tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65763891146020138382024-02-20T09:47:09.133-08:00The Little Red HenRev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-76300543212386703442013-10-02T07:12:00.002-07:002013-10-02T07:12:35.640-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">NEWS from the Little Red Hen Café</span></strong> </div>
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<o:p> </o:p>This goes out to all of the regular “Hen” customers, and
especially to those of you to whom I made a promise to be even more available after
the end of June. Instead, you may be wondering why the Hen has been closed all
summer.</div>
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I told myself I’d either open again by October 1<sup>st</sup>,
or decide to close the café indefinitely.</div>
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So, I’m writing to let you know that as of now, Little Red
Hen<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Café will remain closed. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, we have obtained full service
catering license and will re-open for all catering options this month! More on
that soon.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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But, for all who wish to know, here’s a brief explanation
and some thoughts for the future, especially regarding the restaurant and food
scene in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Springfield</st1:place></st1:city>:</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Did the café fail? </b>No! My vision
for the “Hen” café was to provide an alternative in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Springfield</st1:place></st1:city>, where folks could get food
that was fresh, locally sourced, hand-prepared, and a bit different, a
little more upscale without being overpriced. I believed we succeeded! We
had a wonderful group of very loyal customers who kept us going all year
and to all of you,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I miss you very much and am so grateful
for all of you patronage. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
still believe such a place <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will
succeed </i>in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Springfield</st1:place></st1:city>
at the Hen or elsewhere! I truly believe it is possible to serve fresh unprocessed,food without additives, preservatives, chemicals, or unnecessary packaging that tastes delicious and nourishes body and soul! For me, this is the key to longevity and sustainability, but I realize that the forces of commercialization have most folks convinced otherwise! I will still be eating this way, and serving local, wholesome foods at the Cinnamon House, and through my catering menus. We met so many of Springfield's wonderful citizens and look forward to working together for years to come. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Why can’t you just open for lunches again? </b>Our
B&B operation has become more demanding (this is great for us and for
Springfield!) and even though I have left my full time job, I have found
that paying attention to providing adequate hospitality at Cinnamon House,
caring for our adopted son Seth who has special needs, as well paying the
proper attention to my own health and well being, my farm and my husband,
is more than enough. It’s impossible for me to run the Hen alone, and
financially prohibitive to pay someone at this juncture.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Did you try other solutions? </b>I
spent about four months mulling over and seeking out solutions! I love
having the Hen open. My favorite thing about it is that it was becoming a
meeting place for folks, who loved chatting with each other and catching
up. Because of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trip Advisor</i>, we
were beginning to get visitors from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:country-region></st1:place> and Bradstown and
beyond! I signed up for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">HelpX</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WWoof</i>, two services where
young (and not so young) folks come and work in exchange for room and
board. We had a lot of interest, but none actually panned out.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What’s
next? </b>Currently, I am exploring donating the “front” of the Hen to a
local charity/non-profit who might be able to use it for on the job
training and rehab. So it may actually open again in some form, if only
for coffee, ice cream, sandwiches, and the like. I even tried to talk the
Amish folks into using it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I am currently open to suggestions.
