This picture always makes me laugh...unfortunately at the expense of another fatty.
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Sunday, May 29, 2011
Weight loss journey: It begins.
So I decided that I needed to finally do something about my weight. Seriously! What the hell was I thinking all these years? I look and feel aweful, and I have been told time and time again by my doctor to go on a low carb diet to help with my insulin resistance. I am going with Atkins. I bought the book and have done my fair share of research online too. I am on day two and I feel great. I have already lost the water weight that initially comes with a low carb diet. I haven't eaten as many veggies in a long time! That's all for now. Not sure what else to write to be honest.
This picture always makes me laugh...unfortunately at the expense of another fatty.
This picture always makes me laugh...unfortunately at the expense of another fatty.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
By M. Elizabeth Jones
When I decided to watch The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, I knew that it wouldn’t be a movie that was light hearted and happy. How can you really expect a happy ending based on the subject matter: Jewish persecution by the Nazi’s? There have been a myriad of movies made based on this subject, and though grim, I find myself drawn to watch them. I don’t know if it is because as a film lover, movies like Schindler’s List and Life is Beautiful (one of my favorite movies) evoked such powerful emotions, that I am drawn again and again to movies dealing with this subject matter, or if it is just the lure of that period of time. Because I enjoy movies of this particular genre so much, I find I have a higher expectation for them. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was no exception and I truly enjoyed the movie.
The film centers around a young boy named Bruno, whose father (played by David Thewlis) is a Commandant at an internment camp for Jews awaiting extermination. Bruno, while exploring the area around his home--an area he has been forbidden to explore by his mother—meets a boy his own age named Shmuel, who lives behind an electrified fence and wears “striped pajamas”. Bruno, too young to understand what he is seeing, befriends Shmuel. The two sit together with the fence between them, day after day, talking and playing chess. Every day that the two “meet” Bruno’s questions arise as to why Shmuel wears pajamas, why he is always so hungry and other probing questions about the fenced world that he lives in. Conversely, Shmuel asks very little about Bruno’s world; perhaps because he is too young to realize any differently. Eventually, Bruno’s friendship is discovered and leads to a climactic ending, which I will not spoil for those of you who haven’t seen the movie.
The friendship between Bruno and Shmuel is the main storyline in the movie; however, there are other’s that I feel are worth mentioning because of what they bring to the movie. Throughout the film, Bruno’s mother struggles with the idea that her husband is overseeing the death of Jewish prisoners, and also with the effect it is having on her two children. Bruno’s older sister is old enough to realize what is going on in the world around her. She develops a crush on one of her father’s soldiers, which causes her to become completely infatuated with the Nazi belief system. There is a scene that shows her bedroom. There, above her bed, is a poster of a young blond haired girl with braids, saluting Hitler: a typical propaganda poster. The daughter sits below the poster with her hair braided the same way, wearing the same type of outfit as the poster girl. It is a very poignant scene that will stick in your mind throughout the movie and beyond.
I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone and everyone who enjoys a wide variety of film genres. There are many things about this movie that make it different and endearing, and I hope that after reading this review you will want to watch as well.
By M. Elizabeth Jones
When I decided to watch The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, I knew that it wouldn’t be a movie that was light hearted and happy. How can you really expect a happy ending based on the subject matter: Jewish persecution by the Nazi’s? There have been a myriad of movies made based on this subject, and though grim, I find myself drawn to watch them. I don’t know if it is because as a film lover, movies like Schindler’s List and Life is Beautiful (one of my favorite movies) evoked such powerful emotions, that I am drawn again and again to movies dealing with this subject matter, or if it is just the lure of that period of time. Because I enjoy movies of this particular genre so much, I find I have a higher expectation for them. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was no exception and I truly enjoyed the movie.
The film centers around a young boy named Bruno, whose father (played by David Thewlis) is a Commandant at an internment camp for Jews awaiting extermination. Bruno, while exploring the area around his home--an area he has been forbidden to explore by his mother—meets a boy his own age named Shmuel, who lives behind an electrified fence and wears “striped pajamas”. Bruno, too young to understand what he is seeing, befriends Shmuel. The two sit together with the fence between them, day after day, talking and playing chess. Every day that the two “meet” Bruno’s questions arise as to why Shmuel wears pajamas, why he is always so hungry and other probing questions about the fenced world that he lives in. Conversely, Shmuel asks very little about Bruno’s world; perhaps because he is too young to realize any differently. Eventually, Bruno’s friendship is discovered and leads to a climactic ending, which I will not spoil for those of you who haven’t seen the movie.
The friendship between Bruno and Shmuel is the main storyline in the movie; however, there are other’s that I feel are worth mentioning because of what they bring to the movie. Throughout the film, Bruno’s mother struggles with the idea that her husband is overseeing the death of Jewish prisoners, and also with the effect it is having on her two children. Bruno’s older sister is old enough to realize what is going on in the world around her. She develops a crush on one of her father’s soldiers, which causes her to become completely infatuated with the Nazi belief system. There is a scene that shows her bedroom. There, above her bed, is a poster of a young blond haired girl with braids, saluting Hitler: a typical propaganda poster. The daughter sits below the poster with her hair braided the same way, wearing the same type of outfit as the poster girl. It is a very poignant scene that will stick in your mind throughout the movie and beyond.
