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what's happening with Studio-Store?

so last october i told you about our temporary "pop-up" shop in downtown napa called Studio-Store . my friend, the artist valerie raven, and i moved into a vacant storefront @ 1144 main street, napa ca 94559. the plan was to be there until the landlord leased as a long term deal...so we could have been there a month? a year? who knew?...but you have to be creative in this economy. well....8 months later....the space has been leased. i am very happy for our landlord...she has been fantastic to work with....but a bit torn regarding my feelings for this development. on one hand, the napa farmhouse 1885 collection is now being carried by a few very cool shops throughout the napa valley and beyond. making the product and filling wholesale orders, along with website orders, is keeping me very busy...thank you very much. on the other hand, i have so loved meeting all the customers of the shop and hearing their comments, feedback and suggestions. and it has been so cool to showcase the product and merchandise the entire assortment together.

so valerie and i are announcing that Studio-Store is going on hiatus. we are closing down the end of june so the new tenants can take possession of the space july 1st. then we will take a few months this summer to decide if we want to "pop-up" somewhere else.

in the interim, the entire napa farmhouse 1885 collection, along with cool art from valerie , is available for purchase...so, please come and visit. we are open wednesday through saturday from noon to five (sometimes six!)

sign up for our mailing list and we will keep you posted on the status of Studio-Store. lastly, thank you so much to all our customers...especially the regulars. it has meant so much to hear your kind words.

best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page& follow me on twitter
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what is "fancy food" anyway?

in my last post i told you i went to the fancy food show...and that i would tell you about it later. today, as i was sorting through the two bags of marketing materials i was given at the show, i figured it was time to write about the items that interested me...and pop the rest of the stuff into the recycling bin...

so..first of all...what is the fancy food show, you ask? the best way to describe it is a convention (you have all been to conventions, right? usually i would say insert groan here)...but this is the coolest trade show ever...where attendees spend three days tasting specialty food! the event is sponsored by the NASFT (national association for the specialty food trade, inc.) and they promote it this way"

"Produced by the NASFT since 1955, the Fancy Food Shows are North America's largest specialty food and beverage marketplace.
16,000 - 24,000 attendees
250,000 products including confections, cheese, coffee, snacks, spices, ethnic, natural, organic and more
1,300 - 2,500 exhibitors
81 countries represented"

ok...did you notice they said 250k products? and yes, they are all available for taste. so picture a massive convention center...in this case moscone center in san francisco...now imagine tables and tables and tables set up in no apparent order with tastes of chocolates, cheese, cookies, scones, olives, dips, oils, sauces, truffles, chorizo, teas, honey, chips, water, coffee, bbq sauce, salsas...etc. i cannot even list them all. then spend three days...each one from 10 am-5pm...doing nothing but tasting food? man...a tough job...but someone has to do it...(i did meet with a few of my organic ingredient suppliers, but honestly...that took very little time...really, i just ate...and ate)

in all seriousness...i was absolutely thrilled last year when i was able to attend for the first time.(you have to be in the trade) and i had a terrific time...this year was even better. i knew what to expect...paced myself (this is no time to even look at marginal food much less waste valuable space in your stomach) and had a game plan as to what i was looking to accomplish:

1. do i ever want to show my products there?

2. market research as to new trends and food items...what do i need to know to run a successful food business?

3. are there products that fit my brand's profile...organic/sustainably grown, eco-friendly, local and...most important...delicious?

4. what interesting items should i blog about?

well...there were so many ideas, concepts, business strategies and trends that emerged, i probably have a year of blog stories...and some interesting items to add to my "farmhouse food" assortment that i look forward to telling you about.

to avoid writing a novel in what is supposed to be a blog post...i am just using today's story to give you an overview...and to tell you about a couple of my favorites from the show...and one bizarre (in my opinion) item. some trends deserve their own post...organic/raw handcrafted chocolates? gluten free everything? flavored waters? vegetarian/vegan? agave? sparkling teas?, eco-friendly items? small companies using only local ingredients? see what i mean? loads of stories to tell you.

one thing i am not going to do is tell you about the items i disliked...ones where the food was so bad i actually spit it out....first of all, i am not a trained expert...just because i did not like it, does not mean you won't...after all, they did get to the show...and second...it just seems mean...oh well...what can i say? odd items...i will tell you about....just plain bad? we'll skip in this blog...

so today...just a couple of mentions...

