Work on Friday brought me to Whitefield, Maine. Do you know where that is? Neither did I until I was assigned to facilitate a workshop there. I can now tell you that it is a land of LePage promotional posters, men in orange knit caps and, upon closer examination, much beauty.
The facilitation consisted of arriving early, setting up, giving a review PowerPoint on stream culvert planning basics and wandering around the woods. Upon my walks in the woods, in between "15 minute" and "5 minute" and "time's up!" exclamations, I looked closely at numerous details around me.
Here are some things I've learned while looking into describing these pictures below:
1. Those that study mosses and others in the Bryophyte family are called Bryologists.
2. Some mosses are carnivorous. Huh?
3. Reindeer eat moss to create an anti-freeze type quality in their blood
4. Moss was one of the first plants on earth as algae evolved into liverworts, lichen and moss
5. Mosses don't have roots but rhizoids instead to "root" them to trees or rocks
This incredibly long day (5:15am-5:15pm) was followed by a visit to Novare Res with my birding buddy. I've never been much for the food there but that is simply because I've never given it a chance (classic Katrina). D was hungry so we ordered some cheese and meat. Mmmmmmmm animal fat = love in my tummy. The cheeses and meats we chose included:
Lazy Lady Farm from Vermont-ashy amazing-ness. It was on special and I don't remember its name but it was creamy and flipping phenomenal
Vintage Gouda 3 year from Netherlands-Cow's milk cheese that is molten and flaky with toffee notes
Challerhocker from Switzerland-a thermalized cow's milk cheese that is firm and has a tinge of brown butter
Cremont from Vermont-a goat and cow's milk cheese that is manchego-like with a cider washed rind
Jamon Iberico from Spain-Salt cured pork leg from pigs fed acorns so it has a nutty richness
Iberico Salchichon from Spain-Pata negra acorn fed pork turned into dried sausage with sea salt
Speck from Italy-Cured pork leg with peppery and smokey flavors
Plates were served with baguette slices, mustard, honey, walnuts and a few pickled vegetables. I guarantee I will be back for more cheese and meat plates paired with Midas Touch beer (made by Dogfish Head) and Demi-Sec (Ashpall) cider.
My day was finished off at Local 188 with a house-made red wine sangria. I'm not a fan of red wine but this was excellent!
The facilitation consisted of arriving early, setting up, giving a review PowerPoint on stream culvert planning basics and wandering around the woods. Upon my walks in the woods, in between "15 minute" and "5 minute" and "time's up!" exclamations, I looked closely at numerous details around me.
Here are some things I've learned while looking into describing these pictures below:
1. Those that study mosses and others in the Bryophyte family are called Bryologists.
2. Some mosses are carnivorous. Huh?
3. Reindeer eat moss to create an anti-freeze type quality in their blood
4. Moss was one of the first plants on earth as algae evolved into liverworts, lichen and moss
5. Mosses don't have roots but rhizoids instead to "root" them to trees or rocks
This incredibly long day (5:15am-5:15pm) was followed by a visit to Novare Res with my birding buddy. I've never been much for the food there but that is simply because I've never given it a chance (classic Katrina). D was hungry so we ordered some cheese and meat. Mmmmmmmm animal fat = love in my tummy. The cheeses and meats we chose included:
Lazy Lady Farm from Vermont-ashy amazing-ness. It was on special and I don't remember its name but it was creamy and flipping phenomenal
Vintage Gouda 3 year from Netherlands-Cow's milk cheese that is molten and flaky with toffee notes
Challerhocker from Switzerland-a thermalized cow's milk cheese that is firm and has a tinge of brown butter
Cremont from Vermont-a goat and cow's milk cheese that is manchego-like with a cider washed rind
Jamon Iberico from Spain-Salt cured pork leg from pigs fed acorns so it has a nutty richness
Iberico Salchichon from Spain-Pata negra acorn fed pork turned into dried sausage with sea salt
Speck from Italy-Cured pork leg with peppery and smokey flavors
Plates were served with baguette slices, mustard, honey, walnuts and a few pickled vegetables. I guarantee I will be back for more cheese and meat plates paired with Midas Touch beer (made by Dogfish Head) and Demi-Sec (Ashpall) cider.
My day was finished off at Local 188 with a house-made red wine sangria. I'm not a fan of red wine but this was excellent!