I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone and everyone who enjoys a wide variety of film genres. There are many things about this movie that make it different and endearing, and I hope that after reading this review you will want to watch as well.
Ashland Pilates Center
For our May issue, I wanted to keep the focus on local businesses that are finding ways to instill a sense of community. This month, I sat down with Kim Nielsen, Owner of Ashland Pilates Center in Ashland, her Senior Instructor and managing partner Alissa Rae and Instructor Rainy Wright-Legg to talk about community as well as something I know little about: Pilates.
LocalsGuide (LG): How Did Ashland Pilates Center Start?
Kim: It started as an idea between Alissa and I. Alissa had a studio here already (Cho Ku Rae Pilates) and I moved here last April. We met up and instantly hit it off and I think it’s one of those things where it was just the right timing, right people and we held a similar vision. I don’t think either one of us expected it to happen so quickly. She had this space and I had some equipment. We brought it together and we realized we had a similar dream.
The Core Principles of Pilates
Kim: Joseph Pilates named several core principles: Centering, breathing, control, precision, slowing movement and concentration. I think the one major falsehood about Pilates is that it is all about the core: This is the most common message that you hear at a YMCA or a club. The core is actually a small piece. It’s a lot more about freedom of movement and returning to the way we moved as children and the way animals move in the wild. Why is it that a cat gets up and stretches its body, then jumps ten feet and lies down to go to sleep. What is it about them that they can do that? Joseph Pilates’ early work was done while he was in an internment camp. What he had to work with were cots with springs and he basically taught people how to walk again, just with what he had on hand.
LG: What is the process for becoming a Pilates instructor?
Alissa: There are many different school and many different ways to become a teacher. The three of us trained in Del Mar near San Diego by Julian Littleford, a master teacher since the 1970s and former student of Marsha Graham. He also trains Cirque du Soleil as well as the San Diego Padres and Giants (along with many other professional athletes). With him, I did a four month, 40 hour per week program and then I stayed and worked with him for two and a half years after that. Then I moved here and started teaching. I did it a different way than a lot of people do.
Kim: There is an overseeing group called the Pilates Methods Alliance which is a body of experienced teachers who have determined the standard of practice for Pilates instructors. They provide the certification for teachers.
Alissa: Which is a good thing.
Kim: Yes. We know more about the human body than was known 80 or 90 years ago, so we have taken his (Pilates) work and adapted it. There are those of us who call ourselves classical Pilates instructors and we are classical in a sense that we adhere to a lot of what he taught, but we have a modern twist on it. Then there are other teaching lines that are set on the classical training and those that vary off a lot (like swim Pilates or Yogalates).
LG: Pilates Classes seem to be centered on small groups. Is there a reason for this?
Alissa: I like a smaller intimate class. You can do a huge class…people do that. I personally like a smaller class because you want to make sure that people are using the equipment properly and executing the movements in the correct way. You also get to know your students much better. Pilates is so much more than body work. There are many more levels happening at the same time.
Kim: I think the heart of Pilates is hands on training. The more common cultural phenomenon is these big classes with 30 or more people and one teacher who couldn’t possibly watch them all. A central idea behind Pilates is that someone is there watching you and can see what is going on with you. So what happens with your body, the changes and improvements, happen much faster than if you are working on your own. When a teacher says, “Okay, do this…”you feel it. You say to yourself, “Oh! I know what this feels like” and you remember, so next time you can do it on your own.
LG: What would someone’s first Pilates session be like?
Rainy: When somebody walks in the door we are looking at how that person is standing, where their feet are etc.
LG: Uh oh! Now I’m self conscious!
Kim: Not everybody! (Laughing ensues)
Rainy: But you can tell a lot about a person when they walk in the door if you are looking for the right things. So first I would try to see where they are coming from and how they are standing because I have learned that a lot of people don’t know what correct posture is. For me, when somebody first comes in, there first class, I’m going to work a lot with their posture and show them “this is how your feet were meant to stand and this is how your pelvis was meant to be positioned” because a lot of people don’t know and when you don’t know you can’t fix it; so that is where I would start.
LG: Does that mean your posture is a measure of how strong your body is?
Kim: I think it points more easily to your weaknesses. When someone comes in and you look at their posture, you will automatically have a good idea of where they are weak, as well as where they are strong.
Rainy: And you can always ask a person if they have pain, and just from their answers and their posture, you can tell why they are hurting in those areas.
LG: Generally speaking, how many times per week do people come to a class?
Kim: Generally two to three times per week. We are going to be doing a membership here which makes Pilates affordable—more so than if someone was coming in for a private session. People can come in 1-2 times per week and pay up front at the beginning of the month. They pick which sessions they want to come to. So you could pay for eight times per month and go to Mondays at 7pm and Wednesdays at noon—that is your schedule for the month. Then at the beginning of the next month you can start all over. In the US private sessions generally run anywhere from $40-$300 per hour. Here, the cost is as low as $15.00 per class. However, we also offer private sessions if someone would rather work out privately.
Alissa & Kim: We want an environment that will be warm and inviting, which is what we all thrive in. All income brackets and all body types are welcome. We want people to be able to come in knowing that no matter what, we will help them get to their goals. You don’t have to be in shape or pay a lot of money to do Pilates…we want to break that stereotype.
