of food continue to rise

Pollan argues that in this tumultuous food climate, sustainable agriculture has found a rapidly growing audience, and not just among liberals:

Markets for alternative kinds of food — organic, local, pasture-based, humane — are thriving as never before. All this suggests that a political constituency for change is building and not only on the left: lately, conservative voices have also been raised in support of reform.

Throughout whirlwind history of food and agriculture policies in the US, Pollan remains focused on reducing reliance on fossil fuels in food production as one of the ways we can dramatically change our country for the better. Polyculture/Permaculture systems can be utilized across large areas of land, he argues, and if our policies/customs changed we could restructure the farm systems across the Midwest! He cites a number of articles showing that polyculture systems can produce much more food per acre than conventional agriculture. Of course, he thinks we need to invest more into research and training in sustainable agriculture.

Pollan argues for large-scale composting and use of more perennial crops to help lower emissions and provide a richer soil too! He also says we need to completely restructure our meat industry. Perhaps most profoundly, our food system needs to become decentralized, or what he calls “reregionalized.”

No, we don’t know if it will work. But Pollan is a believer that we need to figure out what kinds of sustianable agriculture will work before it’s too late. Soon enough, we won’t be able to have seemingly unlimited cheap fossil fuels. Food is one of our most basic necessities, and yet it is currently produced under a system that is not sustainable economically, environmentally, for human health and perhaps most importantly, in using energy. He lists a number of ways the government can create this new food system, and a number of ways we as a society must change our food culture.

I particularly enjoyed his idea of putting in an organic garden at the White House, and encouraging a revitalization of what Eleanor Roosevelt called “victory gardens”. I highly recommend taking the time to read his article and think about how you think government and society could be doing more to work towards sustainable food!

I was listening to NPR this morning when I heard a clip about this story from the Chicago Reporter. The article highlights some issues facing the sustainable food concept here in Chicago: namely, that of ACCESS. Whose neighborhoods are served by groceries, markets, and food co-ops that offer organic food? How sustainable is organic food if it isn’t socially sustainable? The authors hit on the very real disproportionate access to good food in Chicago.

Of the 77 communities and 209 grocery stores in the Chicago Reporter’s study, the white communities represented less than 1/3 of the population, yet had 2/3 of the organic stores. Particularly outrageous to me was that

The Midwest’s largest distributor of organic food, Goodness Greeness, is located in Englewood. The company ships organic produce to 1,200 to 1,500 grocery stores across the nation. Ironically, none of them are in Englewood.

The story is not all doom and gloom, however, as it focused on how some Chicago farms, gardens, and organizations are working towards more equal access to good food. The article also said that many black communities have farmers markets offering organic foods. It was exciting to realize that 61st St Market represents both of the projects given as examples in the article: Gods Gang and Growing Power. I’m looking forward to getting more involved in this market and other sustainable food projects here in the south side of Chicago…

Wow, Sunday already, what a week. Only my second week of school, I can already feel my momentum growing and with it my enthusiasm. At first, I must admit I was very apprehensive about going back to school, getting back into that academic machine. But my classes have engaging discussions, thought-provoking readings, and many intriguing students to boot. Enough on school though, my most interesting revelations this week have been in the farmers markets!

Apples, anyone?

Each week since I arrived in Hyde Park, I’ve been shopping at the Harpers Court farmers market, getting all my beets, chard, lettuce, squash, onions, garlic, apples, pears, turnips, cukes, tomatoes, oh man the list goes on. This market, I learned, is owned through the City of Chicago and will continue until the end of October. Although this market has been here for years, I have heard rumors that it will not be there next year, when the University of Chicago is planning to build more high rises. I wonder if it will be moving, or if it will just disappear?

My friend Serena picking up some goodies. Check out the herbs and jade next to her!

I met up with my friends Serena and Pete at the market this past week. We browsed around, chatted with shoppers and vendors, and bought our fruit and veg in the late morning. It’s surprising how the market feels in the early morning (when it’s busiest) and how much that vibe changes throughout the day. One week I arrived at 1pm and there were only three vendors left, even though the market *officially* closes at two. Serena and I came back to my house, as we do most Thursdays, to make a big market salad with lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, and almond-stuffed olives (ok it’s not all from this market heheh). On the side we had some cold beet/collard greens/sweet potato salad with a mild garlic vinaigrette dressing. I used to take plenty of pictures, and I’m trying to get back into that habit.

