June - July 2006

Berry season in the Pacific Northwest always puts me in frenzy, like a rabbit caught in a brier patch. I devour Oregon's magnificent berries throughout the summer, but I'm equally adamant about stocking my freezer with fresh berries for winter use.

After living in Portland for more than 30 years, I've grown used to eating marionberry cobblers in the dead of winter and smelling the heady aroma of freshly baked raspberry muffins when the frost is on the pumpkins. I know fresh imported berries are available much of the year, but I won't settle for inferior fruit when I can have our local berries-internationally recognized for their intense flavor and color-year-round.

The fertile Willamette Valley produces the greatest variety of berries in the world and the thought of gathering and freezing all of them causes me some angst. Over the years I've learned how to take charge of this daunting task to keep it from becoming a full-time job.

By the end of May I clean out my freezer, and make jam or syrup with last year's berries. I dust off my over-the-sink colander, which I use for rinsing berries, and I stock up on assorted sizes of self-sealing freezer bags. I'm feeling better already.

The majority of our commercial strawberries ripen around June 1 and are finished by the end of the month. As soon as the season opens, I order three flats of my favorite strawberries-the lusciously sweet Hoods-from a local grower. (While there is something genuinely satisfying about going out and picking my own, as I've gotten older that doesn't happen as often as it used to.)

At the strawberry fields I get a whiff of the berries' fragrant aroma as soon as I step out of my car-always a good sign. I find my flats and a quick glance at their fresh-looking green caps tells me the strawberries have just been picked. Once home I rinse and dry the fruit, then freeze the berries topped but whole in bags labeled as "Hoods" so I know to use them judiciously. The following week I buy and freeze two more flats of strawberries-a mixture of Bentons and Totems. I'm feeling smug with the first berry crop tucked away in my freezer and checked off my list. It's a good start.

By mid-June, sylvan blackberries, loganberries, blueberries, gooseberries, red currants and red raspberries are all ripe, and I'm trying not to panic. I focus on the red currants and loganberries because both are often hard to find. I always buy these berries when they first appear at the Portland Farmers' Market. Red currants, with their tart flavor and high pectin content, are perfect partners with red raspberries for an intensely flavored ruby-red jam, and I love the tart loganberries mixed with other blackberries in cobblers. In both instances, combining the berries with other berries brings out the best flavors of all the fruit.

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By July 10, the marionberries, boysenberries, black currants, black raspberries, Kotata and Waldo blackberries are ripe. It's the height of Oregon's berry season and I'm thinking of going to therapy-how can I keep up?

I crank it up a notch and in one weekend I buy two flats each of boysenberries and marionberries and a half flat of black currants. I freeze most of the berries but I can't resist making a boysenberry-marionberry cobbler for dessert, and I stew a half-pint of black currants with a little sugar to use as a sauce for barbecue duck for weekend guests. I buy more marionberries and boysenberries later in the week to eat fresh.

It's August now and I'm starting to feel so good I invite my therapist to dinner instead of visiting his office. I freeze a few quarts of Chester and Evergreen blackberries to supplement my marionberry supply, and I finally put up my last cultivar, blueberries. I keep out enough to make a fresh blueberry pie for dinner and I freeze the rest. When frozen, blueberries resemble miniature sapphire marbles, but they taste like pieces of candy. Each bite is slightly sweet with a bright burst of flavor. I put a bag in the front of the freezer for easy snacking, and I check the last of my berries off my list, at least until huckleberry season starts Labor Day weekend.

The pressure is finally off-I have enough berries stashed away in my freezer to get me through winter and to make berry Christmas gifts for friends and the entire neighborhood. For now, I'm simply going to relax in the cool shade of my deck with my well-earned blackberry martini. What better way to enjoy the fruits of my labor?

To learn a whole lot more about berries, check out Janie Hibler's information-rich book, The Berry Bible: With 175 Recipes Using Cultivated and Wild, Fresh and Froze Berries (Morrow Cookbooks, 2004).

