How life has changed in a year! Last year we watched the Rodeo July 4 parade from the sidelines; this year we were in it.

We decorated a float for the farm and marched in the parade as a part of it (with a contingent of small kids on assorted bikes and wagons). It was a lot of fun, and we even won the prize for best float! (Remember, it’s a very small parade.:)

We have really enjoyed the time we’ve spent on the farm and with Jerry and Jennifer. It has deepened my appreciation of the importance of small farms and locally grown organic food. Cooking with fresh seasonal produce is something I thought we had left behind in California with our farmer’s market there, but this has not been the case. And now we even know how to grow and harvest food.

There is a wholesome, idyllic quality to farm life. But it is also a lot of hard work and an incredibly difficult way to try to make a living. If you have an opportunity, support your local farms. Eating local and natural food is not only good for the planet and for the local economy, it’s healthy and satisfying.