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This blog post is guest-written by Jebediah Forrester, a 158-year old man.
I don't know about your upbringing, but when I was a toddler growing up in the mid-19th century, I used to love the harvest festival.
After a long season of working 16-hour days in my family's thistle orchards, Pappy would finally let me and my 21 siblings take a day off, and we'd gather 'round a pan of Mama's corn pone and a pot of steaming thistle stew and enjoy each other's company without worrying which of us wouldn't survive the harsh Kansa-homa Winter.
The best parts of the harvest festival have been kept alive with Slide Ranch's annual Harvest Celebration. Sure, there's not as much dysentary, and you can milk goats instead of the traditional prairie marmot, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more authentic harvest celebration this side of Amish country.
On Saturday, October 10th from 10am to 4pm, come to Slide Ranch for:
Scarecrow making - Now in my day, we used witchcraft to transform disobedient children into statues, but I understand these will be made primarily from straw. (Sigh) Simpler times...
Wool spinning - In addition to spinning wool for clothes, we'd also spin sheep for entertainment. You'd get the sheep as dizzy as possible and then race them across the barn. Then you'd eat the loser. And the winner. We were hungry in those days.
Relaxing in the garden - A lot of people think that we didn't know the meaning of the word "relax," and that's not true. We just defined it differently: "the time between when your heart stops beating, and your body finishes decomposing."
Coastal hikes - If by hikes you mean back-breaking work, and by coastal you mean in the thistle orchard, then yes, we did go on coastal hikes.
Great live music - I was actually a classically trained jug-blower and washboard player back in the day. I had ambitions to go pro until a giant tumbleweed came and destroyed the local symphony.
Now, the bad news is that it does cost money: $20 a head in advance, or $25 at the gate. $75 for families of 4 or more.
But the good news is kids two and under get in for free, as opposed in my day, when kids under two would have to work the fields for 16 hours at a time. And if they complained? No thistle stew for them that night!
So come on down to the Slide Ranch Harvest Celebration. Marvel at nature's bounty, and be grateful you don't live in a era when you actually have to live with her as your cruel, cruel mistress.
There's hardly any need for me to tell you about the upcoming hootenanny on September 26th. I know you're all such cool people that you knew about it weeks ago. Shucks, you practically invented the word.
But just in case someone stumbles across this blog who isn't as cool as you, here are the vitals:
KWMR, the best (only?) West Marin radio station is throwing its semi-annual Hootenanny on 9/26/09 from 12pm to 4pm. That means if you miss it, you'll have to wait another 6 months to find out what you actually missed.
Those of you in attendance can expect to find live music, a BBQ, and an open house. So you can listen to tunes while walking through the station and getting your grub on. Not too shabby.
So, to summarize:
You go here:
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At 12pm on September 26th, 2009. Then you have fun. Hootenanny.
 Surfing. One of the Left Coast’s great pastimes. Daunting,
yes, but rewarding? Doubly so. I can understand the apprehension that might
come along with a first surfing lesson, but if you’re willing to overcome your
hesitation, there’s an incredible world that awaits you. Fact: Surfing will make you cooler.
It doesn’t matter how old you are. You + surfing = cooler
you. The amount of coolness-increase you experience is, however, at least
loosely correlated to how well you surf. In other words, if you spend all day
eating waves, you might now achieve your maximum coolness. Practice, makes
perfect.
Myth: Surfing is the most dangerous sport ever.
There are many more dangerous sports than surfing,
especially if you consider competitive Russian roulette a sport. Seriously
though, you have a far better chance of getting into a car accident than you do
having a shark attack you. Is that comforting? That was meant to be comforting.
Fact: Riding a wave is the best feeling in the world.
There is a downside to this, namely that other important
events such as your wedding day, the birth of a child, or winning the lottery
will pale in comparison. However,
most surfers find the trade worthwhile.
Myth: Surfing is the heroin of sports.
In most important aspects, this is not true.
Fact: Surfing might make you talk like a surfer
It might also turn you into a member of the Beach Boys. This
was more desirable several decades ago.
Myth: Humans are the only animals that surf.
As we have learned from animated documentaries, both
penguins and chickens are also able to surf.
Fact: If a penguin challenges you to surf, it will win.
Don’t surf against penguins until you’re very confident in
your surfing abilities, and have a large bucket of small fish to distract them
with.
Myth: Surfing is expensive.
Aside from the aforementioned bucket of fish, there are very
few costs to surfing. Oceans are free, and you can rent a board and a wetsuit
from Bolinas Surf Shop for about $25. A group lesson, a greatidea for a first timer, is about $50.
So basically, you need to get out there and try. It’s
nothing short of the best thing you’ll ever do in your life. Ever. 
