The Biggest Little Farm

The Biggest Little Farm has had an extended showing at our local independent theater for the past few weeks. I have been wanting to see it, but after-work hours are precious in the summer with a never-ending list of outdoor to-do items, so finding the time has been difficult. Fearing that this may be its last week, and since it rained most of the day, making the garden too wet for work, this evening was a perfect time to go to the movies.

I had heard good reviews, and thought that it would just be a pleasant movie to watch about two young city-dwellers who give up everything to fulfill a dream of owning a farm.It is that as Molly and John Chester left their comfortable lives of chef and filmmaker to become full-time farmers, but it is so much more. In addition to the magnificent cinematography, it is a story that evolves over seven-years and shows the evolution of the property from a conventional farm where most of the soil was bare and devoid of life, to a thriving living organism that supports an abundance of life. The realities of the journey that entailed failures and tragedies before successes are what make the movie exceptional and an emotional experience for viewers. If you haven't seen it already, I encourage you to find a local showing and become inspired while being reminded of the intricacies and complexities of the natural world of which we as humans can never fully comprehend, but can certainly appreciate and learn to accept.   

Blueberry Tea-Torte

I love going outside early in the morning and picking fresh blueberries to put atop cereal or yogurt. We are fortunate to live on a lot that has several high bush blueberry plants. And come July it is always a race between us and the birds for who gets them first. This blueberry torte recipe was easy to make and came out very moist.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups blueberries dusted with flour
1 cup chopped pecans 

Sift dry ingredients into large bowl. Stir in eggs, sugar and extract. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 pan and bake at 300 degrees F until cooked through, about 1 hour.