Portland is becoming a mecca for shopping. Ardent book lovers seek out Powell's. Shoe fiends crowd the legendary Imelda's. Artisan crafts abound at the Saturday Market. For boutique Pinot Noir drinkers, this is our Eden. And the legendary farmers' markets are a rite of spring in the Northwest.

A more unique local shopping niche is the Portland grocery store. I will admit I like to cruise the aisles, specifically the aisles of New Seasons Market. Their expansive wine aisle reads like a great storybook with tales of our local vintners and their rich personalities. All varieties of meat and produce are labeled and storied with farm names, locales and intricate details of care. And for the urban single, the Seven Corners New Seasons store hosts a hipster GQ meat and fish department. I always make a point to walk by, as do other female southeast single dwellers I know. In time, I realized that excluding shoes, I can find items from all of the shopping hot spots noted above at "my New Seasons."

So when the opportunity arose to "shop" New Seasons with the new President, Lisa Sedlar, I couldn't wait. Through the Oregon grapevine I'd heard she had migrated from Boulder, Colorado, where she reigned as VP of sales for Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy. She loves Portland, carries her own peppermill with her to restaurants, and is F-U-N. We met on a Saturday morning at the Mountain Park store in Lake Oswego. I immediately noticed her (fun) camouflage, Velcro-strap tennis shoes.

Our first stop was for coffee (Lisa drinks decaf) and to say hello to her daughter, Sophie, a budding artist content to spend the morning working with clay in the café section. On our way out of the café, a morning patron overheard our conversation about farmers' markets, joined in and discovered she and Lisa were kindred Midwesterners. Before she became a grocery guru, Lisa worked as a chef at the Rattlesnake Club in Detroit with a renowned chef named Jimmy Schmidt.

"He taught me about seasonal ingredients like fiddlehead ferns, morel mushrooms and softshell crabs," said Lisa. "And he had a deft hand at knowing how to bring out the delicate flavor of those seasonal ingredients."

Seasonal ingredients represented the theme for our shopping coup d'etat today. Hmm. Where to start? As we debated our aisle-cruising strategy, we shared our first grocery store passions (both Whole Foods, the first natural foods store Lisa worked for and the first one I had ever visited). I was excited to find someone who loved great markets and grocery stores as much as I do.

"I'm insane about the grocery business. Every facet thrills me," said Lisa.

And with those words, our aisle adventure began. The first fresh taste for the morning: Cara Cara oranges from California. "These are just stellar," said Lisa as she expertly sliced a section for us to sample. We were standing amidst a sea of gleaming produce under a sign reading "Home Grown." For New Seasons, home grown food is rooted, caught or processed in our bio-region, the Pacific Northwest. Following our morning splash of citrus, Washington Pink Lady apples graced our palate-sweet, tart and crisp.

"Our produce guy, Jeff Fairchild, is the elder statesmen of the produce world. Or the Mick Jagger of the produce world. He's a rock star, really. A savvy buyer and he has relationships with everyone he buys from," said Lisa. "Our produce, well, that's a great story," Lisa continued as we sampled a Fuerte avocado. "Bright and nutty," she said, handing the other half over to a smiling man who emerged from behind the Cara Cara oranges to join us for morning avocado. This is the friendliest store in town, I thought. Then Lisa introduced her husband, William. Still smiling, he and the remaining Fuerte left to join their daughter for breakfast in the café.

"So, we have farmers from tiny farms that will stop by with three crates of zucchini and ask if we can use them. We always take whatever they have and the deli will use them," said Lisa. When New Seasons first opened, 30 or so local producers supplied the fresh produce, now there are 70-80 local producers.

The produce aisle merged with the dairy and as we stood before the stoic cartons of milk, Lisa pointed out "twin-lining." This is the pairing of natural and non-natural products or organic and non-organic on a shelf.