#1 my favorite concept of the show could be titled "why did it take so long?" a company called glacia icebox water in a box is packaging pure arctic spring water in a paper box...like a milk carton. i have been horrified the past few years watching stories of the damage discarded plastic water bottles do to wildlife and the environment. what a brilliant solution! milk cartons...the company says their packaging is "sustainable, biodegradable, recyclable, environmentally friendly, disposable...they say it reduces the amount of refuse in landfill by 97%!!..healthy and eco-sensitive. and, the water is delicious!.... i love this company...their people were knowledgeable, friendly and very funny....and the product is my favorite of the show (which is saying a lot...did i mention all the chocolate, cheese, oils and baked goods?) check them out at http://www.iceboxwater.com/

#2 my most enjoyable experience was talking to the people at a company called flamous organics...they make organic falafel chips and hummus bottled dressing. the sales rep was good...but in the middle of his pitch...the founder took over and this guy was hilarious! i should start by saying the products are delicious...and could sell themselves....but he started talking about how to eat his food, how to serve, gave recipes, told us about the "unlimited uses" for the items (remember, these are chips and salad dressing)...at one point he asked me to "feel his hand" to see how soft it was...he proceeded to tell me it was due to the "organic ingredients in the hummus" and recommend that...in addition to eating the dressing... i use it as a "face cream and hand lotion"! this man was very, very passionate about his products...and i love that. http://www.flamousbrands.com/
hands down...the most bizarre was a company called "cupless joe". walking by their booth, i was handed a small packet of capsules. the sales rep started talking about how the convenience of a capsule of coffee and a glass of water would change my life...for a minute i thought this was some new type of instant coffee...nope. the capsules are full of dried, concentrated coffee which you take to "get the coffee high without actually having to drink coffee". their marketing campaign says"

"No Spills. No Taste. No Burns. No Stains. No Coffee Breath. Fewer Restroom Breaks. Coffee Without the Cup."

o.k...so maybe if you don't like coffee this is a great idea...but to me...a coffee lover...this just seems weird. are there that many people who dislike coffee and/or black or green tea...and need energy this way? most herb tea drinkers i know want to avoid caffeine in the first place. this one i just did not understand....what do you think? (btw...i thought that tag line was hilarous...but then wondered if it was supposed to be funny??)

alright...a brief overview of the fancy food show....i look forward to sharing details of the food trends of 2010 throughout the year. my favorite take-away from the show was discovering or...in some cases...rediscovering some handcrafted organic local napa products...and the passionate people behind these small companies. i will be adding some of these brands to my website's collection of napa farmhouse foods during the next few months to complement my own handcrafted food and i look forward to telling you their stories.

in the interim...did you attend the show? what were your favorite items? and...if you didn't...what food trends would you like to hear about?

best,
diane
napafarmhouse1885.com
diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
follow me on twitter

to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

vegan chocolate cake anyone?

happy 2009 everyone! have been away from blogging for the past few weeks...but by no means away from cooking. i had a wonderful christmas here in napa. i told you in an earlier post that, for the first time ever, my entire family was coming here for the holidays. for my parents, siblings, nephews...and most of the rest of the family...this was the first christmas in their life not spent in southern california. i can honestly say the entire experience was magical...exactly as i dreamed...with loads of love, laughter, talking and terrific food. i will write about the experience during january...and share a number of the recipes...some i created, some treasured family traditions...and a few that i found in holiday edition magazines...did anyone else try the citrus-marinated pork rib roast from the december edition of food and wine? absolutely amazing..this one will get a story of its own...