However, any use would need to be sustainable and environmentally
friendly. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another option we are
exploring, as the B&B grows, is turning the café into a suite or
cottage.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">So! The catering. I
have already begun to do some catering for regional establishments and will be
looking to do more. We are now a full service caterer! The website for the HEN
will soon have a catering menu and a printable brochure. You can help us by
passing one along to any one you know who is looking for something a little
different than the same old same old this holiday season…. We can cater at your office, home or at the Cinnamon House. Just ask! We will work with
each customer to provide the freshest and most locally sourced ingredients
available. Thanks & Love.</b><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cynthia (& Eric)</b><br />
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Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-55793845633295479792013-05-29T05:17:00.001-07:002013-05-29T05:17:41.050-07:00THE LITTLE RED HEN on SUSTAINABILTY<br />
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Wendell Berry, Kentucky farmer, poet & author</div>
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I hope everyone reading this has heard of Wendell Berry, but, if not, just know that he is one of the most prophetic voices on the planet when it comes to sustainability.</div>
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And just what is <em>sustainability? </em>In short, it is what will be needed to endure. For the earth, for communities, families, and for human beings. Springfield and Washington County are now directly connected to Wendell Berry and to sustainability because his agrarian farming program is coming to St. Catharine College.</div>
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When I started the Little Red Hen Cafe, I really wasn't sure what it would become, and whether it would be sustainable for me as a human being. But I knew that it would only be acceptable for me if it were based on a local economy: sourcing food locally, respecting and honoring local people, traditions, and economies. As Berry says in this wonderful list, sustainability is never about "making a killing." It's about honoring people, the community, and building something for the future.</div>
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<a href="http://ukiahcommunityblog.wordpress.com/contact/wendell-berrys-17-rules-for-a-sustainable-economy/" target="_blank">17 RULES for SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY ~BERRY</a><br />
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If you took the time to read the link above, I ask you to take time to consider how you can make these statements true for our community. Do we agree with them, and do we want to bring them to our shared place, Springfield and Washington County? It would be great to talk about that! Of course, we have come a long way toward doing so, thanks to Sister Claire McGowan and the<a href="http://newpioneersfsf.org/" target="_blank">New Pioneers</a> organization. A sustainable restaurant is one more stage we can all look forward to along the path.</div>
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I feel very proud that The Hen Cafe has stayed close to those values. But right now, it is not sustainable for me, as one person, to continue to operate the cafe daily alone, nor do I have the resources or the wherewithal to do so otherwise at present and maintain my own health and intergrity as well as the integrity of my family.</div>
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I have several irons in the fire which may bring the Hen back for lunch soon! But they will take some time and some careful planning if they are to be done sustainably (see Berry's list)</div>
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Meanwhile, what I CAN and WILL do is offer wonderful, locally sourced meals, every Friday night all summer... Saturday mornings at the Farmers' Market... and for any catering needs you have! Please stop by when I am at the Cinnamon House or call 859 336 7367 anytime, or send an email:</div>
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<a href="mailto:littleredhencafe@gmail.com">littleredhencafe@gmail.com</a></div>
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<em>Innisfree Farm</em></div>
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Mackville, KY</div>
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I have been able to spend two entire days on my own farm this week, the first in ten months. Heaven!</div>
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Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-43587958153194941002013-05-12T18:29:00.003-07:002013-05-12T18:29:24.325-07:00NoHo Food is SOOOOO good!<br />
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<span style="color: black;">I had a wonderful opportunity last week to sample an entirely different way of eating: college campus cuisine! It was completely unexpected, because I was supposed to be hiking on the Appalachian Trail eating gorp and some dehydrated meals and maybe some tuna or peanut butter!</span></div>
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At the very last minute, my daughter got sick, and I made a same-day decision to scrap the backpacking trip (my friends still went, and it was great!) and to fly up to Northampton, MA (aka NoHo) where she is a student at Smith College, to help her get well, get through finals, and get off to Israel, where, I am happy to report, she is right now!</div>
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Smith College is a woman's college, and a wonderful, small, liberal arts school, BUT it is also the alma mater of JULIA CHILD and every year they celebrate Julia Child Day with super special meals in the dining halls. I can NOT imagine what this is like, because every meal I had was super special and super delicious.</div>