"Lots of stores twin-line, but the difference factor is we try to price competitively," said Lisa. She informed me that there is a shortage of organic milk and as a result, four price increases were incurred just this year. New Seasons chose to absorb this cost increase to keep the price of organic milk more affordable.

My gaze wandered below the milk to the cartons of eggs with perky chickens and the phrases cage-free, organic and free-range, printed in bold. I'm all for marketing sustainability, but too many terms mar the message. Lisa started to explain and pointed out a sign clearly and concisely defining all 10 or so of the terms on the various dairy packages. A-ha!

"We're always looking for meaningful ways to share information with the customer," she said, "so they can make their own choices."

The egg/dairy lingo assumed clarity as she and other employees walked around in space-type suits (bio-security measures) this fall during a henhouse/farm tour for employees.

"There's a homegrown calendar of farm visits I can show you," said Lisa. "From dairy to meat, we know and visit the farms."

Yes! It's time to cruise the meat department. I tried to find a clever way to slip in my appreciation of the GQ meat men from the Seven Corners store, and Lisa laughed. "We hear that a lot. Actually, the Mercury just called to check in about writing an article on the sexy staff at New Seasons," she said.

Getting back to business-Lisa gestured, "Every product in the meat case is grown especially for us," she said. New Seasons has added growers over the years to support the growth of the company.

The New Seasons meat counter is like the corner butcher shop: the meat is cut to order and nothing goes to waste. "Our sausage is made on site, let's see," said Lisa as she counted and surfaced from the counter, "20 different varieties of sausage all made by hand, and all fresh! And we have smokers to smoke our own bacon too. It's so fresh!"

"Did you know the average age of the farmer in Oregon is 55 years old?" said Lisa as we walked from meat and fish toward the prepared food section. "The small farm is on the verge of extinction, but just last year in Oregon farmland grew by 300 acres. We were the only state to increase farmland."

I wondered if that farmland included vineyard acreage. "I think so," said Lisa, taking a sharp right turn toward the storied wine aisle.

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Lisa introduced me to Gairron, the wine steward for Lake Oswego. She's a transplant too-from Texas-and actually has a degree in zoology and worked as a biologist before embracing the world of grapes. "It's funny where you end up," she said with a smile. The three of us stand in unison, looking intently at the rows of bottled grapes, mulling over labels, reading producer stories and sharing our favorite bottled memories.

"We hire for fit and train for skill," said Lisa as we moved slowly away from the wine aisle. "We look for people that have an affinity for things that come from the earth-a passion. And that's one of the reasons we are the friendliest stores in town. Our staff is authentic and we have a good time." New Seasons sounds more and more like the kitchen at a party-where everyone wants to be.

The next logical step from wine, of course, led us to the cheese counter.

"Aaron is our cheese maestro," Lisa said. The cheeses are both worldly and home grown. The first cheese we sample is a goat cheese from Washington: nutty, sweet, creamy: "A goat's milk cheese without the musty flavor," said Aaron.

Next, a Zamorano sheep cheese from Spain, then a taste of one of their complete selection of local Rogue blue cheese.

"Humboldt Fog goat cheese. You have to try this," said Lisa with seriousness. "This cheese takes you to a place you never thought you would go to with a bite of cheese." We all savor our sample and find ourselves carried to coastal fog for a moment or two.

"Taleggio, my favorite," said Lisa. "Oh, give Kerry a taste of that… " By this time I have lost track of the cheese. "This," said Aaron, handing me another pristine slice to try, "is a fresh, bouncy cheese, mild. And to follow, a contemplative, silent, subtle cheese. It's hard to sell subtle cheese."

Similar to the corner butcher store, this seemed like the side cheese shop. One can sample robust or subtle cheese, have cheese cut to order and hear some great tales from Aaron about living off the grid in New Mexico, and of course learn more about the many nuances of cheese.

A few steps down we arrived at the deli/prepared food section, one of the many departments Lisa steps into during the day. "This is Keenan," said Lisa as she introduced a tall, red-haired employee. "He moved here from Alaska and bikes to work every day." Keenan handed over two delectable tastings of yellow beets in a honey-mustard glaze with hazelnuts.