LG: So are workouts tailored to each individual?
Kim: Yes. With each piece of equipment and guidance from the teacher, you get results. I could work out in a gym for years and get better results doing Pilates for six months. It makes sense to say that if someone is helping you and training you, then it will be better and you will get results faster. There are many results to gain from Pilates: pain management, posture improvement, improved balance, improvement in chronic pain from chronic structural issues (i.e. scoliosis etc.) and more. Joseph Pilates said in ten times you’ll feel a difference, in 20 times you’ll see a difference and in 30 times you’ll have a new body. That is definitely true. Things change in your body because the equipment helps you find alignment, because of the skill of the teacher and because of the work itself.
Rainy’s Story
Before I started Pilates I was miserable. Every part of my body hurt and I weighed 270 pounds and I just didn’t know anything about myself. Through Pilates I learned what my body was and how I was supposed to use my body. It’s hard for me to realize how much I have changed because I am me, but through other people seeing me change, I see their amazement . I had a lot of shoulder issues and I came to Pilates to basically “get out of my shoulders” because I carried my whole body in that area. I was an absolute mess but I started dong Pilates and I cried thinking”I can’t do this” but like (Kim) said, you really will see a change. Now I don’t carry my whole body in my shoulders. Now I use my body as a whole. For me Pilates saved my life…I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without it. I lost 100+ pounds by doing Pilates and changing my diet. I also started walking around town, but I didn’t run or do anything like that. Pilates is definitely worth it. I needed a change and I found it. As soon as I decided I wanted to teach Pilates I told Alissa and she asked if I wanted to train and come help her at her studio. I would recommend it to anybody. A lot of people will say, “Oh, this hurts” or “I have this wrong with me”--It doesn’t matter. No matter what you are suffering from we can almost always accommodate you.
LG: So Pilates is a good choice for anyone, no matter their age, body type or
income level?
Kim: It’s true! We have a woman who comes in who is almost 90 and another person who comes in that suffers from scoliosis. So really, anybody can do Pilates. It really is more than the sum of its parts with Pilates. Most people can’t tell you why they love Pilates so much they just do. The hardest part is getting here but once you leave you’ll want to come every day. Pilates is the type of workout where when you are done you feel invigorated. Your body is tired, but you actually feel like you have more energy. You don’t go limping through the rest of your day because you lifted too many weights.
Rainy: Once you learn about Pilates and the concepts of Pilates you can incorporate them into everything you do, whether you are standing at work or running on a treadmill. It brings you into that state of and it improves all aspects of your life.
Ashland Pilates Center is located at 310 Oak Street in Ashland. Memberships start on June 1st and run by the hour. For more information please call Kim at (541) 727-2299 or Alissa at (541) 482-2891
.
LocalsGuide (LG): How Did Ashland Pilates Center Start?
Kim: It started as an idea between Alissa and I. Alissa had a studio here already (Cho Ku Rae Pilates) and I moved here last April. We met up and instantly hit it off and I think it’s one of those things where it was just the right timing, right people and we held a similar vision. I don’t think either one of us expected it to happen so quickly. She had this space and I had some equipment. We brought it together and we realized we had a similar dream.
The Core Principles of Pilates
Kim: Joseph Pilates named several core principles: Centering, breathing, control, precision, slowing movement and concentration. I think the one major falsehood about Pilates is that it is all about the core: This is the most common message that you hear at a YMCA or a club. The core is actually a small piece. It’s a lot more about freedom of movement and returning to the way we moved as children and the way animals move in the wild. Why is it that a cat gets up and stretches its body, then jumps ten feet and lies down to go to sleep. What is it about them that they can do that? Joseph Pilates’ early work was done while he was in an internment camp. What he had to work with were cots with springs and he basically taught people how to walk again, just with what he had on hand.
LG: What is the process for becoming a Pilates instructor?
Alissa: There are many different school and many different ways to become a teacher. The three of us trained in Del Mar near San Diego by Julian Littleford, a master teacher since the 1970s and former student of Marsha Graham. He also trains Cirque du Soleil as well as the San Diego Padres and Giants (along with many other professional athletes). With him, I did a four month, 40 hour per week program and then I stayed and worked with him for two and a half years after that. Then I moved here and started teaching. I did it a different way than a lot of people do.
Kim: There is an overseeing group called the Pilates Methods Alliance which is a body of experienced teachers who have determined the standard of practice for Pilates instructors. They provide the certification for teachers.
Alissa: Which is a good thing.
Kim: Yes. We know more about the human body than was known 80 or 90 years ago, so we have taken his (Pilates) work and adapted it. There are those of us who call ourselves classical Pilates instructors and we are classical in a sense that we adhere to a lot of what he taught, but we have a modern twist on it. Then there are other teaching lines that are set on the classical training and those that vary off a lot (like swim Pilates or Yogalates).
LG: Pilates Classes seem to be centered on small groups. Is there a reason for this?
Alissa: I like a smaller intimate class. You can do a huge class…people do that. I personally like a smaller class because you want to make sure that people are using the equipment properly and executing the movements in the correct way. You also get to know your students much better. Pilates is so much more than body work. There are many more levels happening at the same time.