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What a difference from my college eating and the mystery meat breaded in who-knows-what, iceberg lettuce, and white bread smeared with margarine thinned out with crisco. </div>
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Pecan-crusted tofu Mushroom sauce</div>
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For each meal, we could go online and check out which of the many dining halls (small & intimate, like classy restaurants) we preferred: everything from vegan fare (vegan chocolate cake is delicious!) to Asian to Mediterranean to wonderful salad bars to comfort food like pot pies and homemade mac n cheese. Lots of fresh vegetables, cooked properly, GOOD coffee, juices and even soy milk!</div>
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Truly, it was a bit like being on a cruise for healthy eaters.</div>
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When my daughter got well, I took a LOOONG bike ride on the NoHo Bike Trail & discovered this adorable authentic diner.</div>
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The people were extremely friendly, but I didn't eat; after all the good food all week, I couldn't handle cheese poppers, fried onion rings, french fries, and all of the other fried foods on the menu. I had a beer, which was great!</div>
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There are tons of little cafes and trendy places to eat in and around No Ho. I peeked into several, just making notes for ideas for the Hen. But the food at Smith dining halls was so fabulous, I didn't need to eat out! And.. don't worry. We won't be going vegan! But as a devoted foodie, I loved the new flavors and the respect and care for food I experienced. I didn't see a MacDonald's anywhere.</div>
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<br />Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-8664960964034875112013-04-28T17:28:00.000-07:002013-04-28T17:30:47.570-07:00WELCOME, Spring! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There are people who love food, people who love art, music, literature, poetry, and drama.. and some who love all of the above. Some of us even love history, and the history of food!</div>
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Above is a famous painting called <em>The Four Seasons </em>that expresses the way I feel about this time of year: everything is about to bloom and flower and vegetate, and we will be the beneficiaries of the varieties of smells, tastes, textures, and colors the earth produces for our pleasure.</div>
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I am so excited about being a part of the <strong><em>Springfield Farmers' Market</em></strong> this season! The Little Red Hen Cafe will be at the Market every Saturday, with fresh muffins, breakfast sandwiches, baked goods, and good coffee. Stop by and see us when you come down to purchase veggies and meat!</div>
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Speaking of meat.. there is excellent meat available at the Farmers' Market: Beef from <strong>Rising Sons</strong> and this year there will be pork from Julie and Jonas Hurley.</div>
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Below is a photo of one day's haul last summer, including beef. Starting this season, I plan to source as much of the meat I use as possible from local farms. There are so many reasons for this, but one is the alarming news that huge factory farms, which we all support when we demand mass-produced, cheaply-priced meat, use more and more anitbiotics because of the overcrowded and unsanitary conditions on these mega farms.. resulting in antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, now found on some meat.</div>
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Read the following to find out more about this... one of the best steps you can take is to purchase locally raised meat, and to eat at restaurants that do the same! With your support, I'll try to do just that.</div>
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<a href="http://static.ewg.org/reports/2013/meateaters/ewg_meat_and_antibiotics_tipsheet.pdf" target="_blank">READ ABOUT antibiotic-resistant strains on meat here!</a></div>
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Hope to see everyone down at the Depot this coming Saturday! </div>
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Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-52958334011160648972013-04-07T18:03:00.002-07:002013-04-07T18:07:48.018-07:00Pho? no!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Since a few people have commented that the <i>Little Red Hen Cafe </i>serves less common food, you know.. unusual things like.. Quiche....! I can't help being a little</span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">worried that Pho will send some folks running for the hills (or the Knobs, as the case may be), so in case it sounds just TOO strange, here's a bit about this delicious Vietnamese Soup that Brandon will be fixing on Thursday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's a wonderful broth with beef and noodles and vegetables cooked Vietnamese-style. As one Blogger said:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love pho! It cures whatever ails you! If it's cold outside, it'll
warm yer innards. If your heart is broken, it offers succor (My sister
took me out for pho after my 13 year old Labrador died, I cried in the
soup as I drank up its warm comfort). If you're tired of the same old
