right here this is it

There is no past there is no future - it doesn't exist... it only exists in our minds .... so don't concern your self with it... easy to say hard to live - This is a lose application of most eastern philosophys that de-emphasizes theoretical knowledge in favor of direct, experiential realization. In other words get out of your head and put your energy and heart into what you are doing thinking and feeling in that moment... Or in Duane's words (my very own Buddhist monk with a handlebar mustache) "clare you where not here tonight when you drove your boys they where there for you but I don't know where you where... when you drive horses you can't be thinking about that fight you had with your sweetie or what you have to do tomorrow you have to just drive horses" ...in reference to himself "when I come home from work this is my time I just drive horses" I asked duane the other day why he was always in such a damn good mood this might just be a window ... ahhh he's been "meditating" for years he just happens to do it with two pieces of leather in his hands and a couple thousand pounds of equine in front of him. So my lesson yesterday didn't really have to do with how I hold the lines (although we did make some refinemtns there) it was about being right there clearing your mind and paying 100% attention with head and heart to what you are doing... - ok lucky for me I get to do it again this afternoon... and if I get really good maybe even try to put that into my day when I'm not driving horses... what a gift -

nothing more needs to be said -

a dream come true - Thanks Duane !!
we're on the road now it's just putting in the driving time!! for the boys and for me!!

back in the studio

A day off

Between harvest and holding down the fort here at Big Table as well as all my own art and design work - I really was in need of a day 'off' and thanks to Duane I got one -

I thought of nothing yesterday but horses all day long and it was the best day I could have conjured up! - I've actually been looking forward to it for weeks! As I stood all day Saturday from 9 - to 9 talking to folks and pouring and selling our wine I was secretly dreaming of being behind a team! and I got my wish! - The long and the short is Duane (who is my draft horse friend and mentor) came over to BTF we loaded up the boys took them to One Mile Shires (duanes beautiful farm you will see pictured)





- Duane helped me to fit harness to the boys who now have two matching leather harness - beautiful old school set that Duane salvaged and proceeded to drive horses for the rest of the day!! - oh man was I in heaven - I'm still kind of floating - but my reset button has most defiantly been pushed... the boys are still at duanes and will be for a bit - while he helps me work them into a team - so there will be more horse training news than usual up here on the blog...

duane starts huston on the ground to refresh his memory


then he hooks him with the lovely Hanna who was very patient with him - thanks Hanna!!


and Duane very worried about them running off - clearly : ) - he is standing on the tire they are dragging not as easy as he's making it look!


I chose to sit : ) lower center of gravity


While Daune was getting Huston and Hanna ready I drove hummer to see where his state of mind was.. he was a saint!! I love this horse




Then we hooked Hummer to Gracie - and she is Duane's lead mare and let's just say she was acting like it! - Hummer was on his best behavior for her and us : )




We finished off the day running the manure spreader with Gracie and Hanna - didn't know shoveling sh-t could be so fun! : )






till next time ... thanks again Duane!!

in other news - thanks goes out to Windsor who came out for two days and helped both at the winery and the farm we got the pigs in a new pasture last week : ) and washed a lot of FYB's thanks Windsor!

hehe couldn't resist

we may have to offer these with a case purchase -- : )

In good company!! Thank you SF Chronicle!

Check it out I'm so flipping excited... this just came out in the SF Chronicle!

2008 Big Table Farm Resonance Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir ($45): Burnt orange peel, sweet extracted cherry and a bell-clear cranberry highlight, with a mineral edge. Hard to access at first - it's still pretty young - but there's ample ripeness amid its edgy acidity.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/18/FDQ71A4HSB.DTL#ixzz0UJJjncHe

For all of Oregon only 14 wines got reviewed!! with ours amid those reviewed them ... Thank you ! SF Chronicle

Big Thanks goes out to Kevin and Carla Chambers who grew the grapes for this wine!! Great wine IS made in the vineyard - as Brian says a wine maker just 'shushes' it along ...

Another day of harvest

c - "smile Brian it's for the blog"


b - "OK Clare now let's get going"


b "ok ok turn on the belt "


b - "let's go!!"