Kim: I think the heart of Pilates is hands on training. The more common cultural phenomenon is these big classes with 30 or more people and one teacher who couldn’t possibly watch them all. A central idea behind Pilates is that someone is there watching you and can see what is going on with you. So what happens with your body, the changes and improvements, happen much faster than if you are working on your own. When a teacher says, “Okay, do this…”you feel it. You say to yourself, “Oh! I know what this feels like” and you remember, so next time you can do it on your own.
LG: What would someone’s first Pilates session be like?
Rainy: When somebody walks in the door we are looking at how that person is standing, where their feet are etc.
LG: Uh oh! Now I’m self conscious!
Kim: Not everybody! (Laughing ensues)
Rainy: But you can tell a lot about a person when they walk in the door if you are looking for the right things. So first I would try to see where they are coming from and how they are standing because I have learned that a lot of people don’t know what correct posture is. For me, when somebody first comes in, there first class, I’m going to work a lot with their posture and show them “this is how your feet were meant to stand and this is how your pelvis was meant to be positioned” because a lot of people don’t know and when you don’t know you can’t fix it; so that is where I would start.
LG: Does that mean your posture is a measure of how strong your body is?
Kim: I think it points more easily to your weaknesses. When someone comes in and you look at their posture, you will automatically have a good idea of where they are weak, as well as where they are strong.
Rainy: And you can always ask a person if they have pain, and just from their answers and their posture, you can tell why they are hurting in those areas.
LG: Generally speaking, how many times per week do people come to a class?
Kim: Generally two to three times per week. We are going to be doing a membership here which makes Pilates affordable—more so than if someone was coming in for a private session. People can come in 1-2 times per week and pay up front at the beginning of the month. They pick which sessions they want to come to. So you could pay for eight times per month and go to Mondays at 7pm and Wednesdays at noon—that is your schedule for the month. Then at the beginning of the next month you can start all over. In the US private sessions generally run anywhere from $40-$300 per hour. Here, the cost is as low as $15.00 per class. However, we also offer private sessions if someone would rather work out privately.
Alissa & Kim: We want an environment that will be warm and inviting, which is what we all thrive in. All income brackets and all body types are welcome. We want people to be able to come in knowing that no matter what, we will help them get to their goals. You don’t have to be in shape or pay a lot of money to do Pilates…we want to break that stereotype.
LG: So are workouts tailored to each individual?
Kim: Yes. With each piece of equipment and guidance from the teacher, you get results. I could work out in a gym for years and get better results doing Pilates for six months. It makes sense to say that if someone is helping you and training you, then it will be better and you will get results faster. There are many results to gain from Pilates: pain management, posture improvement, improved balance, improvement in chronic pain from chronic structural issues (i.e. scoliosis etc.) and more. Joseph Pilates said in ten times you’ll feel a difference, in 20 times you’ll see a difference and in 30 times you’ll have a new body. That is definitely true. Things change in your body because the equipment helps you find alignment, because of the skill of the teacher and because of the work itself.
Rainy’s Story
Before I started Pilates I was miserable. Every part of my body hurt and I weighed 270 pounds and I just didn’t know anything about myself. Through Pilates I learned what my body was and how I was supposed to use my body. It’s hard for me to realize how much I have changed because I am me, but through other people seeing me change, I see their amazement . I had a lot of shoulder issues and I came to Pilates to basically “get out of my shoulders” because I carried my whole body in that area. I was an absolute mess but I started dong Pilates and I cried thinking”I can’t do this” but like (Kim) said, you really will see a change. Now I don’t carry my whole body in my shoulders. Now I use my body as a whole. For me Pilates saved my life…I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without it. I lost 100+ pounds by doing Pilates and changing my diet. I also started walking around town, but I didn’t run or do anything like that. Pilates is definitely worth it. I needed a change and I found it. As soon as I decided I wanted to teach Pilates I told Alissa and she asked if I wanted to train and come help her at her studio. I would recommend it to anybody. A lot of people will say, “Oh, this hurts” or “I have this wrong with me”--It doesn’t matter. No matter what you are suffering from we can almost always accommodate you.
LG: So Pilates is a good choice for anyone, no matter their age, body type or
income level?
Kim: It’s true! We have a woman who comes in who is almost 90 and another person who comes in that suffers from scoliosis. So really, anybody can do Pilates. It really is more than the sum of its parts with Pilates. Most people can’t tell you why they love Pilates so much they just do. The hardest part is getting here but once you leave you’ll want to come every day. Pilates is the type of workout where when you are done you feel invigorated. Your body is tired, but you actually feel like you have more energy. You don’t go limping through the rest of your day because you lifted too many weights.
Rainy: Once you learn about Pilates and the concepts of Pilates you can incorporate them into everything you do, whether you are standing at work or running on a treadmill. It brings you into that state of and it improves all aspects of your life.
Ashland Pilates Center is located at 310 Oak Street in Ashland. Memberships start on June 1st and run by the hour. For more information please call Kim at (541) 727-2299 or Alissa at (541) 482-2891
.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
NicaNelly: A True Taste of Nicaragua
NicaNelly: A True Taste of Nicaragua
This month I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with Jennifer Hanson, owner of NicaNelly in Talent for an interview. I learned loads about coffee, what it means to be a direct trade business and that I can’t wait to visit Nicaragua for myself.
