There comes a time in many a young woman’s life when she decides that she had better start putting her money where her heart is. For me, that means, for one, finally donating some money to This American Life, which we did last month.
It also means becoming a friend of the Salem Saturday Market.
I’ve got two words for how this fateful event has come about:
Baby goats.
It turns out that one of the best ways to get to know the valley– and maybe get to see some baby goats in the process — is by joining the Friends of Salem Saturday Market and accompanying them on one of their many field trips.
Picture it — no bus, no jerk in the seat behind you sticking gum in your hair, no tuna salad sandwich that goes bad on the journey — just your own family in a car meeting up with others to tour the facilities of a food producer in the Willamette Valley.
Say, one that makes goat cheese, such as Fairview Farm Dairy.
I need two hands at this point to count the number of people who have talked to me about the storied baby goats of Fairview. The achy green monster inside of me is long past slumbering on this one.
So last week, I sent my check in. Okay, it was only for 10 bucks, but I’m a member now and I’m not going to let another Sunday trip to a goat farm slip me by. A win for this cause is also a win for cuteness.
But really, isn’t it a shame that it took some baby goats to get me to join? I’m already addicted to $6 a carton XL eggs from Terra Vita (and the farm’s swarthy proprietor, Art).
I’ll say it again: Baby goats. Shout it out!
Desperately Seeking Salem 
July 3, 2010 at 4:00 pm |
Well hey! Paths collide! It’s always fun to open my Google Reader and find a favorite blog talking about a secondary interest of mine. Baby goats. Oh my.
But more on-point, I’m Fairview Farm’s one and only employee. I missed the last visit by the Friends of Salem Saturday Market, but hopefully will get to meet you at the next! I suppose that will have to be next year, though, since all of the goats have kidded – they thought Vogue was pregnant, but it seems she’s just fat.
(Also, it makes me LOL that Sapphire was the goat that was milked during the tour. She IS a very patient milker, but Terry calls her “Mrs. Cranky”, and the nickname isn’t inaccurate.)
July 3, 2010 at 4:08 pm |
I meet all of my favorite people through the blog 😉 I missed the baby goat trip, too. I won’t next time around!
July 3, 2010 at 4:25 pm |
Sounds great! Oh, and you totally had me on this post (before I realized it was about Fairview and bebegoats) with the finally donating to TAL thing. I just did that too, and it was only because they made it easy for the laziest among us and enabled donations through text messages.
July 3, 2010 at 4:39 pm |
We’ve listened to more than 200 TAL’s through online streaming. It was time!
July 12, 2010 at 2:45 pm |
I went by the Keizer market a couple of weekends ago and was happy to see how much it’s grown since last year. Hopefully we can get another good one going around here. Woot us Keizer folks! ♥
July 12, 2010 at 2:46 pm |
*blush*
that should have said…
“Woot for us Keizer folks!” ♥
July 12, 2010 at 2:51 pm |
Have never been to the Keizer market. I wonder who gets to sell there? The Salem market has very specific rules that must keep some sellers out. I’ll have to check out the Keizer market.
July 17, 2010 at 1:57 pm |
So glad you joined Friends of Salem Saturday Market! My husband and I moved to Salem from Massachusetts, just about the same time that you started this blog. I’ve enjoyed following along as we experience Salem from the newbie perspective.
I am working with Neighborhood Harvest of Salem- a project of Friends of Salem Saturday Market. We’re an all-volunteer group that harvests fruit from urban backyards that would otherwise go to waste. Half of the fruit is donated to local food pantries and meal prep sites. Our volunteer pickers take the other half home for their families, friends and neighbors. Most of our harvests are from small, urban backyards. Next week though, we have a huge orchard of cherries to harvest. We will be picking Tuesday through Saturday. Schedule is on our web site. Hope you and your family can make it out to pick with us!
July 28, 2010 at 3:57 pm |
Thanks, Amy! We’re missing this harvest but have been wanting to sign up ourselves… I was volunteering at the Queen of Peace food pantry for about half a year and was amazed at the local bounty that is made accessible to food banks. I’d love to be a part of that.