I spent the first winter here by the fire ardently reading seed catalogs. Thirst for information on gardening, landscaping, care of soils consumed me. I read biodynamic literature and stacks of Organic Gardening Magazines from the forties through sixties.
A year earlier at an organic gardening conference in San Francisco I had met the farmer from Ridgewood Ranch. Baldy Edwards inspired me to move to Mendocino County and I encouraged my husband Garry to find a job at the State Hospital. The day after we arrived, I drove up to see Baldy’s garden and to volunteer in exchange for learning his way of operating a subsistence garden. We met weekly at his garden for 2 1/2 years. He shared many of his innovations: planting seeds in screened compost; using ladders to grow tomatoes on; cutting them back in the Fall and transplanting them into the greenhouse. Occasionally he would share his beliefs as when I asserted "You are what you eat." He replied, "You are what you eat and think." He gave freely of his extra starts, his huge 2-pound carrots, whatever was plentiful, and once, surplus eggs. One day he said, "You know, all you need to have a year’s supply of lemons, is one tree, and you can have this one." As I left the ranch laden with gifts and new ideas, I always felt exhilarated. I loved the staggering beauty of the open valley, the kind people, wholesome food, energizing exercise and more.
Leaving the valley
a herd of white deer lopes by
feeling transparent
In June of 1970, we heard about a wonderful ranch in the hills where nearly the whole town goes to pick cherries. When I saw in the paper that it was cherry time, the four of us drove out the Boonville Road. We turned at the Butler’s driveway, a long winding uphill dirt road.
Stalwart trees cling to hills
their boughs dazzling with cherries
Solstice blessing
Ella Butler welcomed us in her energetic and friendly way and directed us to some trees and we began picking. Susan and I hooked our buckets in one tree and Dana and Garry climbed a ladder in another tree. The cherries, we soon found out, were so sweet and delicious.
Tree holds family
in its crown--they pluck its gems--
ruby red cherries
It was terribly hot in the sun and we were sweating and extremely thirsty. Even so feelings of contentment came over us.
Hot afternoon wind
eddies through the trees
cherries sway in agreement
Looking down over Ukiah, I breathed deeply and perceived how radiantly beautiful the valley and hills appeared from this treetop. I felt so grateful to be here in this community, on this ranch, with my family. This was the life I had always hoped for as I grew up in San Francisco. I wanted my children to have the opportunity to experience nature in her many forms.
Small girl descends ladder
face stained red
big bucket empty
After we had collected many bags of cherries, Ella invited us into her house to meet George and have a cool drink. She had had a hospital bed put in the living room for George as he recovered from surgery. He patted the bedspread and told the girls to jump up and visit with him. They perched on his bed and we chatted for a long time. We were warmed by George and Ella’s kindness and generosity of spirit and how they had opened their home and hearts to us so easily.
The following June we went up to Butlers' to pick cherries again. This time we were seasoned, having canned quarts and quarts of cherries and baked many pies and experimented with mulberries as well. This year George was well enough to be outside, cheerfully propelling himself around on his tractor. I told him that I wanted to graft apricot scions onto some plum seedling trees we had. He had me jump on the tractor and we chugged up to some trees where he pulled out his pocketknife and cut off a few whips. Still seated on his tractor, he edged up close to a tree, and taught me how to do a bark graft using his knife, a hammer and a couple of nails. George, so kind and giving, offered his knowledge readily. His quality of open-heartedness moves me still.
All of this was so many years ago, 35 years or more. I lived out of Mendocino County during the '80's and '90's and didn’t go to the Butlers again during that time. Still there are values I observed in them that have been a huge contribution to my life. It has to do with their extraordinary care of and commitment to the land. Their love of life, respect for people and deep appreciation for community continue to be an example and inspiration to me.