Santa Catalina: How the farm started
About six years ago my father had passed on and about five years ago my mom said “let’s go to Nicaragua and find a little place where I can go and be warm.” So I said “Mom, if you’re going to buy a place, why don’t we get something together and get a little business.” I have always been fascinated by the coffee in Nicaragua. As a teenager I tried Nicaraguan coffee and I thought it was the best tasting coffee I’d ever had, and so I’ve always been kind of hooked on it. We have family down there because my mom was born there. We had family looking for us and they found a little coffee farm that was in distress. Of course they didn’t consider it distressed. I do because there was trash everywhere, and they hadn’t been maintaining it. So what we did was we bought that, went through and cleaned it up and started maintaining it.
From plant to store: How Coffee becomes coffee
How often do you visit the farm?
I went down in November (2008) and then I just went down in February. So, I think a lot of it depends on what is happening with the harvest: November is the beginning of the Harvest season. When we were down in November my husband and I made more drying beds because drying beds are the best way to dry your coffee. So we made more drying beds and got the farm ready for the harvest. We went down in February to get ready for the container. The coffee takes months to process. In February, when I went down, I made sure the final steps of the coffee processing were completed. I also made a pallet for the coffee to sit on so it wouldn’t sit on the floor on the farm. I instructed my farm administrator, Sandra, on how I wanted the coffee packed for the container. While I was there, I also purchased odd items such as concrete planters and little palm trees. These are items that my exporter would not typically assist us in purchasing. So I will collect items that I think will be of interest for NicaNelly and I bring then to my farm for storage while we wait for the other items to be ready. My shipper then comes and packs them.
How do you decide what grade the coffee is?
We go through an intense amount of sorting. What we do is we put all the coffee cherries in a barrel and fill it with water. All of the floaters are bad. So all of the floaters are immediately discarded. Then, they are put into the pulper which separates the cherry from the beans. The pulp is made into fertilizer and the beans are put back into the water barrel: Anything that floats is discarded.
So it is a process of elimination?
Yes. Then it sits over night as it ferments –coffee has a natural fermentation process—and then the worker come back the next morning and the beans are taken over to the drying beds and are turned over every couple of hours as they are drying. It is a very organic process because you sit there with your hands and move the coffee around. I love the feeling of moving the coffee around.
Does your family in Nicaragua help run the farm?
Yes, I have cousins who run my farm. I have so much family down there I can hardly keep track of them. Actually I put a gal in charge (Sandra) which is hard because they are such a male dominated society and look at women as lower class people, and I love that she is in charge. It is perfect for her because she can have her children with her as she is working on the farm and doesn’t have to pay for daycare.
NicaNelly: Nicaragua comes to Talent
A couple of years ago, my husband and I were saying “you know what would be really good, we want to bring our coffee up here to the States because it’s so good and we want to do something with it. There happened to be an import/export conference in Nicaragua. So we went to that and we learned all these different connections on getting stuff up here and we thought Oh this is cool. Now we know how to get the coffee up here and all this other stuff, but we don’t’ have any place to put it. My mom had a tenant in this ( NicaNelly) building, and shortly after we came back the tenant gave notice. So everything just fell into place and we figured Hey, let’s go for it and decided to import more.
What does the name NicaNelly mean?
Nica is slang for Nicaraguan so if I were to say I’m a Nicaraguan; I would say “Soy un Nica.” My mom’s name is Nelly and that is where we get the name.
Pottery
Marian _ who is not only the former mayor of Talent, but a lifelong potter had this to say about the pottery at NicaNelly: “ I have bought things here whenever I can, because it’s so beautiful and you have some of the best pots in the Valley. I would love for people to come and look at these pots.”
Jicaritas
The interesting thing about Nicaragua is that towns specialize in certain things. San Juan de Oriente you do pottery. Pottery is all over town because that is what they do there. Now the Jicaritas, they come from San Jorge and that is because that is where the trees are. So they (jicaritas) are like little gourds, and if you look at them they are so finely detailed in the way they are carved.
Do they have any meaning?
They give jicaritas to each other (similar to how we give greeting cards here in the States). My uncle had a party and he gave jicaritas to all of his guests as a thank you for coming.
Clothing
In Nicaragua, all of the embroidery etc. is put on the front of a garment only. I have a gal that makes all our clothing for the store. The stuff she makes for me goes all the way around the back because that is what I want. It is interesting, the women and the men, as well as the older children (high school age) they all sit around and sew. It’s kind of interesting to see the men sewing; it is odd because it is a male dominated society, but it is a family business. She also makes our shopping bags. What’s cool about that is she really gets to do her art stuff. No two are alike.
Hammocks
The great thing about these hammocks is the amount of material they put into them. There are three different sizes. I get a lot of firefighters that buy them (the mountaineering hammock) because they are out fighting fires for weeks but have no comfort. We also sell single seat hammocks and baby hammocks.
The Importance of Direct Trade
In terms of imports, there has been a lot of importance place on Fair trade. Your coffee is Direct Trade. What is direct trade and why should people choose something like it or fair trade coffee/items over things that aren’t?
