Spent two days visiting the Brodehls in Portland. Leisurely time spent. Missed Dawn who was in Brooklyn doing an info. tent for Adidas at a festival at Coney Island. Who knows, maybe she had more fun. Went to the girl’s swim lessons each day after their summer camp. hiOut to dinner both nights. Always love seeing their family.

After two days we headed down to Falls City for 3 nights at Meg & Ben Willett’s 44 acre ranch. Shortly after we arrived, Ben drove up in his tractor with a culled intact goat in the scoop. They butcher a goat or lamb every 3 weeks for meat. Currently, there are 51 goat and sheep left, inc. a lot of new little ones.  Ben chopped off the dead goat’s head and hooves with an ax (dog food) then split the skull in half (2 dogs). Hung the carcass high off the tractor scoop and Meg & Ben took turns skinning the goat. After degutting and keeping desired organ meats (dogs get the rest), the body was quartered.

Meg does all the chartucherie in the kitchen.

Last night we BBQed goat ribs. Everything is picked from their extensive garden. Lettuce salad with beets and rutabaga, home grown potatoes, broccoli, all seasoning is freshly picked for each meal. Literally, “farm to table”.

Dessert was merrionberry ice cream. Celeste and I picked the berries, the cows gave the milk, the well gave the ice. All eggs are from their chickens.