Market salad

Yesterday I also went to the 61st Street farmers market, which is run through the Experimental Station. This is the first year for the market, and unlike the other Hyde Park market above, this one is independently owned and managed. There is also a greater focus on locally produced items, or items whose origins are significant to the product, and are apparent to the consumer.

This market had a very different feel, which was clear to me while still a block away from the market. As I walked to 61st Street, I could hear drumming in the distance, and upon arrival I saw a circle of adults and children playing drums. Of about eleven vendors, most of them were based in the Chicagoland area. Here are a few that I found very intriguing:

• Growing Power – They have been getting plenty of press lately because one of the founders recently received a genius grant. This is high on my list of places to visit and blog on!
• God’s Gang - Another city farm focused on training and education, with many projects you can check out on their website
• Windy City Harvest - This farm operates through the Botanical Garden, and is a relatively new project. Last year they started with training 16 people, some of whom stayed on for this year, and this year they have a class of 15.

My friend Courtney from the Backstory Cafe was at the market too, helping a group of kids sell caramel apples as a fundraiser. She told me that the nearby school gave each student three $1 “market money” dollars, which they could spend at the Saturday farmers market. What a cool idea! Courtney and I have been working with a group for the documentary I mentioned before. More on this later, but she introduced me to Kelly from Windy City Harvest, who might be the main character in our documentary. Kelly will call me back on Tuesday, and filming will start next week if all goes well.

Another beautiful day is beginning, and I’m going to live up the warm (in the high 70s!) weather while it lasts. My life in Hyde Park is clicking into place, I am finding my niche, and starting to feel pretty darn good.

Sure, I just moved to Chicago, but my heart is still in Michigan. So is much of the news I hear about, like this story from the Detroit Free Press. It covers a new report from the Land Policy Institute about Michigan’s potential to harvest energy from the wind.

The Freep article says “The state could host as much as 320,000 megawatts of power from offshore wind, more than 10 times the amount of peak electricity produced now in the state from all sources,” but goes on to mention that this is the report’s highest estimate for power generation. As stated in the report,

These projections do not account for potential areas of concern such as shipping lanes, sensitive aquatic habitat, historic sites (such as shipwrecks and others), recreational fishing needs, commercial fishing needs, transportation corridors, migratory bird routes, and potential areas subject to tribal and other treaty concerns, and other natural resource management concerns. To account for these areas, much more significant data than is currently available will be needed.

Later the authors reveal that Michigan is ranked 14th nationwide in onshore wind resources, and it has a huge potential for offshore wind. Michigan’s jurisdiction includes about 40% of the surface area of the Great Lakes, and a good portion of the bottom of the lakes too (which is where the turbines would be grounded).

Here is an image from the report showing how much of the lakes fall under Michigan’s jurisdiction:

Of course, there will be restrictions on how far offshore the turbines can be (the report talks about a few different scenarios) and the above “areas of concern.” But on the upside, Michigan is darn windy! Look at this map from the report showing the state’s wind potential:

You can read more about what Michigan is already reaping from the wind in this article about a commercial wind farm in Huron County, The Harvest Wind Farm. This article form the government gives us a few of the facts on the energy project:

• This $90 million project is expected to power over 15,000 homes
• Over 12 years, a state tax incentive package will save them $6.5 million
• Michigan’s manufacturing-industrial processing exemption will save them $5 million in sales tax exemptions

Michigan’s governor Jennifer Granholm said

Projects like the Harvest Wind Farm, the first of its kind in Michigan, and investments in the alternative energy industry are key to our economic future…They create jobs and help diversify our economy—two top priorities for Michigan.

As excited as I am for the news from this report and the enthusiasm being generated, I’m apprehensive about seeing just wind, or just solar, or just biofuels, etc as a panacea for the energy problems we face. In my mind, the most sustainable and safe way to ensure our sources of energy is to diversify and decentralize. I think a sustainable community would provide its own food, water, health, social sphere, and energy. Sure, these off-shore turbines will help us out. But it’s only one of many alternatives to the current energy system, and we need to research and fund and promote each of the alternatives.

Props to David Poulson for sending the article out on the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism’s listserv.

Whew, what a long day! Tuesdays are my longest days at school, but tonight I reached home just in time to catch the last hour of the Presidential Debate. I feel inspired to include a few blogs during these highly political weeks on -what else- agricultural policy!

