Goodbye Tarpa!

Today I leave Tarpa for the Ukraine. Many thanks to my dear friend Joli (photo)and her warm hospitality. Her cottage was so lovely and comfortable (photo).

A popular Hungarian custom is to cook schonka, a cured ham over fire. Cooked slowly on a limb of acacia or oak, bits of fat and meat are removed as it cooks and grease drippings are rubbed on bread. This meal is usually accompanied by pepper, cucumber, turnip, onions or tomatoes.
Tarpa is famous for pallenka, a brandy made from plum and apple trees. Pallenka is enjoyed sometimes before meals, even breakfast. Also acacia trees abound and its cluster of white flowers are enjoyed by bees resulting in an exquisite, light tasting honey. A local white, light fruit wine comes from the grapes grown on the little mountain in Tarpa, a residual of the Carpathian Mountain range. Cherry trees line the village's streets and like the plums, are made into jams, and traditional sauces and soups.

Tarpa, Hungary ... a village of 2000+ citizens

This house was built in 1859!








My neighbor is harvesting lettuce and parsley for me. Sheep, sheep and more sheep. No counting the sheep and no sleeping please. A bee gave me a kiss on my forehead for this photo.

goodbye Budapest

Trams, trolleys, buses, and trains have been my mode of transportation while in Budapest. It is a reminder how obsessed Americans are with the car culture. A train will take me to northern Hungary today for Tarpa for several days. Arrangements are being made for me to stay on a farm in Ukraine near the border after my stay in Tarpa.
One more note about Budapest... the suburbs have numerous backyard gardens anointed with lettuce, onions, tomato starts and more! Grapes, cherries (are ripping!) and walnut trees are common. Raw milk is available including fresh, local eggs. I am relishing the local mushrooms and the spring rain.
hugs, your kimski

This is my last day in Budapest and will take a train tomorrow morning for Tarpa, a village near the Ukrainian border. I will be staying on a sheep farm and visiting neighboring grape-peach farmers. The accompanying photos are of Budapest's central market and my lovely hostesses, Pearl and Agi. The central market is around 100 years old and sits next to the Danube. Hope everyone is smiling. my worm regards, kimski

Spring in Hungary

Spring in Hungary is full of delights. Residuals at a tram stop reflect much about the state of affairs.

Roadside chlorophyll is astounding. Winter wheat is belly high, wildflowers are impressionistic, and the acacia trees are in full bloom. FYI, acacia honey is a delicacy and is sold to Western European countries

Whereas the shops in Hungary sell honey imported from China.

This stampede of horses woke me up from my slumber while picknicking in a countryside meadow.

The Hungarian beer is giving me relief from jet lag particularly when consumed on the Danube River.

My hostesses Pearl and Agi are taking good care of me. They are insuring that I experience Hungarian foods, and the plum and fresh mushroom sauces over dumplings or pork are a culinary delight. We enjoyed one afternoon adding to their garden, planting some tomato seedlings and seeds from Native Seed Search, including installing a composting pit. They are the newest members of the Food Hoe Club and hopefully all others are hoeing down. My worm regards to my peps! I am off in the middle of the week to a village of 2000 on the Hungarian-Ukraine border assisting a sheep farmer. More stories to follow... your kimski

Tucson's Chicken Revolutionists

Max and I are attending to Natalie Rose's food needs on my Tucson urban farm. She is the princess pullet with pluck and mettle. 

On May 14th, 08 I arrive in Hungary to kick off my summer of travel through Eastern Europe, Ukraine and Russia to visit farms, farmers' markets and friends kitchens. Come join me on my summer of food hoeing!