tackling cows

So most people have a cattle shoot and a proper set up for 'working cows' that means the cow hand is not actually handling the cow - well not here at big table farm we call Duane and he brings over some stiff drinks and a rope we all head out to the pasture...

We herded the cows into a corner Duane roped each one and then he and Brian body tackled the calf down then I jumped in there with a syringe clenched in my teeth for tetanus shot and clamp in my hands for the gonads (poor boys!) -- then Laura gave them a squirt of mineral in the mouth and we're done.. what a team!! it was kind of fun actually .... now if we had more than a few cows to do - which will happen next year I think we may need a proper set up but for now...this was the old school down home way of castration ... sadly no pictures my hands were full!!

lots of busyness on the farm!

Our meat birds will be freezer ready by the end of this week and the new ones arrived a few days ago! new peepers are always fun....



My nephew Zander has been at the farm working for a few weeks now and has done more than his share of weedwacking... we're eagerly anticipating the Outstanding in the Field meal this Saturday.. I'm pretty sure ticket sales are closed ... It's going to be a very special meal you know I'll be posting lots of photos!!



A neighbor farmer is cutting our hay this year we cut this past weekend hoping to hay monday but sadly got some rain so now we may be bucking just before the event... we'll see that's farming for you... maybe we should make that part of the farm tour - go out and pick up a bale! now that's an authentic experience! : )



And last but not least I FINALLY got over to duane's for a long over due visit with him and got to the drive team he's got over there right now for some training... they are belgin halfinger crosses and I must say it felt like cheating on my boys!






This is Kate and she's hummer in a larger and female form ... I'm in LOVE!!!



To those coming this weekend we can't wait to see you ... happy summer!!

NYC was AMAZING!!!

I got in on a red eye to JFK a little bleary eyed early in the am Wednesday - but I was feeling no pain as I was VERY excited to be in New York and about pile into a car with four adorable chefs (poor me) and head straight to the Stone Barns Center up in the beautiful Hudson Valley. I had a meeting with a pig and some cows and the Clyde Men in turn needed to get into the kitchen and get choppin' for the big meal the following night at James Beard ... (I KNOW that's a hell of a lot of name dropping in my very first run on sentence but you all should know me by now) ....


decidedly not the city this is Stone Barns in the Hudson Valley



The weather was perfect. I peeked in the kitchen said my hellos and politely RAN outside to tromped all over the farm!! Then I found me some farmer men and followed them around till they invited me (ok ok I volunteered/invited myself) to hop in the pick up truck and go to a near by property and help them set up some cattle panels and move some cows I was in HEAVEN!!!! : ) the property was out of a story book -


The boys in the SB kitchen!





PDX hits the Stone Barns Kitchen!!


Doing come 'poo' research for Big Table's Gardens!! : )

So after a few hours I had to tear my self out of the cow pasture (literally!) and beet feet to the train at to make my first appointment and a whirl wind tour with our new distributor in NY ... ( who is ROCK star BTW) we hit some big names that I can't say yet. He asked me to wait till all the wine got dolled out till I made public the VERY fun list of placements in NYC (lots of Michelin stars on this list people : ) The day of tasting ended with me making a call to brian asking if we could double our allocation to NY as we needed more wine and I'd seen less than 1/2 the folks our distributor wanted us to see... NICE problem to have!!

Then that first night we had a FABULOUS meal at Public (and just as s teaser yes they will have our wines in about a week ; ) loved the 'som' and his adorable bow tie.... anyway I digress... day two another whirl wind tour of more fabulous top NY restaurants...




first course of the Chef's tasting menu at Public!! yummy with Torbrek woodcutter white thanks Benj!


heading uptown baby! : )


Oceana - amazing wine list loved the som he's a martial arts master too -- me+swoon



After day two a full and fun day pouring Big Table Wines and glowing and grateful with the enthusiasm folks had for them I zipped back to the ACE hotel. (also super hip BTW)- put on my saucy green dress and off to the James Beard House -- Chris DiMinno did an amazing job with a knockout menu and perfect pairings with our wines!! the evening was epic!!!



just a tease -- Barrel Aged Negroni, Northern Pacific hay-cured Salmon, Rye Panzanella, Big Table Farm 2009 Cattrall Brothers Vineyard Pinot Noir, “Stew” of wild mushrooms and Big Table Farm egg yolk, Seared Foie Gras in ash, smoked apple, crispy tesa, Roasted Venison, wild Oregon Berries, Pine, Fifth Course: Big table Farm 2007 White Hawk Vineyard Syrah, Olympic Provisions chocolate charcuterie, Salt and pepper shortbread, Oregon nuts, Oregon artisan cheese....

then a 'little' after party at the Beagle ok I rolled into bed quite late (thanks to Lisa for hosting me at her fab pied-à-terre in the village on night two!! -- Then a lovley brunch and now on the plane home... pinch me!!!


the view from my room sooo NY!


not the farm that's for sure!!

perfect eveing light tonight

It was a beautiful evening - I just had to share! happy summer everyone ....

