Raspberries used to remind me of Robitussin, until I met my farm neighbor Heather.
I remember seeing Heather pull up at the farm asking if she can help out— just a burst of energy and joy.
The first day I walked over to her house, I didn’t leave without a plate of food and her offering me a room at her place (remind you, we just met!). The mornings she’d come to the farm, we’d go through the harvest rundown of squashes, tomatoes, beans, peppers, more tomatoes, and my favorite (to eat), raspberries. Sidenote: I finally understand why raspberries are so expensive at the market! They’re so delicate and hard to pick!
It wasn't until the farm that I realized how much I LOVE herbs. The unique taste of herbs and red wine add that extra oomph to a simple recipe like jam.
When the weather got extremely hot and I could not sleep at night because of my numerous mosquito bites, I escaped to Heather’s place. She loved on me like her very own daughter from the little things like getting me groceries to being a spiritual support I could confide in. She introduced me to berry wine, pork loin, and honey from her dad's very own beehives! AND I introduced her to raspberry Swiss roll cake, Hokkaido milk bread, and fruit tarts!
In the short 6 weeks of knowing her, tears were shed, laughs were shared, and memories were engraved. She and her husband have five lovely daughters, all of whom I've shared some memorable experiences with, like Starbucks runs, horseback riding, TikTok dances, and goat yoga! Towards the end of my farm stay, I just ended up crashing at Heather’s. (Hence, my extended stay.) I still think: if it weren't for the gap year and WWOOF, we wouldn't have crossed paths. Regardless, whenever I eat raspberries on this side of the country, it reminds me of all the memorable harvests we shared.
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26)
The Person in Mind
Heather's favorite dessert is homemade berry cobbler (specifically blackberries, peach, and raspberry)! She's a bit hesitant about trying new food, so I was so happy she loved my raspberry Swiss roll cake. We still catch up pretty much every week, so I can hear her voice, "Well hello sweetheart, how are you??"