What a start to winter! Record-setting snowfalls started just as we returned from our Thanksgiving travels, and haven’t stopped since. Thanks to our Liberty Prairie teammates, we enjoyed precious time away with family. We were asked by CSA members to share a bit about our travels.
Our family Thanksgiving was a bit different this year—we traveled thousands of miles to visit our son, who’s studying abroad in Barcelona. As farmers, we couldn’t resist learning more about agriculture in Spain and studying its vibrant food culture. We spent time in the foothills of the Pyrenees speaking with residents about the farming that surrounded us.
While the foothills contain mostly dairy and cattle operations, we spotted nearby farmers growing an interesting brassica forage crop for their animals. Observing it from the roadside made us wonder if we might use a similar strategy in some of our transitional fields next fall to help feed our animals and prepare them for winter.
In Girona, we savored regional pastries and in Barcelona, we admired the lovely savoy cabbage and frisée displays—from corner bodegas to the popular La Boqueria Market, which we visited repeatedly to experience the culture, meet vendors, and learn about their products. We later cooked with the market’s treasures when we learned to make vegetable tapas incorporating butternut squash, zucchini, and onions, plus Valencia-style paella featuring our favorite Romano green beans and fresh tomatoes.
When we travel, we always spend plenty of time outdoors hiking, exploring, and observing the region’s plants. While magnolia trees stood stoically outside Gaudí-designed houses, we hiked Parc Natural de la Serra de Collserola and discovered sweet alyssum, climbing bougainvillea, and abundant olive trees. We also toured the Gaudí-designed gardens at Park Güell, took time to smell the lavender, and learned from our guide about Gaudí’s original plan to host a farmers’ market in the center of the garden. We had fun imagining how we’d set up our own vegetable market display there.
On Thanksgiving night, we decided to do things entirely differently! We sat next to the Mediterranean Sea, celebrating with squid, anchovies, salted cod, and sardines, along with a bottle of cava, to savor Spain’s distinct flavors and textures.
We thought of our family (including all of you, our CSA members!) at home enjoying more traditional menus of turkey, root vegetables, cranberries, and apple cider. We felt grateful knowing we’d return to a place with plentiful food, allowing us to continue sharing with you year-round. Whether on vacation or at home, sharing a meal with family is what matters most—and sharing food with you is truly the best part of our job as farmers.
Thanks for reading. Enjoy this week’s bounty, and warm wishes for the New Year!
~ The Miller family and the Liberty Prairie team