That’s a good question. Our coffee [as well as the other items in our store (over 95% total)] is direct trade, which means the coffee comes directly from the farm to the store. I think we are the only direct trade roasters in Southern Oregon. Direct and fair trade items guarantees a more sustainable life for the people who are growing/making the items. For example, my workers are better taken care of then other people in the area. They all have houses on my farm not shanties or shacks, which is what you see down there. My workers have cinder block buildings with tile floors, bathrooms, running water and electricity, which is what rich people have down there. Over 80% of the population in Nicaragua still cooks off of wood—they don’t have propane and all this other stuff, like refrigeration. My workers also have health insurance, they’re well taken care of, they have a home, a salary and they can eat off of the farm.
So you are helping to improve people’s lives when you buy direct or fair trade?
Yes. One family at a time. In order to be classified as direct trade, you have to be able to go visit the place of origin once a year. Fair trade doesn’t compensate the artisans as much as direct trade, but they are still given a better wage than people who sell directly to the market. I do buy some other coffee here in the states to sell along with my own Catalina. My dark roast consists of Columbian and Peruvian coffee that is organic and fair trade, because it is about sustainability.
You are invited to stop by and sample coffee from Jennifer’s farm and take home some custom roasted beans for yourself: It only takes about 30 minutes to get your custom roast or call ahead and pick it up later! NicaNelly is located at 301 East Wagner Road in Talent. (541) 535-2332 www.nicanelly.com
This month I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with Jennifer Hanson, owner of NicaNelly in Talent for an interview. I learned loads about coffee, what it means to be a direct trade business and that I can’t wait to visit Nicaragua for myself.
Santa Catalina: How the farm started
About six years ago my father had passed on and about five years ago my mom said “let’s go to Nicaragua and find a little place where I can go and be warm.” So I said “Mom, if you’re going to buy a place, why don’t we get something together and get a little business.” I have always been fascinated by the coffee in Nicaragua. As a teenager I tried Nicaraguan coffee and I thought it was the best tasting coffee I’d ever had, and so I’ve always been kind of hooked on it. We have family down there because my mom was born there. We had family looking for us and they found a little coffee farm that was in distress. Of course they didn’t consider it distressed. I do because there was trash everywhere, and they hadn’t been maintaining it. So what we did was we bought that, went through and cleaned it up and started maintaining it.
From plant to store: How Coffee becomes coffee
How often do you visit the farm?
I went down in November (2008) and then I just went down in February. So, I think a lot of it depends on what is happening with the harvest: November is the beginning of the Harvest season. When we were down in November my husband and I made more drying beds because drying beds are the best way to dry your coffee. So we made more drying beds and got the farm ready for the harvest. We went down in February to get ready for the container. The coffee takes months to process. In February, when I went down, I made sure the final steps of the coffee processing were completed. I also made a pallet for the coffee to sit on so it wouldn’t sit on the floor on the farm. I instructed my farm administrator, Sandra, on how I wanted the coffee packed for the container. While I was there, I also purchased odd items such as concrete planters and little palm trees. These are items that my exporter would not typically assist us in purchasing. So I will collect items that I think will be of interest for NicaNelly and I bring then to my farm for storage while we wait for the other items to be ready. My shipper then comes and packs them.
How do you decide what grade the coffee is?
We go through an intense amount of sorting. What we do is we put all the coffee cherries in a barrel and fill it with water. All of the floaters are bad. So all of the floaters are immediately discarded. Then, they are put into the pulper which separates the cherry from the beans. The pulp is made into fertilizer and the beans are put back into the water barrel: Anything that floats is discarded.
So it is a process of elimination?
Yes. Then it sits over night as it ferments –coffee has a natural fermentation process—and then the worker come back the next morning and the beans are taken over to the drying beds and are turned over every couple of hours as they are drying. It is a very organic process because you sit there with your hands and move the coffee around. I love the feeling of moving the coffee around.
Does your family in Nicaragua help run the farm?
Yes, I have cousins who run my farm. I have so much family down there I can hardly keep track of them. Actually I put a gal in charge (Sandra) which is hard because they are such a male dominated society and look at women as lower class people, and I love that she is in charge. It is perfect for her because she can have her children with her as she is working on the farm and doesn’t have to pay for daycare.
NicaNelly: Nicaragua comes to Talent
A couple of years ago, my husband and I were saying “you know what would be really good, we want to bring our coffee up here to the States because it’s so good and we want to do something with it. There happened to be an import/export conference in Nicaragua. So we went to that and we learned all these different connections on getting stuff up here and we thought Oh this is cool. Now we know how to get the coffee up here and all this other stuff, but we don’t’ have any place to put it. My mom had a tenant in this ( NicaNelly) building, and shortly after we came back the tenant gave notice. So everything just fell into place and we figured Hey, let’s go for it and decided to import more.
What does the name NicaNelly mean?
Nica is slang for Nicaraguan so if I were to say I’m a Nicaraguan; I would say “Soy un Nica.” My mom’s name is Nelly and that is where we get the name.
Pottery
Marian _ who is not only the former mayor of Talent, but a lifelong potter had this to say about the pottery at NicaNelly: “ I have bought things here whenever I can, because it’s so beautiful and you have some of the best pots in the Valley. I would love for people to come and look at these pots.”