did you make a lot of new year's resolutions? this is not something i usually do..but this year i made a number of what i am calling goals..seems a bit more flexible which is what my post-corporate life is supposed to be about. i do plan to cook even more than i did last year...and share the recipes here in this blog...which leads to goal number 2...blog more frequently... when i started this blog last year, i did not realize how much i loved writing..and telling stories...i put so much time into launching my new business that i could not update as often as i wanted to...while the business still takes a lot of time, i can be a bit more balanced this year...and...goal number three...i get to combine the cooking thing with the business thing because...a life long dream of mine has been to launch a food business...so, this year i am taking the plunge...very small for now, just on my webstore...and all items will be inspired by our farmhouse garden...jams, jellies, marmalade, preserves...granolas...sauces...condiments...all handcrafted and made with the best and highest quality ingredients that i can find. i plan to tell the stories of the ingredients (and the farmers or artisan producers if not grown in our garden) on this blog...don't worry, i do not intend to turn this blog into a sales pitch...this site is designed to share recipes, techniques, stories...and above all...celebrate the ingredients used in cooking/baking...as the ingredients truly make the difference...

for today, i thought i would share one of my go-to recipes..vegan chocolate cake..i make this cake year round...and this was a hit a christmas. this recipe was inspired from the moosewood restaurant book*desserts. i substituted balsamic vinegar and olive oil, doubled the ingredients and turned it into a bundt cake. regular readers know how often i use in-season fresh figs in my recipes. this cake is very adaptable...if figs are out of season..or you do not like them..leave them out...no worries. this is one of those *just happens to be vegan* recipes...did not start out with that as a goal...but..hey!...for those of you with "eating more healthfully" as one of those dreaded new year's resolutions...(vegan) chocolate cake anyone??

vegan chocolate cake with balsamic, olive oil and figs

3 cups unbleached flour (organic if possible)

2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (best quality)

1 tsp salt

2 cups organic sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 cups cold water

1/4 cup cold coffee (just use your leftovers from breakfast)

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp plus 1 tsp balsamic vinegar of modena

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup fresh figs, stems removed..figs finely chopped

preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease (use olive oil) a bundt pan and set aside. sift flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda together in bowl. in a large mixing bowl combine the remaining ingredients (except figs) and mix well. you can use a mixer..but i just use a wooden spoon and do this by hand. add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir until just combined..do not over-mix. add the figs and stir again until incorporated into batter. pour into prepared bundt pan and bake approximately one hour until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. remove from oven and allow to cool until just slightly warm. remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

you can drizzle your favorite chocolate glaze over cooled cake or sprinkle with powdered sugar...this recipe also make delicious cupcakes...

what are your favorite dishes to cook/bake in january? please share your ideas in the comments section of this post and let me know if you try the cake... again, happy new year!

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter

please join our email mailing list. sign up on sidebar of this blog...thanks..

vegan thanksgiving?

o.k...i lied...did not mean to...but in my last post, i wrote about my canadian thanksgiving experience in october and about my actual thanksgiving dinner on t-day...and promised to write the following day about my vegan thanksgiving party...next day? 7 days later?...here i am.. so, to those of you that checked in daily..and emailed me...i apologize. this has been an absolutely crazy time. (memo to self...if you are going to launch your own small business, don't do it in july...xmas will be here before you know it...and you will be slammed with projects)

anyway, i am officially ending my thanksgiving memories series with a recap of one of my favorite experiences this year...vegan thanksgiving. ..but first...a bit of background...regular readers know that i added a line of handcrafted, organic dog treats to my product offering this past september. what you may not know is that in california, pet food manufacturing has the same requirements as human food. so i make my treats in a rental commercial kitchen here in napa. a massive benefit (in addition to the treats) is that i have met some really cool people who are also in the early stages of new food businesses. i have found everyone to be kind, helpful and generous with advice, tips and feedback. we work together to help all the businesses succeed. how cool is that? two of my favorite people have quickly become good friends...terry bradford and mary wilmer. terry is a brilliant musician (singer... won star search in 1990, sang on the lion king soundtrack, was celine dion's duet partner on tour and sang "beauty and the beast" with her, etc.) if you have not heard him...he is simply amazing..big powerful beautiful voice...check him out... and mary is his very smart business manager. they are close friends and both are longtime vegans so, in addition to the music business, they started a vegan food business called bountiful vegans. their food is delicious. so delicious in fact that even non-vegans love it... i will write an entire post about them soon because their story is really compelling.

