Methow
By Joanna Bastian
Thirty degrees feels absolutely balmy after December’s initial foray into single-digit temperatures. The current beach-worthy weather has done little to diminish my coat envy. It is time for a new warm coat, especially since my overly qualified herding dog tried to save me and my down jacket with her teeth during a fun sledding moment. Now, every time I wave my arms or clap my hands, (which, curiously enough, happens more often than one might think) a flurry of feathers poof out of my jacket and into the air. Hence, the coat envy.
It’s probably why I like the Scottish Highland cows at Willowbrook Farm so much. Blame it on coat envy.
Their big furry coats not only look warm, but stylish, too. There is a benefit to cows with coats: The meat is lower in fat and cholesterol than the regular steaks you buy at the supermarket. A whopping 38 percent less fat, according to a study done by the Scottish Agricultural College, published by McCance & Widdowson, Ministry of Agriculture. If I wear a warm wooly coat, maybe my fat content will also drop by 38 percent. My coat envy has just increased.
Cameron Green and Eric Wittenback brought the Scottish Highland cows to Willowbrook Farm in Carlton about two years ago. The heartier build of the hairy brutes can withstand our cold snowy winters, and the long horns ward off predators. “They are domesticated, but a little wilder. When they feel threatened, they charge,” Eric explained. He went on to share a story about the time a normally docile female pinned him up against a shed when she thought he was too close to her baby.
Willowbrook Farm is nestled up against a hillside and along the banks of the Methow River in Carlton. The land used to be all orchards. Up until last year, there was a small white cottage in the middle of the garden, once used as the cook house for the orchard workers. When Cameron and Eric removed the cottage, they found newspapers from 1890 stuffed into the walls and used as insulation.
Certified organic last year, the farm provides produce to the deli at Glover Street Market, the Mazama Store, the Cinnamon Twisp Bakery, and a host of other valley restaurants. Produce for general purchase is also available at the Twisp Farmers Market and the Carlton General Store. Says Cameron, “It is very rewarding to provide for our community. At the end of the day I never question what I’m doing.”
Eric’s farming philosophy is simple, “We want to leave the land better than when we found it.” By practicing low-impact, organic farming they are producing nutritious food without polluting the soil and water, as large commercial operations have been known to do. “It is so rewarding to be surrounded by abundance … not just the plants and produce, but also the birds and the bees.” As Eric spoke, Cameron nodded in agreement, a happy and satisfied smile spread across her face.
