Hello again Spring House Farm friends! Here’s hoping you all are well and happy!
The past few years our area has experienced what’s called an “exceptional drought”. This spring however, has been especially beautiful with an abundance of beneficial rains. Because of this, the forest surrounding the cabins is bursting with foliage like I haven’t seen in years.
When Earnest Hemingway wrote “Islands In The Stream” about an island called Bimini in the Bahamas being surrounded by clear green waters of the Caribbean Sea, it reminded me of our cabins this spring… like being surrounded and adrift in an ocean of swirling lush rain forest.
The soft evening rains have also been keeping time with a quiet patter of drops on the metal roof, cooling the forest so that a warm fire in your fireplace is necessary to ward off overnight chill. The morning sunrise filters through the wet, sparkling hardwood canopy drying things out from the night before.
Springtime here is a wonderful thing indeed!
GARDENING TIME
I have gotten my garden in… almost!
You guys are welcome to come and raid some goodies for your supper when things are ready. I have planted several varieties of tomatoes, lettuces, sweet onions, hot peppers, zucchini and yellow squash. Honey dew and cantaloupe will be ready later on as well. This is a completely organic garden fertilized courtesy of a neighbor’s prize Paso Fino horses! An organic garden is more effort, but the taste of the veggies is unmatched. For you gardeners out there, find someone who has horses and ask but beware of the grass seed contained within! Plan on being in your garden with your hoe daily or compost your manure for a season before using in the garden. It kills the seeds and neutralizes some of the acid. Lettuces are red leaf, bib and butter leaf.
I make a killer vinaigrette, which works well on the fresh lettuce or even drizzled over a fresh slice of cantaloupe.
The recipe follows:
- 2 cloves fresh garlic crushed
- 1 large pinch fresh graded ginger root
- 1 tbsp good balsamic
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 good dollop Dijon mustard (Maille Mustard)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- Mix all ingredients in blender or food processor or by hand.
- Then gradually add olive oil. Don’t guess. Taste, adjust, taste adjust…
- Then let sit overnight.
NEWS FOR THE BIRDS
Birders! Don’t forget about the farm’s June induction into mountain region of the North Carolina Birding Trail. http://www.birdingtrail.org
The farm will be open to the public who will have access to some great bird watching areas. Our cabin guests will have their own special private prime bird watching areas too.
SPECIAL
Super Spring Specials: May, June
Any cabin is $175/night on Sunday-Thursday nights (saving up to $150/night!). On Friday-Saturday, get 50% off your second night.
Limited space, call Zee or Arthur today at 828-738-9798!
See you soon!
Yours in Peace,
Arthur, Zee, Cailien and Jerry Lee!