one day in november, we were all working in the kitchen and i asked them what they were doing for thanksgiving. they are pretty new to napa, do not know a lot of people here yet and had to complete some work on the actual day of thanksgiving. i could not stand the thought of them forgoing the holiday this year...so we hatched up a plan to create a new tradition,"vegan thanksgiving", to be held the next day.... the three of us love to cook (obviously) so i invited some friends/neighbors who are committed NON-vegans over for a tasting dinner. terry and mary brought over some of their products...and a ton of organic ingredients...and we spent the afternoon/evening making up recipes. we served each dish one at a time to our "guests" and asked for feedback. remember...this meal was 100% vegan...to our surprise and delight everyone loved each dish. you could tell that they were not just being polite because a.) these are the type of friends who tell you what they think...no holding back and b.) the dishes were gobbled up with requests to take the leftovers home! we even had a 14 yr old boy who loved it...he kept referring to the meal as "random food"... as we explained how items like "vegan bacon" were made.looking back, this night was one of my favorites of the year...cooking amazing food with friends (testing, eating, laughing)...feeding friends food that they loved, laughing and answering their questions about how everything was made...and then just hanging out talking and laughing. (you notice how often i have written the word "laughing"..i think that is really what made the evening so magical...it was so much fun!)

so, one more thing that i am grateful for this year...the number of new people i have met...really great, terrific people...and to the ones that are fast becoming good and true friends...thank you!

by now you are probably asking..."what did you make for vegan thanksgiving?" i will be posting a number of the recipes during the next few months...and i am proud to say that i will be adding food from the bountiful vegan to my website...they make two items that i am addicted to..their carrotuna, and their tofeggy. the carrotuna looks a bit like a carrot salad..but it tastes like the lightest, freshest tuna salad you have ever eaten. the tofeggy is their eggless, egg salad...trust me, you do not have to be vegan, or even vegetarian to love their food. (i will post when their items are on my webstore site)my favorite recipe from vegan thanksgiving is the simplest and easiest...carrotuna crostini...

carotuna crostini

1 sourdough or french baguette

extra virgin olive oil

1 cup olive tapenade

1 container carrotuna

slice baguette into 1/2 inch rounds..toast in oven at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. watch carefully to ensure they do not burn. (or grill. i use a panini press). remove crostini from heat source and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. spread each toast with a thin layer of tapenade. top each piece with 1 tbsp carotuna. serve immediately.

how easy was that? you can make your own tapenade...or purchase a good quality version if pressed for time.... this is my christmas day appetizer this year...and no one in my family is vegan or vegetarian...

i want to take a moment to once again thank all of my thanksgiving memories guest bloggers...you guys rock..and i thoroughly enjoyed the series..now it is time to turn the blog themes to december holidays. i recently found out that my entire family is coming to napa for christmas...first time ever. i originally thought i would be hosting a group of 8...has ballooned to 25 and counting...and i could not be more excited..however, i will be spending the next 15 days planning, prepping and cooking...and will share the experience (along with a ton of recipes) in this blog. so please join in...comment...and share your tips for getting ready for the holidays because...THEY ARE HERE!

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter

soft boiled eggs anyone?

when i started this blog i did not realize the emphasis was going to revolve around cooking. the original plan was to write about what i was doing post corporate life..i should have realized that after 20 years of working 10-12 hour days, traveling 50-60 percent of the time and having loads of catch up work on the weekends, having the opportunity to cook as much as i wanted would be irresistible...regular readers know that i cannot sing, dance, paint, draw or sculpt...so my artistic endeavors rely on the art of cooking... the smell, taste, look and feel of cooking and baking..the beauty of fresh produce at the farmer's market..or the way my imagination is inspired by rows of ingredients in a gourmet store..or country market...the creativity that comes from making up recipes based on remembered tastes...or favorite recipes..or tasting a dish that you know could be improved just by adding a bit of this..or a lot of that...