A good place to dive into US policies on food and farming is the 2008 Farm Bill, or the “Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008,” which was passed into law this past June. This five-year bill allocated $307 billion to various programs and funds, and provides dramatically different policies than its predecessor, the 2002 Farm Bill [[I looked into old farm bills here]]. You can also cut to the chase and look at the 2008 “side by side” with the old legislation on Title X: Horticulture and Organic Agriculture. Look at all the brand new provisions! I was also happy about the $18 million for the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program over the next five years, at least 10% of funds for food stamps and Federal nutrition programs at farmers’ markets. But it wasn’t easy getting this bill passed into legislation.

The new bill (originally written in 2007) made it through the Senate Agricultural Committee in late 2007, and jumped through many political hoops, but was eventually vetoed by President Bush. After an emergency effort via many grassroots networks and lobbyists to have individuals and institutions contact their legislators, the House and Senate came to the rescue. The Senate voted for the bill 81 to 15, which is 14 more than the 67 needed to override a Presidential veto. So now it’s a law!

As a member of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, I have been receiving email newsletters for the last few years informing me about upcoming events and collaboration to develop policies that promote sustainable food and agriculture. They have broken the NCSA network into various zones across the United States, working on projects at the local, regional, and national level

I wrote in to my legislators in Michigan a number of times on Farm Bill issues, and I have mixed feelings about some aspects of the new Farm Bill. As taken from a fact sheet on NCSA’s website, here are a few key points of the farm bill (to use funding over five years) as NCSA spells them out:

• More organic farming support, and specifically a boost for the organic certification cost share of $22 million
• Landowners/farmers can receive payment while transitioning and practicing organic farming under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program
• A new program called the organic data collection initiative will initiate and fund new research
• $70 million for farmers who grow annuals or perennials for the Biomass Crop Transition Assistance Program
• USA consumers will easily learn where (at least what country) their meats, fish, fruits and vegetables are coming from thanks to the bill’s Country of Origin Labeling provision
• There are specific funds allocated for new and marginalized farmers: a 90% cost share rate under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and $75 million over 4 years through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
• The Value Added Producer Grant program was cut to $15 million over 4 years, but it provides special attention to local food projects, smaller farms, and new or marginalized farmers and ranchers
• The Community Food Project program works on the grassroots level on hunger, nutrition and access issues, including a provision for school cafeterias to allow purchasing preference to locally grown/made foods
• Plenty of grants will be available to provide healthy/local food in “underserved communities” via the new Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development Center program
• The USDA’s Rural Business and Industry Loan Program will give 5% (~$50 million per year) in loans to businesses focused on local food systems

A New York Times article noted that in this time of soaring global food prices, many critics say the new Farm Bill should not offer increasing subsidies to many of these farmers. The United Nations and WTO criticize the role of extensive subsidies for American farmers as well, as do many other international venues. I have mixed feelings about this, as I’ve been in Trinidad and seen the direct results of free trade regulations on farmers beyond our borders. And while I disagree with much of the legislation that has been passed, I must make a note about subsidies: there is increasing emphasis in these farm bills on sustainable agriculture ventures and decreasing funding for “conventional”/industrial style farms. As the NYT article mentions, these bills are always a compromise. An opinion page article the next day noted unsustainable added measures like a racehorse breeder tax break, but I personally think the benefits outweigh the costs for those who are interested in a more sustainable agriculture system.

Understanding the complexities of our Farm Bill is important for anyone who is, or wants to be, involved in US agriculture in any way. And it is of particular interest to those with agrosustainability in mind, because policies like these provide grants or funds for projects that would not otherwise exist. It is also illustrating how more sustainable agriculture is becoming more accepted not just by the public media and average consumer, but also by our laws! Way to go, USA. Maybe I won’t move to Canada after all:o)

Greetings! I am thrilled to be one of the bloggers for Sustainable Farmer, and in fact this is my first blogsperience so I have that first-day-of-school anticipation and excitement too! Let me get this ball rolling by introducing myself:

At the Berkeley Farmers Market

I’m a 22 year old living in Hyde Park, on the South side of Chicago. I was born and raised in the Midwest, and darn proud of it! My dad comes from a farming family in the Midwest, and my mom comes from an Iranian family, so I was lucky to be raised on mostly homecooked Persian meals and fresh herbs from the garden. Food is the stongest tie I have to my Persian heritage, and I am proud to say that I’ve learned countless recipes and techniques from my mom and her family. Beyond my mom and dad, I need to give some shoutouts to my mentors and friends at MSU!

