Wine grapes are fabulous.  Heaven knows we love what they turn into.  Wine!  (Ok, that’s stating the obvious…)  But, one of the many things that makes our lovely Russian River Valley, and Sonoma County as a whole, unique, is our incredible diversity of agriculture and artisan produce.  We farm- and our farming really speaks to the old world traditions of using the land for a variety of different crops, livestock and native habitats.  More and more, we’re seeing the farmers and ranchers expand from one crop or one animal on the land to a variety of uses on one property.

On our ranch, where we’ve farmed for five generations, we have chickens for eggs and meat, antique apple trees, vegetable gardens, bee hives for honey and polination, prunes, plums, cherries, peaches and berries scattered about the property and lovely creeks with riparian habitats.   

Lettuces and Heirloom Shelling Beans

This kind of farming is wonderful, because it’s year-round.  We have produce, eggs and meat every month of the year.  But, I have to admit that this month and the next few months are just amazing and so incredibly bountiful! 

An heirloom squash and its delicious blossoms

When you look Farmhouse up on  Trip Advisor, or visit us on Facebook, you’ll find a common thread among many of the posts.  Why are guests loving Farmhouse?  Our location in the heart of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley?  Sure.  Great Michelin starred food and comfy rooms?  Definitely.  But, the thing that keeps guests raving about their stay (check, they really are…) is the incredible level of service that our team provides.  Through every department, we absolutely love to exceed expectation.  From the delightful young men who will escort you to your room and provide a little property information on the way, to our amazing team of concierges (six of them, on staff to arrange anything your heart desires) to our restaurant team and its devotion to creating not just meals, but incredible experiences, to our spa, filled with passionate therapists and all the season’s bounty, Farmhouse strives to evolve and improve constantly.

I love that about this place!  Almost ten years into Farmhouse and the guest experience gets better every single day.  Our newest, and perhaps most exciting, program has just launched.  So far, the feedback is incredible. You know how we’re always talking about a Farmhouse stay being “experiental”?  Well this new program really speaks to that goal.

We call it our “Winery Friends” program.  Clever, huh?  We’ll, if you have a better name, send it our way…  But, here’s how it works.  We’ve collected information, over the last year or so, on the Russian River Valley wineries that our guests just rave about.  Then, we polled Geoff, our MS, and Megan, our sommelier, on their favorite local wines.  Then Joe and I sat down and thought about the actual people that we like the best at the tons of wineries around us.  Where all of those criteria converged- great experience, great wine, great people- we circled the winery.  Then, we made a bunch of calls. 

Basically, the premise was simple.  When Joe and I and our staff show up in your tasting room, you roll out the red carpet.  We want you to do the same for our guests.  That reserve wine you open for us, open for them.  That impromptu tour, or grape tasting, or sample from the barrel, offer it to them.  And, just about everyone we approached was incredibly enthusiastic.  So, you might be asking, “What do the wineries get in return?”.   Ha! Another win, win.  They get to come over a couple of times a year and have their wines featured during a private tasting for our guests.  Plus, we promote their events and promotions to our guests.  So, we send them our fabulous guests to taste and maybe buy their wine, and then they get to come over to Farmhouse to meet them again. 

These wineries are all open to the public.  No appointments required (that was another critical point in being chosen to participate)  They’re all nearby.  And they’re all treating Farmhouse guests like old friends.  Just like we think it oughta’ be. 

Here’s the list of wineries.  You night like to peruse them before you visit.  Some are little,  some are bigger, some are in their second or third generation, some are quite new, but they’re all really  special. 

Arista… C. Donatiello…Copain… Hartford Winery…Iron Horse… J Vineyards… Lynmar…Porter Creek… Russian Hill Estate…Thomas George… Woodenhead

Joe and I both spend a lot of time entertaining press, visiting our little Russian River Valley and Wine Country Inn.  We take them around the area, introduce them to our friends and show them around our ranch.  And we love it.  It’s always such fun.  We adore bringing people in and showing them how wonderful and diverse this area actually is.  And we make life-long friends.  Well, this time, we decided to take our little show on the road.  To New York City!

Joe and me in front of the Conde Nast Building.

Susie Dobson, our fabulous PR person, put the word out that we’d be there introducing our new spa.  We gave her a “wish list” of editors and publications- O Magazine, Elle Magazine, Vogue, Travel and Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller, Town and Country, Departures… You get the gist.  And Joe and I were astounded by the response we got.  They ALL agreed to meet us.  Plus, Susie set up loads of meetings with freelance writers and tucked them in everywhere.