so cooking is my art form...and story telling during my blog posts can feel quite creative...but when i get to writing the actual recipe it is very straight forward..1 cup of x ingredient, 1 tbsp of that..mix, stir, bake..etc. i love to read and love to find passages in books describing meals, dishes and cooking..often this will be the starting point for recipes of my own. i was re-reading a book by the author toni morrison last week. she is one of my favorite authors but i had not read anything by her recently. i stumbled upon the novel, song of solomon, which i first read about 15 years ago. (it was originally published in 1977).... and, because it is the story of a man's life and family, there are frequent passages involving food.


song of solomon is the story of a boy, macon dead, jr (but everyone calls him milkman.) he is the “son of the richest black family in a midwestern town” . milkman was born in 1931, the same day the town’s insurance agent kills himself while attempting to fly off the roof of the hospital. (milkman is the first black baby allowed to be born at mercy hospital..referred to as “no-mercy”)...the story covers milkman’s life, his family, the exploration of his history, his roots, his travels to the south where his father was born, the journey to find the family's misplaced gold, and ultimately the magic and sorrow that comes with really knowing yourself..the good and the bad. there are a lot of depictions of meals and food throughout the story... as i was reading the book, i was struck by the beautiful way she describes recipes...much more creative and poetic than my style..i thought it would be interesting to compare 2 versions of the same dish..so i picked one of my favorite examples of the beauty of morrison's writing…oh yeah..and i love eggs! milkman’s aunt pilate makes him soft boiled eggs the first time they meet. now, i cook eggs all the time..and have a favorite poached eggs dish. for this post, i substituted soft boiled eggs for the poached to stay true to the book... my recipe is straightforward..and the only poetry comes from imagining the taste of the finished dish. pilate’s recipe for soft boiled eggs follows mine. the beauty and brilliance of toni morrison shines through. you will see the difference…

soft boiled eggs with heirloom tomatoes and sourdough toast

bring eggs to room temperature.
place just enough water to cover the eggs in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.
add 2 tbsp kosher salt to pan
prick wide end of egg with a pin or needle
using a slotted spoon, place the eggs into the water
when the water comes back to a boil reduce heat to simmer and begin timing. large eggs take about 4 minutes for firm whites and runny yolks. experiment with timing to suit your preference.
serve immediately with tomatoes and toast drizzled with olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Soft Boiled Eggs, by Pilate Dead
“You ought to try one. I know how to do them just right. I don’t like my white to move, you know. The yolk I want soft, but not runny. Want it like wet velvet. How come you don’t just try one?”....”Now, the water and the egg have to meet each other on a kind of equal standing. One can’t get the upper hand over the other. So the temperature has to be the same for both. I knock the chill off the water first. Just the chill. I don’t let it get warm because the egg is room temperature, you see. Now then, the real secret is right here in the boiling. When the tiny bubbles come to the surface, when they as big as peas and just before they get big as marbles. Well, right then you take the pot off the fire. You don’t just put the fire out; you take the pot off. Then you put a folded newspaper over the pot and do one small obligation. Like answering the door or emptying the bucket and bringing it in off the front porch. I generally go to the toilet. Not for a long stay, mind you. Just a short one. If you do all that, you got yourself a perfect soft-boiled egg.” Pilate Dead from Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

here is a tip..read the book..try the recipe..you will not be disappointed.. let me know what you think in the comments section of this post...and please share your favorite recipe descriptions from books...i will keep posting recipes i love...but the artistry will come when you imagine the finished dish..not from my recipe writing style :) oh..and feel free to share your favorite egg recipes too...

happy reading..happy cooking...

best,
diane
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter

do you wear an apron? would you like a recipe for peanut butter cookies?

so what do those two questions have to do with each other? both aprons and peanut butter cookies remind me of my grandmother...she always wore an apron while cooking or cleaning..and her peanut butter cookies were a family favorite.

my maternal grandmother's name was mildred but everyone called her mim.... she was a fantastic cook..spent most of her days in the kitchen..and always managed to look perfect when sitting down for dinner. she wore the coolest aprons..and there was something special about the moment she took off the apron and sat down with the rest of us at the dinner table..my definition of family. i started collecting vintage aprons a few years ago..and really fell in love with the designs. i hesitated wearing them..they were so beautiful..and i did not want to "mess them up" by staining them while cooking...(and yes, i do understand that misses the point of an apron)..i shared this concern with a fellow collector who told me that vintage aprons have witnessed years of family stories..and that i should add my stories to the rest...i thought this was a really appropriate sentiment.