Yet until I entered the RISE program at Michigan State University, I was never really conscious of the complex path between farms and my belly. With the guidance of Laurie Thorp, my passionate and wise adviser and mentor, I joined a student group called the Ecological Food and Farm Stewardship. Through EFFS, I started volunteering on MSU’s Student Organic Farm, helped set up MSU’s first on-campus Organic Farm Stand, co-organized dozens of events, and met a new community. The group of people involved with the student group and the SOF included students, faculty, researchers, CSA members, and hundreds of kids and adults who come to the farm each year for hands-on education.

Mountain of salad greens for CSA

During the summer of 2006 I did an intensive internship at SOF, working hard every day in the fields and hoophouses, going on trips to other farms and sustainable institutions, leading kids on tours at the farm, and eating the fruits of our labor. Big shoutouts to Corie Pierce, Jeremy Moghtader and Jay Tomczak for having unique and complementary styles that helped push us as interns, but gave me a far deeper educational experience than I’ve ever had in a classroom. Never before had I felt so connected to a community, to the land, and to the food I was eating. My experiences at SOF continue to impact my life profoundly, and I have watched the farm change and evolve just as my life has blossomed with more purpose and energy. I shall write more about the SOF, the inspirational people involved, and all their exciting projects in coming posts!

So I finished up my Honors Bachelor of Science at MSU in Environmental Policy from the IDS department - this major allowed me to structure my own curriculum and focus on what mattered most to me. My cognate (MSU’s fancy word for minor) was in Anthropology, which allowed me to look at the human side of environmental policy, particularly in sustainable agriculture issues. My anthropology mentor Laura DeLind helped me sift through the complexities of how CULTURE fits into AGRICULTURE. She also helped me find a fitting way to round off my bachelors, by spending my last semester in France studying various aspects of sustainable food production. Jim Bingen leads the program, and helped me in countless ways with his guidance and research expertise. I stayed in France for the remaining two months of summer 2007, traveling and wwoofing on various organic farms in the Southwest and East sides of the country. It’s amazing how quickly you can learn a language if you live with French families! And amazing how quickly you can forget if you don’t make an effort to study after leaving france:P

The view from my room…my first wwoof experience!

From August 2007-May 2008 I lived in Trinidad and Tobago, where I researched the networks and policies around organic agriculture through a US Fulbright Grant. I will write more in future posts, but this was my first research experience, and my first truly independent taste of life. Thousands of miles away from home, I spent my days reading up on history, meeting with groups of farmers and marketers, helping organize various events with an organic shop, and making a handful of very close friends. Two of my close friends are bloggers themselves, Gillian and Elspeth, and both of these strong women infinitely enriched my experiences in T&T. I was interviewed for a podcast that Fulbright does, and I presented some of my research at the Caribbean Food Crops Society’s annual meeting. Living in the Caribbean for a year impacted my life in ways I hadn’t expected, and I’ll certainly be posting more on this later!

Prepared local organic lunch at Sun Eaters Organics

Earlier this summer my travels took me up to California for a few weeks, then up to Oregon and later to Seattle and nearby Vashon Island. My boyfriend Matt and I made the trip by train, and throughout the month we visited dozens of places working through various means towards a more sustainable future for agriculture, energy, the environment and human well-being. I brought a video camera with me and I’m finishing up some editing this week, so you can look forward to some visual bites in the near future!

Last week I started the Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago, an intense nine-month whirlwind of theory, methods, and research where each student constructs their own unique program. I’m focusing on Anthropology, Caribbean studies, and -of course- food and agriculture. Living in Hyde Park for only a month now, I’m already falling in love with this community and finding my niche in the city. I’ve been going to a farmers market every week at 52nd and Harpers, and I’m planning on visiting the Experimental Station to check out their urban garden, farmers market, other projects and all the people who are helping make this happen. Learning about shooting and editing documentary films is another goal for the year. Fire Escape Films, a student group at U Chicago, seems to offer the perfect venue for this endeavor. My first project is already in the works, but I’ll leave you wondering about this for now:o)

I’m off to class now, but hopefully this is a good snapshot of where I’m coming from. When you come to read my blog, you can expect a mix of news about food and agriculture and my experiences with sustainable food. I also want to declare a new word to enter the foodie lexicon - YARDEN - it’s a home/kitchen garden in your yard. I’ve seen (and eaten from) plenty.

Enjoy the last weeks of warm weather everyone! I’m looking forward to autumn colors and biking in scarves and mittens:o)