Jicaritas
The interesting thing about Nicaragua is that towns specialize in certain things. San Juan de Oriente you do pottery. Pottery is all over town because that is what they do there. Now the Jicaritas, they come from San Jorge and that is because that is where the trees are. So they (jicaritas) are like little gourds, and if you look at them they are so finely detailed in the way they are carved.
Do they have any meaning?
They give jicaritas to each other (similar to how we give greeting cards here in the States). My uncle had a party and he gave jicaritas to all of his guests as a thank you for coming.
Clothing
In Nicaragua, all of the embroidery etc. is put on the front of a garment only. I have a gal that makes all our clothing for the store. The stuff she makes for me goes all the way around the back because that is what I want. It is interesting, the women and the men, as well as the older children (high school age) they all sit around and sew. It’s kind of interesting to see the men sewing; it is odd because it is a male dominated society, but it is a family business. She also makes our shopping bags. What’s cool about that is she really gets to do her art stuff. No two are alike.
Hammocks
The great thing about these hammocks is the amount of material they put into them. There are three different sizes. I get a lot of firefighters that buy them (the mountaineering hammock) because they are out fighting fires for weeks but have no comfort. We also sell single seat hammocks and baby hammocks.
The Importance of Direct Trade
In terms of imports, there has been a lot of importance place on Fair trade. Your coffee is Direct Trade. What is direct trade and why should people choose something like it or fair trade coffee/items over things that aren’t?
That’s a good question. Our coffee [as well as the other items in our store (over 95% total)] is direct trade, which means the coffee comes directly from the farm to the store. I think we are the only direct trade roasters in Southern Oregon. Direct and fair trade items guarantees a more sustainable life for the people who are growing/making the items. For example, my workers are better taken care of then other people in the area. They all have houses on my farm not shanties or shacks, which is what you see down there. My workers have cinder block buildings with tile floors, bathrooms, running water and electricity, which is what rich people have down there. Over 80% of the population in Nicaragua still cooks off of wood—they don’t have propane and all this other stuff, like refrigeration. My workers also have health insurance, they’re well taken care of, they have a home, a salary and they can eat off of the farm.
So you are helping to improve people’s lives when you buy direct or fair trade?
Yes. One family at a time. In order to be classified as direct trade, you have to be able to go visit the place of origin once a year. Fair trade doesn’t compensate the artisans as much as direct trade, but they are still given a better wage than people who sell directly to the market. I do buy some other coffee here in the states to sell along with my own Catalina. My dark roast consists of Columbian and Peruvian coffee that is organic and fair trade, because it is about sustainability.
You are invited to stop by and sample coffee from Jennifer’s farm and take home some custom roasted beans for yourself: It only takes about 30 minutes to get your custom roast or call ahead and pick it up later! NicaNelly is located at 301 East Wagner Road in Talent. (541) 535-2332 www.nicanelly.com
Breakfast Rules at Black Bear Diner
Black Bear Diner: A Breakfast Lover’s Paradise
Our favorite meal at my house is breakfast which usually includes your basics: Eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns and pancakes, biscuits and gravy or toast; depending, on our mood. You can bet that when we go out for breakfast we are pretty harsh critics. We have our few favorites as far as local restaurants go, but nothing that has really wowed us. That is until we visited the Black Bear Diner in Medford. We stopped in as a fluke…we were on our way to an appointment when we got a call that we needed to reschedule. We decided to stop and grab a bite since we were already out. We had just passed the Black Bear and my husband and I decided we would give it a go.
As soon as we walked up to the front door, the owner’s love of bears and the outdoors was apparent. The giant fountain surrounded by carved and lacquered bears next to the front door was fun and intricate, and fit the restaurant perfectly. We were promptly seated, but were slow to get to our booth because we were both looking around at all of the interesting décor; from the bear and moose wallpaper border to the myriad of different bear trinkets that decorated the place. The far wall had a beautiful mural of a woods scene at sunset painted on it, which was quite nice to look at while we waited for our food.
Our waitress was very nice, and brought our menus which were fashioned like a newspaper page and filled with delicious looking omelets, pancakes and skillets: And that was only the breakfast section. They also had a tremendous amount of lunch and dinner specials to choose from, along with dessert. A great thing to note is that the prices were comparable, if not modest, compared to similar restaurants in the Valley. We had already decided we would try the breakfast, since we had heard good things about it before from friends. The menu was full of interesting facts about how the restaurant began (Read the interesting history at www.blackbeardiner.com) as well as the food. It was nice to know a little history behind the establishment, and it gave us something to do while we waited.
My husband ordered the BIGFOOT chicken fried Steak & eggs while I ordered the sweet cream pancakes with eggs and hash browns. The BIGFOOT promised ” ¾ lb of the best chicken fried steak” which my husband scoffed at since his experience with restaurants and chicken fried steak had been poor to very poor until now. However, we were both amazed and surprised when our food came. My husband’s plate…no…platter was HUGE and it truly did deliver the biggest chicken fried steak I had seen. My pancakes were the size of a regular salad plate, and my eggs were light and fluffy. The thing I was most amazed by was the fact that Black Bear makes fresh strip cut has browns: As opposed to the rehydrated ones that most places seem to be (too) fond of. My husband’s chicken fried steak was delicious—I just had to have a bite—and was covered in REAL sausage gravy. Not packaged gravy, not homemade gravy that turned out to be nothing more than oily flour, but actual gravy: flavorful and delicious. My sweet cream pancakes were like nothing I have ever had. They reminded me of yellow cake, but without the sweetness. They are definitely a must have!