same old, it's different. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pho = Happiness.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have a link I want to share with you. It's all about pho & very educational. Click here:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.phofever.com/">Pho Fever!</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have eaten Pho, and it was wonderful! So did you know this week is</span><i style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> try something new week?</i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Actually, every week should be try something new, learn something new, and experience something a little bit different week. The world is full of wonderful people, places, ideas, and foods. I hope all the Pho (which does not rhyme with "know" but with "duh" ) gets sold on Thursday, all except one bowl, because I am hoping to have some that evening!</span><br />
Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-60161721834980196862013-03-30T06:55:00.001-07:002013-03-30T06:55:34.482-07:00Orange You Glad!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Welcome Brandon Lewis! He'll only be with us at the Hen for a very short time, so hurry in on Tuesdays & Thursdays if you want to sample his culinary skills!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As I told him, he's a chef.. I am a cook.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He loves making sauces and fancy dressings, soups & breads. He made homemade focaccia on Thursday, with sun dried tomatoes and and fresh basil... very tasty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Brandon has been cooking in Louisville, but will be heading to Yellowstone National Park, to practice his chef talents there. After that, The HEN will still be open daily </span> ... <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">as long as I can find a suitable replacement until I leave my other job at the end of June.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">His favorite color is orange! He has a cool orange car and, as you can see, an orange hoodie!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So maybe it was a coincidence that I decided to make Orange Dreamsicle Cheesecake this week for dessert.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Maybe it was a coincidence that we met at the High School Career day when I needed someone to fill in and he needed a little work until he headed west.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But neither Brandon nor I believe in coincidence! Do you? We probably have different ways of explaining what we believe, but <i>orange</i> you glad we can</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> listen to one another, and meet new people, and tell our stories in special places like the Little Red Hen Cafe?</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's more than just food... it's a community, devoted to wholesome living.</span></i>Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-52913816908580012592013-03-24T18:42:00.000-07:002013-03-24T18:52:04.081-07:00Gulyas leves!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeBGHLbSkBk&feature=youtu.be">WATCH this interview with a Hungarian cook from Transylvania!</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In a very tiny village far away there is a piece of my heart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The village is in Transylvania, which is in Romania, but all of the people there are Hungarian, and they are members of our partner church, whom I have visited four times over the past nine years. They are so dear to me that I feel as if they are part of my family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Above you see Rozi, in her summer kitchen, talking about her memories of our visit). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These people have survived Communism, terrible dictatorship and persecution under </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span dir="auto">Ceaușescu, and persistent poverty and threats to their way of life, their culture, their religion, and their land and even their language. Yet they remain people of gentle, loving spirits, warm and joyful, full of faith and goodwill, and hospitable to every stranger with the phrase <i>Isten Aldjon, </i>a greeting that means "God Bless You."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span dir="auto">This week, I will be thinking of them especially, since I was with them during Easter week and afterwards two years ago, and so I have made two Hungarian soups: the first is Gulyas Leves, a beef and vegetable soup flavored with sweet Hungarian paprika.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span dir="auto">The village folks cook everything from scratch (like me), and of course almost everything they include is picked or killed in their own yard. I even watched as the lamb was sacrificed for Easter (which, by the way, is mercifully swift when done properly!). I did buy the beef and the vegetables, but everything was peeled, chopped and simmered for hours.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span dir="auto">Hope you will share a bit of village life this week!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span dir="auto">PS. In July, my partner Minister, Bela, and a young woman from our village will visit us for three weeks and I hope you will meet them when they do! <i>Isten Aldjon!</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Here I am making the traditional bread for Easter Communion with Rozi (in video) .. it is cooked in a kiln</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span dir="auto"><i> Here with a family for a mid day meal.. the boy gave me the red car for Seth. I love him!</i></span></span>Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-5774086765709338502013-03-10T17:48:00.001-07:002013-03-10T17:48:05.785-07:00One woman, One dream, One beautiful world..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMs5X-XOylG33GPePieM1c8W4XLhAAbzK5AOb0FCJNgoPMUV85D-vIoQCtZ6oN8WIysRYA8okW2VDHIZtUEpLOTYuIY3ODhX0ilZ3iKql8dTvu71k522aWP_iggtX-pD57fJA-B-pNysA/s1600/chez_panisse_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMs5X-XOylG33GPePieM1c8W4XLhAAbzK5AOb0FCJNgoPMUV85D-vIoQCtZ6oN8WIysRYA8okW2VDHIZtUEpLOTYuIY3ODhX0ilZ3iKql8dTvu71k522aWP_iggtX-pD57fJA-B-pNysA/s320/chez_panisse_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We love you, Chez Panisse! get well soon.</span><br />