All of the vegetables used in the deli section came from the same farms as the produce and they are organic and local.

"The chefs, we have amazing chefs!" said Lisa. "We have chefs that worked for Wildwood, clarklewis, tabla, Higgins… " No wonder I love all of the food I ever buy from the deli-it's made by the culinary crème de la crème.

Lisa tore off a chunk of a beautiful olive ciabatta to share. "We have the only certified organic bakery in the retail environment in Oregon [certified by Oregon Tilth], and five of the seven New Seasons [stores] have a cook-from-scratch bakery program," she said.

As I chewed the rustic bread and listened to stories of baking, Lisa brought me to a new counter. I felt I was in a bit of a food daze until I think I heard the word gelato.

"Gelato?" I queried optimistically.

"Yes," said Lisa.

"I love gelato!" I may have shouted.

"I know," said Lisa.

"I have to restrain myself from emailing the CEO every day and saying you have built an amazing organization," she confessed.

"It's a great story," said Lisa as she handed the first tasting spoon over slathered with a decadent mango. Stella Gelato is based in Eugene. Its milk and cream come from a small, local, family dairy that raise their own cows, grow their own feed and don't use growth hormones. The berries in the gelato are homegrown and organic. And there are 16 flavors in the New Seasons case. All made with seasonal ingredients.

"Don't tell anyone that I'm eating ice cream first thing in the morning," said Lisa with a wink as she ensured we sampled her favorites-sorbetto and pistachio. I'm moved and asked Lisa with the deepest sincerity to put gelato counters in the other New Seasons. (Lake Oswego is a pilot store for the gelato right now).

Our aisle-cruising wound down and we found ourselves back where we started. The once-empty counter by the door now featured three New Seasons employees setting up shop for what looked like a version of the Iron Chef.

"Are we sampling sake today?" Lisa asked, "and is it noon yet?"

Yes. It's sushi-sake day. All over the city, every New Seasons will be rolling sushi samples all day long.

"It's part of our tasting program," said Lisa. "We want people to know about their food. We are not food elitists and want to be as accessible as we possibly can."

"Is it free?"

"Free, free, free," said Lisa. The tastings vary each week. One tasting entailed taking every salsa off the shelf, about 50 or so, and tasting them all. As far as tasting an item in the store, the answer is always yes.

"We just like to say yes!" said Lisa. "And we really mean it. It confounds people's expectations and wins their hearts and minds. Our goal is to do whatever we can to make an awesome shopping experience. I feel like we are doing a really good thing."

Before leaving, I inquired about the inspirational quotes painted throughout the store.

"Or aspirational," said Lisa. "There's one quote I really like: 'Food is best where laughter is brightest.' But isn't that what food is all about-slowing down to talk about the day?"

With these parting words, Lisa returned to finesse the aisles-sharing food tales and tidbits with countless customers, stepping behind counters to serve fine foods or filets-all in addition to flawlessly filling the myriad roles of a grocery goddess. There is never a dull moment here, and it's clear this New Seasons president brings zest and passion to what many Portlanders already recognize as a fine neighborhood establishment.

You know it's a remarkable day in Portland when Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens are in full view. The snow-capped volcanoes' bold outlines pop out from the horizon against a clear blue sky, reminding us of Mother Nature's awesome beauty. Today is one of those perfect afternoons. Warm-not too hot, not too cool-bright and sunny. An ever-so-slight breeze hugs my face, and I'm basking in the warm glow of the early summer sun.

I've just parked my car, and-with my 5-month-old son, Peter, in tow-I'm following the hustle and bustle of people carrying canvas totes, wicker baskets, paper sacks and plastic bags down a narrow, pothole-filled street. We're making our way toward 6632 SE 47th Avenue, where Laura Masterson of 47th Avenue Farm is waiting.