I have to say that both of us were impressed by the food and the service at Black Bear Diner. It is rare that you get a quality meal, especially a breakfast, that doesn’t cost a lot; along with great service all in one place. We will definitely be heading back to try some of the other dishes at Black Bear soon.
Black Bear Diner is located at 1150 East Barnett Road in Medford. 773-4060 www.blackbeardiner.com
Our favorite meal at my house is breakfast which usually includes your basics: Eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns and pancakes, biscuits and gravy or toast; depending, on our mood. You can bet that when we go out for breakfast we are pretty harsh critics. We have our few favorites as far as local restaurants go, but nothing that has really wowed us. That is until we visited the Black Bear Diner in Medford. We stopped in as a fluke…we were on our way to an appointment when we got a call that we needed to reschedule. We decided to stop and grab a bite since we were already out. We had just passed the Black Bear and my husband and I decided we would give it a go.
As soon as we walked up to the front door, the owner’s love of bears and the outdoors was apparent. The giant fountain surrounded by carved and lacquered bears next to the front door was fun and intricate, and fit the restaurant perfectly. We were promptly seated, but were slow to get to our booth because we were both looking around at all of the interesting décor; from the bear and moose wallpaper border to the myriad of different bear trinkets that decorated the place. The far wall had a beautiful mural of a woods scene at sunset painted on it, which was quite nice to look at while we waited for our food.
Our waitress was very nice, and brought our menus which were fashioned like a newspaper page and filled with delicious looking omelets, pancakes and skillets: And that was only the breakfast section. They also had a tremendous amount of lunch and dinner specials to choose from, along with dessert. A great thing to note is that the prices were comparable, if not modest, compared to similar restaurants in the Valley. We had already decided we would try the breakfast, since we had heard good things about it before from friends. The menu was full of interesting facts about how the restaurant began (Read the interesting history at www.blackbeardiner.com) as well as the food. It was nice to know a little history behind the establishment, and it gave us something to do while we waited.
My husband ordered the BIGFOOT chicken fried Steak & eggs while I ordered the sweet cream pancakes with eggs and hash browns. The BIGFOOT promised ” ¾ lb of the best chicken fried steak” which my husband scoffed at since his experience with restaurants and chicken fried steak had been poor to very poor until now. However, we were both amazed and surprised when our food came. My husband’s plate…no…platter was HUGE and it truly did deliver the biggest chicken fried steak I had seen. My pancakes were the size of a regular salad plate, and my eggs were light and fluffy. The thing I was most amazed by was the fact that Black Bear makes fresh strip cut has browns: As opposed to the rehydrated ones that most places seem to be (too) fond of. My husband’s chicken fried steak was delicious—I just had to have a bite—and was covered in REAL sausage gravy. Not packaged gravy, not homemade gravy that turned out to be nothing more than oily flour, but actual gravy: flavorful and delicious. My sweet cream pancakes were like nothing I have ever had. They reminded me of yellow cake, but without the sweetness. They are definitely a must have!
I have to say that both of us were impressed by the food and the service at Black Bear Diner. It is rare that you get a quality meal, especially a breakfast, that doesn’t cost a lot; along with great service all in one place. We will definitely be heading back to try some of the other dishes at Black Bear soon.
Black Bear Diner is located at 1150 East Barnett Road in Medford. 773-4060 www.blackbeardiner.com
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Ode to Oatmeal
Stinky oatmeal farts
why are you here?
Ravaging my intestinal track
smelly, like rotten eggs or methane leaks.
You come, like clockwork
four to six hours after tasty breakfast.
Leave my body in peace, and my husband too!
He covers his nose and I laugh!
I cannot cover my shame.
Oh stinky oatmeal farts,
Why do you pester me so?
why are you here?
Ravaging my intestinal track
smelly, like rotten eggs or methane leaks.
You come, like clockwork
four to six hours after tasty breakfast.
Leave my body in peace, and my husband too!
He covers his nose and I laugh!
I cannot cover my shame.
Oh stinky oatmeal farts,
Why do you pester me so?
2am
Up again, it’s 2am
My head keeps going wheels spinning
Can’t shut down the thoughts go round and round like a pinwheel
Spinning, twirling, dancing in my head.
Worry sits on me, crushing me, consuming me
Until I can’t breath.
Maybe if I try I can cry
Release the river of emotion; damned forever?
Must run a way and hide from the solitude of 2am
Up again, dancing thoughts
Wondering who I am.
My head keeps going wheels spinning
Can’t shut down the thoughts go round and round like a pinwheel
Spinning, twirling, dancing in my head.
Worry sits on me, crushing me, consuming me
Until I can’t breath.
Maybe if I try I can cry
Release the river of emotion; damned forever?
Must run a way and hide from the solitude of 2am
Up again, dancing thoughts
Wondering who I am.
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