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Chez Panisse <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">was the dream of one woman, Alice Waters. She and a few friends started the restaurant in 1971, with one simple idea: to make it like a dinner party for friends, elegant and with attention to detail. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It grew into this beautiful and famous restaurant in Berkeley, CA, which has been named the Top Restaurant in America, and Alice Waters has become a well-known author and philanthropist, with a foundation that has created school gardens all over the Bay Area. </span><br />
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Sadly,<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> much of the gorgeous facade was destroyed by fire on Friday, and even though it will be restored, it is always heartbreaking to see any part of your dream demolished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Although Alice Waters and <i>Chez Panisse</i> have changed in many ways over 40 years, some things are remarkably consistent: the menu is set; each evening a <i>prix fixe </i>meal is served, sourced from freshly picked or caught ingredients.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Not only is the food organic and local, it is fair, meaning grown in ways that don't harm the earth, and by people who are treated and paid fairly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Finally, it is delicious, elegant, and interesting. Pleasure in food is a part of the<i> Chez Panisse</i> vision!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, love & prayers from the Little Red Hen, just a tiny fledgling cousin who shares many of your values, to you and your fabulous restaurant, Alice! </span>Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-24316382659401057772013-03-04T04:36:00.001-08:002013-03-04T04:36:16.261-08:00MARCH~ing on toward a Better World.. one meal at a time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Above is one of many images of the "Green Man"... if you go to Europe and look carefully, you can find him everywhere, carved into buildings, and amongst the gargoyles.</div>
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Our ancestors, those of us with Anglo-european roots, had a real reverence for the earth and what it meant for life.</div>
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We have lost that, collectively, and if we don't wake up soon, the time of human existence on Planet Earth will actually be finite... That concerns me, especially when God gave us this planet, and gave us brains and the power to make wise decisions. </div>
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One of the reasons I have a limited menu in the Cafe is that everything is homemade daily, and I have almost no food waste.</div>
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I buy locally as much as possible (come on, Farmers' Market.. I can hardly wait!!), buy whole rather than packaged or processed foods (above are the muffins you buy in an earlier stage. NO mixes or boxed products)</div>
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Any recyclable waste is recycled.</div>
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My brown trash container is less than 1/3 full every Thursday!</div>
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That's also because almost every plate I serve comes back clean.</div>
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Don't worry! That's not a menu item! This is how I use the trimmings from veggies: wash them well, then cook them slowly to make a homemade veg stock so my soups without meat are good for vegetarians!!</div>
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That's really what the Little Red Hen Cafe is about: building community, good healthy food, and a vision of a better world. Please <em>pause a moment</em> when you make your take-out and dining decisions and think about the<strong> implications</strong> of your choices. Yes, you can get a bigger menu, a faster drive thru lunch, and some crunchy fries for $7 (although I noticed my husband's lunch at Hardee's was EIGHT dollars) or you can help work toward this vision with me and others.</div>
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Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-27846651874695306762012-12-05T17:10:00.000-08:002012-12-05T17:10:17.387-08:00WASTE NOT....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have never liked to waste ANYthing. Food, money, time, or energy. I definitely don't want to waste my life, because I believe life is precious.<br />
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So it bothers me when I see how incredibly much waste is still being created by humans, today, even though we KNOW that we simply can not continue to do this to our planet.<br />
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Since I have a small cafe, I have become even more interested in sustainability. I actually became an advocate for natural, whole foods, and simple, waste-free meals over thirty years ago, when I attended La Leche League as a young mom. But even earlier than that, my mother raised chickens and sold the eggs, my dad had an enormous vegetable garden in our home state of New Jersey, and we spent our summers at the beach, so I learned that fresh vegetables, freshly caught fish, and farm-raised eggs can not be matched by supermarket produce. <br />
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One problem we face as consumers is that when we shop or eat out, we really don't know where things are manufactured, or how they are packaged. We also don't know how the waste is handled.<br />