 Carrots. Photo courtesy of Annie Fox. Growing up I was a huge fan of eating, which naturally led to another passion: cooking. I once heard the essence of the culinary arts distilled as thus: 1. Start with great ingredients. 2. Don't mess it up. Solid, solid advice. So if you're likewise gastronomically inclined, you're now wondering, where can I get the best ingredients? When in Marin, do as the Marinites do and check out a farmer's market. Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, there's no better place to get the freshest most delicious produce you've ever had. You'll get the first crack at whatever's in season and that's the start of a great meal. Paraphrasing Chef Tom Colicchio in his excellent book, Think Like A Chef, chefs get inspired to cook a meal based on the best available produce. The proteins don't really change from season to season, but the first crop of kale, or white nectarines, or summer squashes-- now that's something to get excited about. With that in mind, you should really hit up the Point Reyes Farmers' Market next time you're free between 9am and 1pm on a Saturday. In fact, I can give you 6 reasons why you owe it to yourself to check it out. 1. They have free samples there. Free samples are usually enough of a reason to get me to go anywhere (especially Costco). Here you have the added bonus of learning by trial and error how to judge good produce. Your senses will be tuned to ninja-like levels of precision in touch, smell, taste, and sight. Hearing... will probably be unaffected, unless you're listening to the fruit hawker telling you "yes, this one is ripe," which is a good idea too.
2. Royalty have been there. In November 2005, Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall went to the market. Are you going to stand there and tell me that you're better than royalty? That you're too good to shop where the royals shop? Check for ripeness what the royals check for ripeness? Freely sample what the royals freely sample? I thought not. 3. The environment. There's a lot of talk about the impact our food has on the environment and how much better it is to eat local, organic, and seasonal. It's a very important issue, and I don't want to mince words here. If you buy anything at the farmers' market you will save the world. I don't mean this figuratively. Any purchase that you make at the farmers' market will single-handedly solve every environmental problem we are currently facing. Literally. So buy an organic nectarine so we can stop worrying about this global warming thing already. 4. Music. The live kind. Played by people, and or cyborgs that look like people. Either way it'll sound really good and you won't know the difference. 5. You can make the best meal that you've ever had. As delicious as the restaurants in West Marin are, a lot of taste is the experience that goes with it. Picking the best ingredients out with the help of its growers is a great start. Plus, if you're stumped for dish ideas, the growers will know some great ones. If you want to put your time and energy into making one great meal, you'll create a dish and an experience that you'll remember for a long time. 6. There will be oysters. 'Nuff said.
The foundation of any good time is the knowledge that you're experiencing something unique. Chance and circumstance have conspired to give you a moment that you're lucky to catch and will never come again.
It's with an eye to the unique that I'm letting you know about an opportunity to culture yourselves at the upcoming West Marin Review release party, August 16th, Sunday, 4pm.
Since the last Harry Potter book was released two years ago, the literary world has been yearning for the next big event that would whip readers everywhere into a frenzy and trigger a mass of literate-hysteria. I'm letting you know right now: the West Marin Review, Volume 2 release party is that event that we've been waiting for.
The West Marin Review is a literary and art journal that features some of the best talent in the area such as Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Hass, California Award winner Philip Fradkin, and influencial poet Joanne Kyger.
If they were selling tickets to this thing, the tickets would be sold out. People would be camped out for weeks around the venue, Toby's Feed Barn Gallery in Point Reyes, just to get a glimpse of all the talent that will read there. Inexplicably, but lucky for you, the event is free and you won't even have to set up a tent outside of Toby's to be assured a seat. All you have to do is show up on August 16th ready to be blown away by the blinding convergence of literary and artistic talent that happens only once in a generation. And yes, there will be refreshments provided.
This Boston Globe article by Jonathan Levitt does a great job of capturing the spirit of West Marin as seen by a visitor.  Cowgirl Creamery's signature cheese, Mt. Tam. Photo courtesy of Cowgirl Creamery. Drool courtesy of you.
If you haven't gotten enough cheese through simply buying and consuming it, you'll no doubt want to get the most out of your creamery experience and sign up for a tour. I can assure you that unlike watching a sausage being made, watching cheese being made only enhances your enjoyment of the food afterward. Book in advance here to ensure that the tour doesn't get sold out, lest you spend the rest of your days weeping, wondering what might've been.
Now, devoted readers of this blog are well-acquainted with the people who won't go anywhere unless there are oysters present. You know who you are. With that in mind, next on Levitt's list of greatest hits is Drakes Bay Oyster Farms. To put it mildy, yes, there are oysters there. Fresh, clean, delicious oysters. Buy a net-full from Kevin the owner, sit on the shore at the edge of the continent with the rest of California at your back, and get to shucking.
The last of Levitt's picks that I need to mention is the Green Gulch Farm Zen Center. If you've ever thought to yourself, "I love working on farms and Zen meditation, but I can never seem to do both in the same location," then this place might be for you.
GGFZC (clearly not named with its acronym in mind) puts on a slew of programs as diverse as the basics of bread making and the basics of composting, though presumably not at the same time. There's a cool meditation/lecture/lunch program every Sunday that seems like a good deal for its suggested donation of $13. Side note: I'm pretty sure monks study kung fu so their suggestions of donations can hold a little more weight. As a rule, I usually listen to the suggestion of most people who can kill me five ways with two fingers.
So, tea ceremonies, cheese tours, and bivalves. And I didn't even cover half of Levitt's highlights. There's a great big world out there. Better start sharpening your oyster knife.