when i started my eco-friendly company, aprons seemed to be a perfect product offering...but i wanted them to be beautiful, "green", handmade, practical and i wanted them to be worn.

i think i have found the perfect solution..our aprons were designed using a vintage sundress pattern from the 1940's...there was even a receipt in the pattern envelope, dated 1943, where someone bought 2 5/8th yards of gingham for $2.15! the craftsperson, naomi wilson, incorporated all the authentic sundress details..the sweetheart neckline, halter ties, gathered bodice, sewn on patch pockets...yet the open back and long ties provide all the versatility of a well made apron..and they are totally green using repurposed linens.

in true napa farmhouse 1885 style, we most often wear the aprons with our favorite jeans and tank tops..although..for special occasions...they are perfect with a little black dress..mim would be proud. so..do you wear aprons? why? what kind? when? please share your stories in the comments section of this post.

now..for those peanut butter cookies...my grandmother's version called for vegetable shortening. i have substituted butter...however, the rest of the recipe is from mim...she made these cookies for her children..and her grandchildren..these were my favorite cookies when i was growing up..they still are..and every time i make them, i am reminded of my grandmother, wearing her apron, cooking for her family..defining what family is all about...sharing her love in everything she did...enjoy!!

gran's peanut butter cookies

1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup peanut butter, organic if possible

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla

1 egg, room temperature

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

additional granulated sugar for sprinkling

preheat oven to 325 degrees. butter/flour 2 cookie sheets. using an electric mixer, cream butter and peanut butter together until well mixed. add sugars and vanilla and mix well. add egg, beat until thoroughly incorporated. sift together dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients and stir until combined..do not over work dough. form dough into balls 2 inches in diameter. place on cookie sheets and flatten with tines of a fork. sprinkle cookie lightly with additional granulated sugar. bake for approx 12 minutes. cookies will be very soft. remove from oven and let cool on sheets on rack for 10 minutes. remove cookies from sheets and place on racks. allow to thoroughly cool.
for additional information regarding our apron collection, please visit our website http://www.napafarmhouse1885.com/
best,
diane
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™
follow me on twitter

am i an "experienced" blogger??

when i started blogging earlier this year, i had absolutely no idea what i was doing. i knew i wanted to write about my post corporate life, but website design, hosting, html code etc were foreign concepts...i am by no means a "techie". i did a bit of research and found out there were a number of blog hosting companies that allowed a sort of "plug and play" concept. i actually launched the blog in an afternoon..

i wrote my first story..an overview of my life and reason for the blog...and really thought it would just be read by family and close friends..i was shocked when i started getting comments from complete strangers. the first few comments were terrific..warm, friendly and complimentary... i also received a number of direct emails asking for additional details about my life, my experiences and especially questions about living in the napa valley. i kept writing and found i really enjoyed telling stories..and emphasizing the important things in my life..family, friends, "giving back", cooking, gardening and my journey with starting a small business. i also write about my dog, mose, and he is by far the most popular subject..people all over the world comment or email me about my golden retriever..the happiest dog that ever lived...

i began to research everything possible about blogging..how to promote, market, link, and share my blog. i discovered a ton of helpful sites that provided tips, help and advice. i began to explore social networking sites in earnest..and have met many fellow bloggers.. the professional ones who do this for a living..and, without fail, have found this community to be selfless in their willingness to teach a "newbie" the ropes. i learned a lot..but spent a ton of time with my research. throughout my learning process i kept wishing there was someone or someplace that i could get tips, advice, feedback and be able to ask questions..a one stop resource..it would have made the first 6 months of blogging so much easier.