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This NPR program is just a few minutes long ... Click on the link and you can listen or just read it:<br />
<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/11/27/165907972/for-restaurants-food-waste-is-seen-as-low-priority">Food waste</a><br />
It describes what happens to restaurant food waste... about a half-pound per meal served. From the horrors of the dumpster filled with rotting food (which could have been donated, composted, or fed to animals), increases in the population of insects and vermin, methane gases, and landfill overflow.. it adds up to one of the biggest environmental problems we have!<br />
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There are actually a few restaurants that go to the time and expense of packaging and donating the untouched food to food pantries. Olive Garden and Red Lobster are two that were mentioned.<br />
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Because the Little Red Hen Cafe is small, it's much easier for me to stick to my values. If I keep my menu small, serve fresh, local foods that don't come with excess packaging, compost scraps and recycle everything I can, I have only a few small bags of trash in my dumpster per week (also, there is almost never anything left on my customers' plates, which makes me very happy!)<br />
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I hope that as the operation expands, I can continue to stick to the things I believe in. Meanwhile, it's something we can all think about.Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-15088614666252471712012-11-26T13:39:00.000-08:002012-11-26T15:35:30.876-08:00What Would Willie Say!?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ftHuNZjGoH0t9eQJaLc9NT-lIFp537Iq3_Kgc2Zipy4g7yoI4mbgRSpTjJk0exLlLXjQw-7_sPgUSo5AXIw-1Be2RCcfeF60jyy6igkp1pHoOEpdbq1nyRIcdWZACh11Z3inR88ozgk/s1600/train.jpg" /> finished reading the memoirs of Wm. C. McChord, the man who built the Little Red Hen Cafe... actually, he had no idea it would ever become a cafe!</div>
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He built his law offices there, and shortly afterwards, the home we have made into a B&B and named the "Cinnamon House," 202 Lincoln Park Road. Of course, it will also always be "The McChord Place.'</div>
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We received a copy of Mr. McChord's memoirs when we took possession of the house, and I recall being a bit intimidated, since he had been such a prominent citizen of Springfield, a descendant of the founder of both Elizabethtown and Bardstown, and also the man responsible for bringing the railroad line to Springfield. The photo above shows the L&R train when it was on a turntable in Springfield.</div>
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But I should have read the book earlier, because through the stories I got to know the boy Willie. He was born in 1850, and his life spanned slavery, the Civil War, World War I, the arrival of plumbing and electricity (our house was the first in Springfield to be constructed with these) and the automobile and telephone.<br />
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He didn't build the house downtown until 1902, when his 3 sons and one daughter (another son died at age 13 months) were grown. Even so, the boys never married and the youngest lived in the house and practiced law in the offices that are now the "Hen," staying on until he died at age 93! The house has only been owned by three families prior to ours. Upstairs is a big open room that was built as a ballroom. <br />
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This is one of Mr. McChord's sons, the one that went to VMI and was named after his father. I am going to imagine that Willie looked like this when he was young. He was a bit of a rapscallion! He never paid any attention in school, and had to drop out when he was 14 and his parents lost everything during the Civil War. He only became a lawyer by sheer gumption and perseverance. I'll share some more of Willie's stories as I go along, but right now, I am just having fun imagining him and how he might react to what's become of his town house and law offices. He had a good sense of fun and humor, so I think he'd enjoy it.<br />
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The Cinnamon House will be open this Saturday as part of a Christmas Tour sponsored by the Historical Society. Hours are 1-5 and there are several locations on the tour... there is a suggested donation of $10.Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-42178744999048658212012-11-15T02:54:00.000-08:002012-11-15T02:54:26.904-08:00FUNKY Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the time of year when many of us get funky.<br />
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Call it the doldrums, winter blahs, or just plain old seasonal affective disorder, it hits when the days grow short and the skies darken, and sometimes sticks around until Spring.<br />
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For me, mild to moderate depression in its many forms has been a curse throughout life; even though I am an optimistic person who loves life and tends to think positive, those things don't matter when my bio-chemistry decides to go awry. Things look bleak and days can be very challenging.<br />
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I've learned a lot over the years about depression. It can affect anyone, even upbeat, happy people, people who have a lot of faith, people who have friends, rich people, successful people! Like addiction or asthma or diabetes, it's an illness that is largely beyond our control.<br />
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That said, there are many things those of who have either depression or mood swings can do make life easier and less unpredictable. Whether you use medication is a personal choice, but it is always helpful to eat a balanced diet of foods in as close to their natural state as possible.<br />
