Sunflowers against a smoky September sky.
This week, the major story of life here in Northwestern Oregon has been smoke, smoke, smoke. Or, for people closer to the wildfires burning around Oregon: fire, fire fire.
Oh, it has been smoky. And scary. And frustrating. Of all the wildfires burning in the region, the Eagle Creek fire has been getting perhaps the most attention because of its unique story and location. Rather than being set naturally by a lightning strike (which is a common wildfire story), this one was apparently set purposefully by teenagers making a video of themselves throwing firecrackers into the woods while on a hike. This fire is also unique because of its close proximity to many population centers, all along the Columbia River Gorge but also the exurbs of Portland itself. That proximity has caused large scale evacuations and created hazardous breathing conditions in Portland.
Looking out our windows, the landscape is once again brown this summer. Just at this moment, it is hard to remember the blue sky and the vibrant colors of our world — everything is dulled by the smoke and the air is filled with minute particles. Our car has a visible coating of ash on it, and we find ourselves trying not to breathe hard. I haven’t run in several days, because it would seem highly unwise in these conditions.
As people whose occupation requires outdoor work, we are often more tuned into weather than average. We often find ourselves having conversations with other outdoor workers (postal carriers, vineyard workers) about weather events that perhaps only we notice — slight upticks or down-ticks in temperature, wind, excessive rain. But, this smoke is a natural event that is affecting everyone as people hunker inside on some exceptionally hot late summer days, just waiting for the “all clear” to go outside again.
And, when will that come? Today, we don’t know the answer to that story. Many western wildfires burn until the late fall snows arrive in the mountains, but most are usually located farther away from population centers. It’s hard to imagine our region living like this for another two or three months. Already, people are struggling to breathe, and the cumulative effects for outdoor workers across the region could be dire.
We will see. In the meantime, our region is once again watching the skies expectantly. This time, not to appreciate the glory of a celestial dance, but to watch for clouds, rain, or even just a breeze that could change the trajectory of smoke and flames. Once again, we are humbled by the power of the natural world, but I think that few are feeling ecstasy this time. We will save that emotion for when we see blue skies again and can breathe deeply of the life-giving air that sustains us all. May we be grateful every day for these simple gifts of life!
Take care of each other everyone. And, enjoy this week’s vegetables!
Your farmers, Katie & Casey Kulla
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Two reminders:
- Your final CSA payment is due to us by next Thursday, September 14! Please pay the remaining balance due on your account (I emailed statements to everyone). You can mail us a check: Oakhill Organics, P.O. Box 1698, McMinnville OR 97128. Or, you can bring check or cash to CSA pick-up. Please let us know if you have any questions!
- Remember to put our upcoming Fall CSA Open House on your calendar! It will be 2-4 pm, Saturday, October 14. We’ll have live music (the duo Luminous Heart), an apple variety tasting, and tours of the farm! Join us! (More details to come as well).
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Meet this week’s vegetables:
- Apples
- Plums
- Salad mix
- Spaghetti squash — We have been loving having spaghetti squash in our diet this week. We prepare it very simple — slice it in half lengthwise; scoop out the seeds; drizzle liberally with olive oil and then bake cut-side up in the oven at 375° until it is cooked through. At that point, you can scrape out the “spaghetti” from the shell of the squash with a fork. We like to make this the base for a stewy vegetable dish (much as one would do with rice or pasta).
- Peppers — Sweet (red) peppers again this week! Many more!
- Tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Eggplant
- Carrots
- Zucchini
- Onions
- Garlic