It's Tuesday-an important day at 47th Avenue Farm. This is weekly CSA (community supported agriculture) harvest pickup, and shareholders are arriving in droves after work to gather their shares of fresh produce, eggs and cheese. A large white house-Laura's home-guards the property and, up from the driveway, an open garage houses farm equipment, tools, bins and gear. Wilma, a free-range hen, runs to and fro' her chicken coop. The farm's kid-friendly dog, Kavai, amuses a small boy who seems intent on chasing after her. Farm apprentices are hustling about, and Laura is busy greeting and welcoming the members as they arrive.

"Can I entice you to fill out my shareholder survey while you're waiting?" Laura grins, handing clipboards and pens to people standing in line. Her dirty-blonde hair is pulled back in a ponytail, revealing sun-kissed, rosy cheeks. She has a warm and engaging smile, and a down-to-earth, easy attitude. She weaves through the line, tending to members' questions and comments. "What's new this week, Laura?" someone calls out. "Oh my god, these parsnips are gigantic!" exclaims another.

The white tent under which we're standing houses long tables thickly stocked with jumbo-size plastic bins brimming with freshly picked vegetables. This week's crops include sprouting broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli raab, lettuce mix, dried hot peppers, green garlic, parsnips, florettes, collards, kale and onions.

"Don't forget to take a copy of this week's newsletter!" Laura reminds people. "We've got some great recipes. Also, the eggs and cheese are at the end of the table this time."

Last week's delivery of fresh goat cheese from partner farm Juniper Grove didn't quite make it to 47th Avenue on time, so this week, members can take three. "Make a great, big cheese platter. Impress all your friends!" Laura jokes.

BEGINNINGS

47th Avenue Farm is an agricultural oasis amid unpaved city streets, urban residences, parked cars, motorcycles, trucks and neighboring traffic. This farm is part of a growing movement of community supported agriculture, or CSA, which offers people an opportunity to purchase and pay up-front for a subscription or "share" of the farm's seasonal harvest. What this means is that shareholders take a share of the risk, should a blight or devastation of a certain crop occur. Rarely does that happen, and for the most part, CSA members reap and enjoy the rewards of a weekly bounty of fresh-picked, delicious food season after season.

Members of Laura's farm are entitled to hand-select their share each week. Grit and dirt come par for the course. The shareholders are allotted a certain amount of produce, based on weight or number, and they bring earth-friendly, reusable containers to hold it all. This encourages an honor code, a sense of trust between the farmer and her members and generates a sense of community spirit.

Laura began farming while in her early 20s. She moved to Portland from California to study biology at Reed College. After finishing school, Laura decided to put down her roots here. Throughout her college career, she had gardened obsessively, tended to plants and even had a garden design business. She took odd jobs at Portland Nursery and Berry Botanic Garden to feed her horticultural appetite. Still, the longing to farm on a more permanent basis-to own a piece of land and grow food on a larger scale-kept tugging at her. Determined to make a go of it in 1994, Laura sought land within the Portland city limits, and was fortunate enough to find her current house on a double city lot-a rare find even at that time.

The following spring, with the support of her Reed College friends, Laura started the CSA business. "Although I was apprehensive at first, they said to me, 'Laura what are you waiting for?'" Together with community support, Laura tilled the soil, planted seeds and they grew. Her friends came each week to help harvest the produce, and it didn't take long before the word spread that fresh veggies were available for sale in the neighborhood and people-intrigued-came to check it out.

Today, 47th Avenue Farm is in its 10th year of operation, and has expanded to lease several other larger properties, including Luscher Farm in Lake Oswego and Zenger Farm in deep southeast Portland, in order to support the growing demand. Membership has grown; Laura sells up to 80 shares per season, with each share feeding approximately 3-4 people, which means the farm feeds around 350 people every week. 47th Avenue also has winter harvest shares-offering the option of year-round fresh produce to its members.