Coming 7/25/09 to Love Field in Point Reyes...
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There's so much good stuff here, only an FAQ will be able to handle it all. Q.What is it? A. A massive music festival. Q. Why? A. Because music festivals are awesome. Also to raise money for KWMR and Love Field. Unless you hate love, fields, and local radio stations you have no business avoiding this festival. Q. Who's playing? Q. Should I be impressed? A. Yes. This is a very cool and very eclectic line-up. It has hip-hop, indie, afrobeat, country and more. If you have ears, you'll find something you like. Even if you don't have ears, there'll be food. If you have no mouth, I really don't know what to tell you. Q. I now understand life will be pointless if I don't go to this concert. When is it? A. Saturday, July 25th, 2009. It starts at 11am and goes until it's over. Tickets for adults are $25 in advance, and $30 at the door. It's only $10 if you're 21 or under. Buy 'em here and start counting down the days until awesomeness. Q. I refuse to go to concerts unless there are oysters. Will there be oysters? Q. I hate oysters but enjoy eating local food. Will there be local food? A. Also yes. And to preempt any other questions, there'll also be craft vendors, a pickin' porch (whatever that is), and "circus acts"... although I don't know which ones. Maybe an elephant on a tightrope, maybe just a flaming hoop. Maybe both. Come see for yourself. Q. Sweet, I'll be there. A. That's not really a question. Q. Er... will I be there? A. Yes. Yes, you will.
With the NBA finals now over, another event must step up and fill the need for exciting competition. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the paddle race! 
For the second year in a row, there will be the Shore-to-Shore Paddle Board race from Bolinas to Stinson and it promises gripping drama, intense athleticism, and moving across several miles of ocean in floating watercrafts. Come to the finish line at Stinson Beach Federal Park to watch the exciting conclusion! The race will start at 9:00 AM on June 20th and proceeds will go to the venerable Stinson Beach Junior Lifeguard program and the Surfrider Foundation. If that wasn't incentive enough, there will also be a beach clean up and picnic following the race, all as part of the International Surfing Day. And if you haven't gotten enough surf culture, there's one more thing worth checking out. From 3-5 PM, there will be an art opening and reception at the Bolinas Museum. Internationally-known photographer Brown Cannon
III will be attending to show off his exhibit Surface, which features "dramatic images of the oceans mounted on surfboards."
You might fall in love with one and want to buy it, which raises the question, can you put a price on art? The answer is yes. $6,500. Fall in love carefully.
 There's a lot to love about the West Marin coastline: it's gorgeous, great for surfing, and has more varieties of birds than you can shake a telephoto lens at.
But what happens when you're all set to sunbathe at the beach only to find that it's overcast, windy, and a hair above freezing? I found myself in the same situation just last week, and rather than bemoan the fact that Muir Beach wasn't Waikiki (or after our teeth were chattering too much to bemoan effectively), my friends and I hunkered down and created a memorable experience for ourselves. Here's how to make the most of your cloudy beach day: 1. There's no such thing as bad weather...
...only bad clothing. Bring layers. And layers. And a few more layers on top of that. Wrapping yourself in towels and blankets only adds to the sense of adventure, especially if you and your friends/family look slightly ridiculous. Being prepared for the coldest that Mother Nature has to offer goes a long way to making the trip a happy memory instead of a traumatic one. 2. Food, glorious food.
The only thing worse than being cold is being cold and hungry. Go into survival mode by packing an assortment of delicious snacks, treats, and drinks. Sandwiches? Check. Bag of cookies? Double check. Thermos of hot, life-sustaining coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? Check plus. Food = energy = you keeping your body heat up and not freezing to death. And it's delicious. So eat something, you're all skin and bones. 3. Capture the moment.
Cloudy days offer some of the greatest photo opportunities because you don't have to deal with the hassle of shadows. Set the white balance on your camera to cloudy (a picture of a cloud) and start walking the beach, bundled up in blankets, well-fed, and looking for adventure. 4. Fire good!
[Disclaimer: the only beach that I know you can have fires at is Muir Beach, and only in the designated fire rings. All other beaches follow a strict "fire bad" policy, just like Frankenstein's monster.] Our cro-magnon ancestors had it right: fire good. In fact, fire very good. So bring a bundle of logs to a fire pit and bask in the loving glow of its warmth. Roast marshmallows, char processed meat on sticks, and be grateful for having a roof over your head whenever you want one. 5. Wind good! Instead of being whipped around by the wind's cold chill, harness its awesome power for your own entertainment! Take the old kite for a spin and rejoice in the child-like wonder that ensues.
It's very nice to spend a day at the beach relaxing under the summer sun, tanning and burning ourselves to our hearts' content. But ask yourself: how many different times can you actually remember spending a perfect day at the beach? If you're like me, all those cloudless, sunny days have started to blur together, and while pleasurable, adding one more to the mix isn't necessarily going to stand out in your memories.
But a day under the clouds, watching the cold waves lap at the shore while you sip hot chocolate around a fire you built, huddled with friends and family, wrapped in an assortment of blankets and towels-- now that's a day worth remembering for years to come.
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