The final calf of spring !! and She's perfect

Josephine had her calf today and it's a little heifer and she is perfect, healthy and beautiful - we are thrilled to have a heifer and most especially by our favorite cow both for her confirmation and her fabulous disposition. Still working on her name it's gonna have to be a good one!! It's a good day!








Also my nephew Zander is out working with us on the farm for a bit. He's a great guy! : ) and the garden is finally gonna get in .. today was the spreading the last of the compost! yippie!!






Jesse, Haley's bull calf born just before memorial day, is doing great! more photos of him coming too!!

Big Thanks and some new wine reviews!!!

Wow!! Memorial day weekend was awesome - so many fabulous wine lovers came to the farm and took home wine we had our best weekend ever both from number of folks visiting and sales! Thanks so much to all!!!

Special thanks go to our friends that helped get ready and keep things humming all weekend!- Amber, Laura and Sarah you guys are the BEST!!!!

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Also we got some rockin' reviews and scores form Gary Vaynerchuk !! thanks Gary!!

2009 Big Table Farm - Willamette Valley - Pinot Noir - 90 Points

Gary's tasting notes

Top soil, dirt... we're talking straight up earth aromas are what hit you right on the nose. I mean, really heavy, heavy soil components. A little musty mushroom, and a touch of a potato popping out of the ground on the nose. On the palate, this wine really shows its pedigree. Fresh and vibrant, weaving subtle cranberry and black raspberry fruit with an intriguing creamy mushroom soup flavor. The structure and finish is long, strong and persistent. Look for this wine to last another 10 years but drink happily now while pairing with Terrine Au Foie Gras.

2008 Big Table Farm - White Hawk Vineyard - Syrah - 90 Points

Gary's tasting notes

Smokey burnt cedar and cigar box aromas are met by ripe raspberry and chocolate covered strawberry on the nose. Elegant red fruit is surrounded by coconut and leather flavors on the palate. While those flavors are interesting, it's the balance of this wine and the overall structure that make it a real treat. Look for this wine to last another 10+ years, and it will pair tremendously with everything from sophisticated pigeon dishes, down to simple BBQ ribs. Many of Cali's Syrah producers should take a good, hard look at this wine because they're making Syrah slightly more interesting again... dare I say, even a hint of Northern Rhone character despite its sweet, new world fruit.

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In farm news the new baby calf is doing GREAT we named him jessie -

Come on out Memorial Day Weekend!!

Come on out to the farm this weekend for our spring release! - Just like last year we will be introducing our newly released wines - get 'em while they are still here!!



We'll be open 11am - 5pm Sat, Sun and Mon
(please refer to our web site for detailed directions - you'll need 'em)

time away from the farm...

May turned out to be an unexpectedly busy month for me - I went to Ca to be with my friend June who at 88 passed away - June is a very special woman in my life - she was my adopted grandmother ... she was a strong, and straightforward woman who spoke her mind and often forgot the filter... she was a tough business woman and had a big soft heart I loved her and was honored to be at her side on her last days and moments on this planet.
I raise my martini to you June !


June at the top of the hill at Big Table Farm



Big Thanks to Julia for helping me at the plowing and for being so supportive and dealing with horses when we were done so I could get on the road to be with June... also thanks to Sarah and Laura for coming out and visiting the boys while I was in ca - what an amazing group of women in my life!!

In the mean time back at the farm spring was exploding all over the place!

nothing but a big old pile of sh__t

we went out yesterday to check the bees and to our delight looks like they might call that hive home!! - that's a lot of polination for our garden and farm as well as a lot of honey!!! yippie - big giant thank you to laura!!!



then we wandered over to see how our manure pile is cooking along... we turned it over with some layers of some organic straw a month or so ago. When we did this we also put in some 'chimneys' brian made out of drain pipe with lots of holes to create air flow in the pile. This is to speed up the aerobic activity.. and it's working great - nice job brian on the great idea!! I'm very excited to put this on the garden!!



so all inspired we went to work on turning the second pile and adding pipes to that too!!! that's some good shit!





The dogs and horses were a generally useless part of this project but they sure did enjoy the sunshine as did we!