my twitter friend kristen at dine & dish has started a terrific program to help new bloggers..i so wish i knew her when i started...she matches up experienced bloggers with people just starting out so that they have a mentor to coach them during their first three months. kristen asked a bunch of us if we would be willing to help. i laughingly volunteered..would not consider myself "experienced"..but kristen took me seriously and paired me up with a very nice person named sarah. she just started blogging..her site is sarah's sweet somethings..and i have the pleasure of acting as her mentor...but i think true mentorship is a two way benefit..i suspect i will learn as much from sarah as she will from me..i envision this exercise as being more about brainstorming sessions than anything else...having someone who will listen to your ideas and goals..and then asking the proper questions so you can figure out the answer yourself...

so here goes...a three month mentorship. i am really looking forward to this..and i will post updates to my blog regarding what we learn. i would love to have all of you help us out...if you have a blog now, please share any learnings, tips or experiences you have had...if you don't currently blog..but have always wanted to..what questions would you like answered to help you get started? please share your thoughts, ideas, suggestions or feedback in the comments section of this post...and thanks in advance for helping us out.

best,
diane
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™

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do you appreciate craftspeople?

when i started my business it was very important to me that i find ways to tell the stories of the artists and craftspeople producing our products....i hand select every item we sell and the design criteria needs to meet the following objectives..handmade using reused, repurposed, reimagined or recycled materials..or organic for food and body care..and they must be "hip, cool, eclectic, clean, simple, beautiful..and kinda groovy"... high standards..right? that is why i am so passionate about celebrating people who appreciate fine craftsmanship and deliver excellence in all that they do..whether they are chefs, painters, musicians, woodworkers, seamstresses, producers of quality organic food ingredients..you name it, to me the common thread is the work..especially in this mass -produced, disposable everything world. i spent some time last year around some businesspeople here in the napa valley that operate under what i think is a bit of a less than honest practice. they purchase products from others..and then market it under their brand name..i even learned the term..shiner...which is what it is called when you order food products and ask the manufacturer to leave off the labels so you can add your own. now, there is nothing wrong with this practice unless you give your customers the impression that you made it yourself...i think smart merchants know that telling the stories of the products and the makers of the items leads to a more interesting dialogue..and honesty in business and treating people fairly is always the best policy...so i decided to stop watching others..and start doing myself..which is what led to napa farmhouse 1885™ .

i designed the home page of the website with "featured artist" sections and asked each artist to write a bit of their bio to publish..i ask as many of them as possible to accompany me to events, trade shows, festivals and publicity requests to ensure the stories are told..and that customers can meet the people who craft the products..their success is my success and viceversa..so it works for all of us. i also thought that..once in a while..i would take the opportunity to share their stories on my blog. so today, i am happy to introduce ragna ruffner..ragna creates our organic bath and body care products...i love knowing that they are all handcrafted... here is a bit about her..in her own words...

"I have been using essential oils for over 20 years for aromatherapy, primarily in bath soaks, room sprays and massage oils. I am committed to using organic ingredients, botanical ingredients for coloring, and essential oils for fragrance. I love being creative with luxurious oils and unusual ingredients, however, there is nothing wrong with unscented either! I make my own herb- and flower-infused oils. I grow many of my own organic herbs and flowers and I also visit local lavender farms to hand-pick the lavender that I use in my products. My sister Rena introduced me to soap making. It was not long before I became hooked and had another product to scent! I immediately noticed the change in my skin. No more dryness. Like many people, I just didn't know how real soap, which retains natural glycerin and moisturizing properties, is not drying but nourishing, revitalizing and down-right GOOD for your skin. I have known that skin is the “largest organ of the body” and can absorb both toxins and nutrients. I am committed to using the best organic ingredients I can find for all my soaps. I am always experimenting with different blends of natural bath ingredients and and best of all, testing my products thoroughly before I offer them to you. No animal testing here! All products are manufactured in a smoke free environment. Enjoy natural, handmade products that will change the way you think about bath and beauty - forever!”

i want to continue to find opportunities to recognize craftspeople..and to urge others to seek out individuals who create beautiful, handmade products. my goal is to tell the stories of many of the creators of artisanal foods, organic gardeners, artists, winemakers, chefs and designers here in napa...and... if you know of someone whose story must be told..feel free to email me..or post in the comments section of this blog ..and remember..the best stories are those that are passed on.

