Greetings From the Hills of Bethany

After nearly two years of welcoming you with “Greetings from Pontpool!”, my friends have suggested that I change my salutation to “Greetings from the hills of Bethany!”, as that is indeed where we are.  

So, then...Greetings from the hills of Bethany! We are getting ready for winter here at South Pond Farms. Note the fully stocked woodshed—it is a thing of beauty. Those three cords of wood, supplied by the hard-working Dana Wellman from Port Hope, stand ready to heat the house. We figure the supply will last only about nine weeks!  I will have Dana on my speed dial!  I made the change to heating with wood last year—much to the chagrin of my girls, who get asked to bring in armloads of it every day—in an effort to combat crazy energy costs. Who knows what those costs will be like over the next few years?  All I know is that even though I compost, grow as much food as I can and try to live a somewhat sustainable life, costs will continue to go through my roof and no doubt everyone else's. 

I listened to an interview with Jeremy Rifkin and honestly, it changed my life. His new book, The Third Industrial Revolution, talks about a plan for long-term economic sustainability to address the triple challenge of the global economic crisis, energy security and climate change. If you are wondering what the next step is and how we all can personally make some changes, check it out—it may change your life, too, or at least your thinking.  

Back on the farm, life is starting to hunker down. It’s getting cold, there’s frost at night, the vegetables that didn’t get inside in time look forlorn. I do have a huge crop of kale that is still green and fresh, chard, some herbs, edible flowers, kohlrabi and onions hanging on. I’ve made some very hearty vegetable stews, but that’s not the kind of recipe I’m going to leave you with.  

I just returned from a “magical mystery tour” of my home state of Vermont, where I was inspired by all the wonderful food-related things that Vermonters do. My very dear girlfriend, Andrea Darrow, who with her husband owns Green Mountain Orchards in Putney, has a full-time job planting, caring for and harvesting apples on 125 acres representing one of Vermont’s oldest orchards. She also creates amazing apple products. When I dropped by for a visit, I surprised her wearing knee-high rubber boots, earphones and a rubber apron while making hundreds of gallons of cider from an old-fashioned press. It smelled heavenly.  

This recipe from Vermont Life magazine reminds me of her. It’s a wholesome apple cake that is delicious any time of day.   

Putney’s Food Co-op Apple Pecan Cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup canola or other vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 small apples, unpeeled, diced into 1/3 inch cubes, measuring 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup roughly chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a deep 9-inch spring-form pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, mix together oil, sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir flour mixture into oil mixture and then fold in apples, raisins, pecans, mixing just until no pockets of flour remain. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Batter will be very thick. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until cake is golden brown on top and cake tester comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack before removing.  

(Vermont Life, Autumn 2011)

Danielle  

Nine weeks of fire wood

Beautiful Autumn Colours

South Pond in Fall

A Love Story from Pontypool

My daughters and I escaped the city and moved to the rolling, wooded hills near Pontypool six years ago. Our farm is removed from many things, but close to everything that matters—family, nature, tranquility. We love it and all the work that goes with it (most of the time). I came up here to be a world-famous cheese maker but realized after some research that making cheese here in Ontario is not as simple as it is in Vermont, where I grew up. So, after some thought, I decided to garden, make food, and offer an experience of the rural life to others.

We share our space with three dogs, two cats, hens that lay blue eggs, and of course, Millie the goat, who eats most things, including lots we wish she wouldn’t, but we love her anyway. Deer and wild turkeys wander the fields and many forest creatures call our woods home.

I soon realized that one major challenge was the traditional Ontario barn—complete with its distinctive silo—which had suffered from years of neglect. I tackled the task mainly because my friend Shawn, who has an innate sensibility of the land and where things should be, and his amazing team of 'young' Sean and Travis agreed to take on its renovation using reclaimed lumber, windows and more. Now, it stands proudly much as it would have back in the 1860s when it was built, thanks to their superb craftsmanship. Instead of housing cattle and hay, though, it is now a beautiful space for music, for art,for gatherings of all kinds

Because I want to share the beauty and bounty of the area with others, I have created a range of ways that visitors can come and take in the relaxing atmosphere. Visit the shop to pick up some of my country-fresh preserves made from ingredients from my own garden and local farms. Look at the land and the barn for a wedding reception or business retreat. Take in a class on creative cooking or home décor. Or simply wander the trails and feel the stress slip away.

Welcome to South Pond.

Danielle

The Silo  |  Photography by Meghan Andrews

Our Beautiful Barn  |  Photography by Meghan Andrews

Cooking with the family (one of them anyway)

Millie the Goat