We got the Cattrall Brothers Vineyard Pinot Today - This is a certified organic vineyards and is farmed by Tom and Bill Cattrall in Amity Oregon (Bill also happens to be the father of the the lovely Julia - who has farm sat for us several times and taken excellent care of all our critters) - This is a new vineyard for us but not a new vieyard at all - we are looking forward to working with both the fruit and the Catrell Brothers - Bill has sat on the tail gate out side the feed store with me several times and talked about organic animal feed and alternatives to the corn soy standard - he's been farming organicly since the 70's and I have a lot to learn from him - So we started very early (in the dark doing chores) and then got the the winery bright and early to sort fruit - and some of us where less'bright' at first.. I don't know how Brian does it he's got amazing havest energy I think he's runnign on 90% adrenelin...


a little to early of a start ...


I recovered pretty quickly : )


Clemintine is NOT so sure about all this...


The Cattrall vineyard truck - a classic!


And the Principessa

This weekends harvest

Got into the garden and got the rest of the tomatoes - still have to finish the borlotti beans but we are almost all in!! then to finish canning - then I get to REST maybe : )



a few more apples to can if I have the gumption - got about 5 trees more in that back field - we'll see if I get there...




The beautiful Borlotti beans


- the girls got a bits that where too far gone : )


and the winter crops are doing well - beats, parsnips, kale, cabbage, spinach, turnips, arugula -- all those cold weather dark green ones... : )

non farm post

This is kind of out of character for this blog as I don't often post personal things - I put this as a comment on a family blog and thought I would share as I'm feeling pretty grateful to my family today... This is regards to my immediate family of 8 siblings and my parents all of whom I love very much I wouldn't be the person I am with out them in my corner.

We are never finished - we are woven and that's wonderful, messy, complicated and delicate and beautiful - we go forward as a group changing and growing... back and forth in and out of relationship ... this tapestry of lives is uniquely ours and we are weaving it - and only when we die will each of our threads be cut but we leave behind this legacy weaving that the children will dance on and then occasionally lift up as their hoopas and we are remembered.

All in a days work

yesterday was a long day - Got up at 5am to do chores and load up 50 meat birds to go to slaughter -



so that was done by 11 then headed off to the winery to help Brian sort fruit - It is beautiful fruit the second and last lot from Resonance Vineyard!! -







then heading back to BTF to sort and pack my birds in the freezer and meet the farm customers and friends who came to get their birds (thanks to all for your support - I know you will enjoy those birds as we had one last night - the best yet!) yippie! then dinner with my sweetie and Greg did the last pass on the lower field withe the big tractor and disc! - then there is the last seed and harrow and we are off and rolling no more tilling from here on out! ... : ) just rotational grazing and self composting/seeding animals...

Tasting Notes

I got several requests for tasting notes for the new release wines - so I nailed one of Brian’s feet to the floor and held him at gun point - ok so I made him some pasta and yummy goat meat tomatoes sauce : )

Tasting Notes – from Brian Marcy 10.06.09 – These brief tasting notes were created ‘off the cuff’ in the middle of harvest and under the gun of clare.



Willamette Valley - Pinot noir 2008

Has a nose of cherry kirsch, berry bramble and spice with hints of vanilla and cola. The kirsch carries into the mid-palate and has a rich yet ethereal sweetness. The spicy finish has notes of black pepper and cinnamon. The tannins are a mouthwatering short dry and firm. Oak Profile - new oak 1/3 new oak François Frères, 1/3 once-used François Frères, and 1/3 twice-used Taransaud. 50% whole cluster fermentation

Resonance Vineyard - Pinot noir 2008

Has a nose of dark fruit, cola vanilla and soy. The mid-palate is rich with sweet fruit and coco and has an elegant mouth feel. The dark fruit persists into the long finish with mature tannins balanced by a pleasing lightness. Oak Profile - 1/4 new oak Taransaud, 1/4 once-used François Frères, and 1/2 twice used Taransaud. 25% whole cluster fermentation

Both of these wines are obviously young and yet are pleasing and already drinking well. I anticipate the flavors integrating even more as they mature. These wines will continue to be a pleasure to drink well into the future.

Wine and livestock

took some photos for our fall Pinot noir release letter yesterday
- look for it in your in box shortly if I don't have your email or snail mail and you like to receive it drop me a note -- or visit the recently updated big table farm web site for the new pinots!

Art Harvest

Pig 1 invited you now it's my turn!

This weekend and next!! come to the farm and visit my studio!
I'll be making some art during the weekend - and have about 20 paintings for sale

all the info is on my web site

http://www.clarecarver.com/


here's a preview