Then we got nervous.  Showing them around Wine Country is one thing- it’s easy to get how beautiful, friendly and delicious it is when you can actually see, experience and taste it.  But bringing the Farmhouse to them?  What to do?  So, after much pondering, we came up with a cool little gift bag.  The concept was Farm-to-Table.  And the bag included the makings for an afternoon tea and a mini facial.  Using the same ingredients- carrots, chamomile and honey- all from our ranch.  We offered the chamomile as a tea, the honey as a sweetener and the carrots baked, by Pattie, into gorgeous little white chocolate dipped madeleines.  Then, for the spa/facial component, the chamomile as a bath addition, the honey as a “honey pat” skin treatment (see below for technique) and the carrot tops as a facial spritz (our Spa Partners, Peggy and Loma actually made a carrot-top infusion that we packed and brought.)  We hand stamped some recycled cotton bags, tucked the goodies in with a bottle of Fred Scherrer’s fabulous RRV Pinot and a bunch of fresh carrots (those were interesting to manage- I was obsessed with the tops staying fresh and crisp throughout the trip.  They actually ended up living in the bathtub, slathered with ice.) and volia!  Farmhouse in a sack.   Or something like that…

So, we spent three days, dashing around the city from amazing office to amazing office talking about our incredible new spa and our recent expansions and our never ending plans for what’s next.  We ate to-die-for food in extraordinary environments with great new friends and really lived it up.  But, boy were we glad to get home!

Here’s the Honey Pat Technique:

Autumn honey from the Bartolomei Ranch

The Honey Pat from The Spa at Farmhouse Dip your fingers into a bit of honey and apply it to your face in an upward revolving motion.  Now pat your face with your fingertips as if you were typing a letter on your face.  Once the mask is very tacky, rinse your face with tepid water or mineral water.  Honey is a natural rejuvenator and humectants and leaves you feeling refreshed and invigorated.  Skin ages not because it loses its ability to hold oil, but because it loses its ability to retain moisture.  Honey is a natural hydrator, that is, it seems to have the capacity to maintain or restore the normal proportion of water in the skin.   The Honey Pat feels smooth and leaves the skin lightly tight and firm with a warm feeling and light, pleasant smell.  Because the honey is acid, it helps to rid the face of blemishes and blackheads.

My own naivete continues to amaze me.  I could be talking about any number of weird little things that come up during the course of a day- but, in this instance, I’m talking about a little conversation my brother and I had, sitting in this very cramped, little office, about a year ago.  It went something like this, “Cath, this construction project is really a lot of work”.  “True, Joe, but once the building’s up and we have all of the interior work done, then we can really relax for a while.”  “Yeah, wow, what are we going to do with all of our time??”  “Well, Joe, I hadn’t thought about that.  Probably take some vacations?  And I’ll have time to blog all the time!”…

Needless to say, once we finished building the building and expanding the property, we had to learn how to run the thing.  And, while it’s been challenging in a number of ways, to go from a tidy little ten room country inn to what really amounts to a small hotel, in a recession to boot,  I don’t think we’d change a thing. 

So, this is a long way of saying that I really thought I’d have more time to write blog entries.  But, I spend all of my time working on sales, marketing and public relations programs, plus all of the wonderful fun day-to-day stuff that still goes on everyday.  Joe and I have brought on some amazing, incredibly talented consultants to help us brand and position Farmhouse, and now we have a lot of meetings.  But, boy, have we learned a lot.  And it has actually been so much fun!

But, here it is, a super-rainy day.  Joe’s gone on an actual vacation (Nevada to take the kids to see the in-laws, but I’m calling it a vacation…)  My meetings are done for the day.  The river is rising, and I’m drinking a fabulous cup of cocoa and thinking about how lucky I am. 

Here’s the recipe for the cocoa and marshmallows- in case you’re in the mood for something cozy.  (This is a great rainy day project with kids, too).

Cocoa Mix

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa (we use Valhrona)
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Homemade marshmallows
Hot water or millk
Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly. In a small pot, heat 4 to 6 cups of water.Fill your mug half full with the mixture and pour in hot water or milk. Stir to combine. Add marshmallows to taste. Seal the rest in an airtight container, keeps indefinitely in the pantry.

Vanilla or Peppermint Marshmallows       
 
3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin ·        
1/2 cup cold water ·        
2 cups granulated sugar ·        
2/3 cups corn syrup ·        
1/4 cup water ·        
1/4 teaspoon salt ·        
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla or peppermint extract ·        
Confectioners’ sugar for dredging
Preparation:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for 10 minutes.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Pour boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. Add extract and incorporate into mixture.
 Scrape into a 9 x 9-inch pan lined with oiled plastic wrap and spread evenly.
(Note: Lightly oil hands and spatula or bowl scraper).
After pouring marshmallow mixture into the pan, take another piece of plastic wrap and press mixture into the pan.
Let mixture sit for a few hours. Remove from pan, dredge the marshmallow slab with confectioners’ sugar and cut into 12 equal pieces with scissors (the best tool for the job) or a chef’s knife. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners’ sugar.

Hope you enjoy it.  I sure am.

So, back in January, Rod and I decided the kids were big enough, and the economy was getting tight enough that we’d finally invest in that sexiest-of-all-vehicles, the Fleetwood  tent trailer.  Yes, the one your folks, or your neighbors, or that somewhat geeky person that you knew had.  Or maybe someone really cool, but my associations are pretty geeky. 

There she is in all her camping glory!