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Another result of the farm's expansion has been to bring farm-fresh food to area restaurants. About 5 years ago, Laura crossed paths with John Taboada, chef/owner of Portland's acclaimed Navarre restaurant. The two met when John was catering Laura's friends' wedding. Laura had offered up fresh vegetables as a wedding present to her friends. John was to cook with them. After seeing the amazing quality of Laura's produce John was smitten. He said, "This is so great, we must partner up!" John and Laura worked out a mutually beneficial arrangement, and Navarre soon became a group CSA shareholder. "John was so enthusiastic over the food, and so flexible and made it so easy!" says Laura.

And the rest is history. Today, John receives a delivery of fresh-picked produce from 47th Avenue Farm each week. "I like to work with restaurants like Navarre that have a seasonal menu and that are willing to work with our scale of farming," Laura says. "They might have a preset menu, but their specials change weekly or even daily. The chefs find it interesting to work with new ingredients and a changing menu. They like that," says Laura. "John, he's totally focused and says, 'Laura, you tell me what's the best right now and I'll cook it. Bring me what you've got, and my job is to deal with it and get creative.'"

John must trust Laura's knowledge of vegetables to tell him what's at peak freshness that week. Rarely does he say he doesn't want something. "I didn't ever want to be walking my fields saying we need to pick onions because I promised onions for a specific recipe a restaurant is preparing, if the onions aren't quite at their peak, for instance," Laura says. And, with that, other local restaurants around town are happy to take advantage of Laura's high-quality produce; 47th Avenue Farm delivers to Gino's Restaurant in Sellwood, Nostrana and The Busy Corner Grocery.

"The restaurant business is a tough business," Laura says. "I like the restaurant/CSA mix. It's secure. The share is presold, with money up-front. At that point, my marketing component is done and I can focus on growing, not selling."
Community Spirit

Along with the practical benefits, Laura admits that the big draw to being involved with CSA is the community component, which is integral to the success and satisfaction of her life's work. Laura's personal philosophy as a farmer is not only to grow the freshest possible food using sustainable farm practices, but to educate as well. She teaches others through her farm apprentice program, engaging young people in farming and encouraging them to become food advocates and educators for sustainable agriculture.

Shareholders and members receive an education too. "It's all about developing and honoring community here at 47th Avenue Farm," says Laura with a grin. As such, her friendly weekly newsletters include personal updates about the farm, workshops and farm work parties, weather reports, information about the vegetables and suggested recipes for utilizing that week's produce.

Laura's lively spirit is contagious today at 47th Avenue Farm. Monica, a young woman I speak with, tells me how much she enjoys being a member. This week, she's brought her good friend Tara, who is helping to carry out the brimming bags of fresh vegetables. "We love Laura and love coming here each week to pick up fresh veggies. It's so fun being part of a CSA and the member community at large."

Another member shares, "I really like supporting a local farmer and reducing the vehicle miles traveled of some of my produce. I feel more connected to the weather and the land, and I don't mind taking the risk that some of the crops may not come up, or that bad weather might affect the harvest. It makes the process more real to me."

Catherine has been a dedicated 47th Avenue farm member for 10 years, ever since Laura first got started. Catherine and her family of four enjoy a full-sized family CSA share. "Joining the CSA has really shaped the way we eat," she explains. "We have local, seasonal produce all year long, and we can eat fresh from week to week."

"We offer folks great, fresh, local and sustainably grown food. But you can also get that at most farmers' markets." Laura says. "What is harder to get at the market is that deep connection to a farm and farmer. We have more time to talk to folks at pickup days than most other farmers do."

As she's wrapping up the day's harvest share pickup, I ask Laura what inspires her to farm during the long, dark, cold days of winter, when it's raining pellets and most of us don't even want to go outside, let alone work in the fields. "I'm not in it for the money. Relationships are huge in this business. My members are so supportive and appreciative, and the crew I work with are all so dedicated. It's all about the people-the community around me is really what keeps me going."

For more information about the 47th Avenue Farm CSA, visit www.47thavefarm.com or call
(503) 777-4213.