Sunday, November 6, 2016

the time change - taking stock


 
There is something about the time change that I think has made me take stock today. Today is Sunday and Brian and I take Sundays off - today I slept in went for a run and did some post harvest light housekeeping type things... not super exciting... but necessary.

 It's days like this give you a moment to catch your breath. I walked my horses back to the barn in the dusky evening feeling so damn grateful for all we have had the ability and support to build here.

From the dream followed by lots of talking and drawing and planning, to the actual fruition was an amazing journey. I was stretched in ways I never imagined I would be and it pushed me to my limits many times. Today as I thought back over those years, I felt nothing but gratitude to all those that worked with us and especially for those that stuck by us. I look around now and remember the scrappy place that Big Table Farm was when we started and feel both pride and gratitude for what it is today.

As I came back to the house this evening I could hear a flock of geese in the dark sky as they called to each other I thought about there amazing drive and sense of direction. I sit here this evening wondering about next steps and organizing myself and re-gathering my energy. The upcoming year will hold new projects. I know I have learned many lessons in the last few years about how to enter into this next phase mindfully, being careful of the people I work with, of my husband and of myself. Here's to accomplishment but also doing so mindfully and carefully.


 






Monday, October 10, 2016

2016 Harvest!

2016 end of summer brought us bottling the 2015 wines, quickly followed by getting into the vineyard to sample the grapes that came in just a week later for a very early 2016 harvest! 




the very first grapes of 2016!


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the old meets new in grapes delivery vehicles

  

 
Jeff is the master of the basket press 

  

 
brian checkin' the fermet
 
The 2016 vintage came fast but we had an amazing crew this year and I think we made some pretty great wines!  

  
there were a few long days ... but we ate well and also got 'rewarded' by the media this fall as well with a nice spectator score of 93 for our '14 sunnyside, a New York times review of the willamette valley and a stunning 12 page article in the October edition of Sunset!!! the affirmation of our work is awesome and we are once again grateful!!
 

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We also got some great harvest from the farm ... the big table farm cider project continues and the horses helped out with that!! and the garden just gave and gave and filled our table with some pretty stunning harvest meals! Thank you brian


 
just some of the 240#'s of taters brian pulled in : )   

  


   
even the pigs ate well ... 

 
   
  
  

  
  
 
  
  
  
and Tim came out and cooked our harvest meal! it was an amazing celebration as always!
 

 
and now we all sleep !!    

and art making happened this summer too!

In addition to hosting dinners and wine guests and doing the 'work'

 Brian and I made our art! and enjoyed the farm this summer!!

Brian got lots of time in the beautiful garden he made and I got studio time and time with my horses.

Brian included me in the blending this year more than in the past and we had some pretty romantic sundays in the cellar barrel tastings and building the 2015 blends! It was lovely! 


Romance and Art punctuated the 2016 summer for Brian and I - it was pretty dreamy! 

We certainly are enjoying all the fruits of our work! 

thank you all for being part of this dream! 



the 2015 labels got crafted


and the 2015 blends created 





my art studio is finally getting used again! 


 

and Curley the bull came to big table farm to be sure ALL the ladies are happy! : )  

romance is NOT dead!!