So, on a really dismal, pouring-down-rain-day (because when I decide it’s time, it’s time, rain or not) we loaded up the kids (Helen in a black cat suit, tail, ears and all) and trekked down to our local seller of RVs.  And lo and behold, there on the lot, all popped out and splendid in it’s fabulous navy blue and burgundy trim with its oh so homey curtains and linoleum, was our soon-to-be home away from home. 

Do you think we were aspiring to great adventures in Yosemite or the Grand Canyon?  Treks down into Monterey or up into Eureka?  Nope, we just wanted to camp at the coast.  And that’s all we ever do.  Ten or more times now since January.  Down to Doran Beach, up to Wright’s Beach.  Our friends (and especially my brother Joe, who also has a tent trailer, was our inspiration, and travels all over the greater American West with it) have come to find our very limited selection of destinations a little boring.   Maybe even a little weird.

The view from our campsite.

But not us.  We love it.  This past weekend, we were out at Wright’s Beach. Spot number nine.  Eight has better views of the insanely dangerous surf and astronomically huge waves- and occasional whales- but nine is cozy, tucked in and has its own little fairy forest where the kids explore and play endlessly.

The weather, this past weekend, was epic.  The first night, Friday, while we were all fast asleep in what has become a really beloved little home, Sonoma County and beyond was attacked by a totally out of character September lightening and thunder storm.  We awoke to a pattering of soft rain and a lightening show, over the ocean, that was beyond cool.  It lasted for hours, and we sat around the revived camp fire, all bundled in our foul weather gear, sipping wine and feeling like we were a million miles from Wine County in late summer. 

By morning, the sun was out, everything was dry-ish and the lightening from the night before seemed like a dream.  Except for the fact that all of our neighbors couldn’t stop talking about it.  Wright’s Beach is like that.  It’s set up like a little neighborhood.  And as often as not, all of the kids form an instant pack and all of the grown-ups meet on the beach at some point, and it gets very friendly.  Which we usually like.

Rocco flying a kite with our neighbor, Mike.

Yes, and breakfast and lunch too!  We’re sold, we’re excited, we’re totally turned on.  How did this come about, you might ask.  Well, slowly actually.  We’ve been reading about the health benefits of various seaweeds and sea vegetables- they’re really high in trace minerals and vitamins, and they’re reputed to have wonderful, medicinal qualities.  But, we haven’t been able to commit to integrating it into our daily routines.  Until this past weekend.

In an effort to regroup and come down from a really crazy summer/year, Rod and I rented a little house up at Sea Ranch for a week. 

The view from our house

Sea Ranch is one of our absolute favorite spots in the world.  Just an hour away from Forestville, but a whole world away from our day to day.  Seven days of nothing but rugged coastline and, beautiful beaches, totally isolated, but surrounded by a really exciting, eclectic community.  When things get crazy, we pack and head up the coast.  We eat, we drink and we just hang out together.  And inevitably, we encounter something new and exciting that comes home with us.  No, not the snake. 

Helen and her "beach pet" a small, friendly snake

At the Gualala Farmer’s Market last Saturday, we were pleasantly surprised to find a small but thriving community of

Biodynamic for 32 years.

biodynamic and just plain-old farmers, beekeepers and environmentalists all working together and producing/creating a diverse and beautiful collection of crafts and edibles.  Of course we picked up loads of dry farmed tomatoes, lacey lettuces and absolutely gorgeous coastal berries and some fantastic pickles. 

Wild halibut tacos with local tomato salsa, shell beans and, of couse, kombu!

 But, what really caught our attention, were two different stalls.  One with beautifully crafted containers of salt and what looked like a seasoning mix.  And one with bags and bags of dried seaweed and vegetables piled in big baskets. 

The first turned out to be a new venture, The Mendocino Sea Salt Company,

Bob and Lora La Mar, and their bounty

started by Bob and Lora La Mar when fishery closures forced their commercial fishing business to close its doors.  Rather than dry up and move away, they discovered another sea harvest.  Salt!  Bob takes the boat out into deep areas off the Mendocino and Sonoma Coasts and gathers water.  He brings it ashore and through a painstaking and meticulous process, crystalizes the salt, extracts it and packages it for sale.  Lora, who’s a passionate cook, has created a blend, using locally harvested seaweeds, ground and blended with the salt.  At first taste we were hooked.  We picked up some salt and some of the blend, which they call Seasoning Sand, and we’ve been using it on everything. It’s local, it’s amazing and it’s healthy!  They’re bringing in samples.  I”m hoping to start using it in the restaurant.

The other stall housed Gualala Seaweed Products.  Founded by the self-proclaimed, and I think actually Renaissance woman, Donna Bishop, they sell all kinds of edible seaweed and seaweed products.  Donna does all of the harvesting, drying and processing herself.  We picked up some of her Kombu- which is particularly great added to beans, while they’re cooking, stews and soups. 

If you haven’t tuned into seaweed yet, look into it.  It doesn’t just taste good, it’s easy to use, really versatile, and a super-powerhouse.  Best of all, for me anyway, now we can get it locally!

Helen and Rocco having a tong battle. Things get interesting when we're just hanging out...