best,
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™

gardening or meditation?

today was a perfect day..one of those days where....right in the middle of the day..i realized how happy and grateful i am to be "retired." why the quotes? retired is a funny word to describe my life. remember in one of my first posts i told you that after 25 years in corporate life i decided to take early, early retirement? i smile because it is not as if i get retirement benefits..i was too young to qualify when i stopped working. but my husband and i invested, saved and realized that we had enough to live on..now we certainly are not rich..but we just did not require more "stuff" and would rather be together than keep working to climb the corporate ladder..we just could not see the pay-off for us..and for our life. the funny thing is i am now starting my own very small business..just cause i want to...but this is totally different. for one thing..i am the boss..can i tell you how cool it is to say that? no one but no one can tell me what i should be doing..what i should be thinking...how i should behave..etc. all the "coaching" and "performance reviews" corporate life brings..yuck! and i can set the vision and mission and product assortment exactly the way i see it in my mind.."my brand"...now, on the other hand..my company is based in my kitchen...i have not yet opened the on-line store so no revenue..and i have no "people" so i do it all myself..but i am having a ball. i plan to write about starting a small business in another post..wow! what an education. how many of you work from home..or have started your own small business? what works for you? what doesn't?

but today's post is about taking the time to appreciate simply being at home..living life. i have been working hard the past month operating in "start up" mode for the business. ..but i am able to go to the gym in the middle of the day 3-4 times per week to ensure i take a break...i am able to cook dinner every night. now i love cooking so this is really cool..if you do not enjoy cooking this may not sound so wonderful...i can have a meeting with my business partner, (my husband, peter), in my pajamas drinking coffee, and i can take mose for walks throughout the day..he is the company's director of security so they are business walks :).. today i decided to take the afternoon and work in the garden. my roses needed pruning, it was 75 degrees and i said.."what the heck"..that was the whole point of retiring..finally being able to do what i wanted to do..when i wanted to do it. our farmhouse has a small rose garden in the front of the house and a few rose bushes spread around the side and back. there are 25 total..not a ton..but for a girl that lived in a san francisco flat for 15 years without a yard..it is enough. spring in napa can be tricky..there are always a few really warm days in january and february, so the roses are pretty well leafed out in march. march and april have a number of rainy days, a number of foggy days, some warm to hot days and cool..sometimes freezing nights. so the roses sometimes get really whacked out (love my gardening term?) they start blooming early..and frequently develop black spot and rust...o.k...if you do not garden i know i am probably losing you with this post..but hang with me for just a bit...back to the roses...
so, to avoid the rose diseases, it is important to keep them pruned enough to allow sunlight to hit all the leaves..at least this works for me. i noticed this morning that they were a bit overgrown and needed pruning and decided this afternoon was a perfect opportunity. i started pruning, mose sat next to me and moved each time i moved to a different bush..and before i realized it..4 hours had passed. you know what, i felt fantastic..relaxed, pleasantly tired, and really happy. i had been concentrating on the pruning..ensuring each cut was the correct cut..and just kinda zoned out. the roses looked great, i had come up with a number of ideas for the business, and i felt really good. i realized that this was one of the first times i had experienced gardening without a predetermined time frame. prior to retiring my life looked like this.... leave napa early monday morning and drive to my office in san francisco. stay in the city, away from my family, monday-wednesday night, work thursday until really late and then drive back to napa... work from napa on friday. this happened on the rare weeks that i did not fly out on monday morning on a business trip and return friday night. that meant that something like gardening had to be completed on the weekends..along with everything else..so i always was on a schedule..even on the weekends. i enjoyed gardening, but felt the pressure to "just get it done". today..no pressure.. i only finished half the roses but..no worries..i can finish tomorrow..or saturday..or whenever i want. i have never, ever been able to live this way. it just felt right to acknowledge how grateful i am for being able to enjoy everyday things like cooking, gardening, exercise, walking the dog..living a real life... and to commit even more to ensuring there is adequate time in my life to give back..and give thanks..for my life, my family, my friends, my faith...

what are you grateful for?

best,

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style™"

oh..and if you have tips for organic rose care ..please share.....