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It also helps to keep life simple and wholesome, honest and real. That's why I started the Little Red Hen Cafe, and those are some of the values that are behind it! Hey, you can walk over to the cafe and get that exercise in, too!<br />
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Meanwhile, if you are doing the Funky Chicken this winter... you aren't alone! <br />
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<br />Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-29170029284868806232012-11-05T04:56:00.002-08:002012-11-05T04:56:59.903-08:00SUGAR! and other scary things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thank heavens that is over! Actually, Seth had a wonderful Halloween in Springfield, and so did we!<br />
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That's not our pile of candy.. just an image I found online! But, we are lucky. Our adoptive son Seth doesn't ask for candy, and, although he will consume sugar when it's given to him, we've found that since we don't keep it around and don't serve it (no soft drinks, no sugary desserts, no candy) he doesn't even think about it. He has got to be the only kid whose parents have a cafe with a freezer full of ice cream who doesn't even seem interested! His pile of Halloween candy has already "disappeared" and he won't miss it!<br />
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But he does NOT like vegetables, and that's something we have to work on, since we have recently confirmed that he has Autism. We need to learn a lot more about the link between foods and behaviors. He only likes certain foods, and some of them come packaged and refined. We made a huge breakthrough when he progressed from chicken nuggets to liking simple chicken breasts, or tenders, which we could then buy locally, or saute, or grill. YAY! He still loves hot dogs, mac & cheese, and Campbell's noodle soup.<br />
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Kids, especially those with challenges, may not have the discernment to choose wisely all of the time, but adults do.<br />
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Every time we shop, make a choice to dine out, or sit down to a meal, we are contributing to the health of our bodies, our families, our communities, and even our planet.<br />
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It adds up.</div>
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That's what the Little Red Hen Cafe is all about. Making an effort to use less packaged, refined, foods, with as few artificial ingredients as possible, and as many locally sourced products as possible. Supporting local economy and keeping out harmful pesticides, chemicals, additives, and substances that can harm our health and the health of our community. Educating ourselves and each other. It's the only place I know of where you can ask exactly what is in everything you order and get the answer! If these things matter to you, and if you've read this far, they probably do, it's your kind of place, and I ask you to help spread the word so it can be viable here in our community! Thanks.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-3359277366907592002012-10-28T15:47:00.002-07:002012-10-28T15:47:48.488-07:00HENNY PENNY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"The sky is falling! The sky is falling! I must go and tell the King!"<br />
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Some of us grew up with the title <i>Henny Penny</i>, some with <i>Chicken Little</i>, but the story is the same. You remember: the acorn falls on her head and she's off, thinking the world is coming to an end, gathering up a whole gang of followers who believe her dire predictions based on some very skimpy evidence.<br />
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Turkey Lurkey, Goosey Loosey, Duckey Wuckey... we have all been Henny Pennys and we've all been followers who listened to the cries of "the sky is falling!" Usually, it didn't do a whole lot of good. Fear mongering is not my chosen mode for leadership, parenting, or life.<br />
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It is probably pretty evident that "Henny Penny" would NOT be a good choice for a name for a cafe! But it is easy to worry when starting a business or enterprise. It takes time, and a whole lot of faith and trust. Even when you have a vision and a great place like Springfield, and a wonderful, warm, supportive community who have helped you immensely.. it is VERY CHALLENGING! There are lots of days when I want to be a Henny Penny. I wonder how long it will take for us to get the word out about our Bed and Breakfast, so that most weekends are filled with happy travelers. I wonder whether enough people ARE committed to a local food economy to help keep the Little Red Hen Cafe open. I worry! <br />
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I grew up with a lot of negativity and a lot of sky-is-falling talk, and for the most part, I choose people, places and ways of going about my day that are positive and hopeful and joyful and peaceful. I am grateful to have met so many wonderful new friends in this town who seem to have the same philosophy. Our sky's not falling!<br />
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Here's a little clip of the Golden Girls doing "Henny Penny" for you to enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEHNtqFt9Ck">Click Here:</a>Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576389114602013838.post-54193213328316534812012-10-20T10:41:00.001-07:002012-10-20T11:27:13.071-07:00So THAT'S what the story means... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
If you are reading this, you have probably visited the Little Red Hen Cafe in Springfield, Kentucky, or...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vjjb20VVBaOPSm87PkfNAGu-2E5_9N8gRWx8EQUhB4vgcYQmuWs5ZfIg4I3SUlkQAKSCYzyah07MNc2ymkGmvErggg19_LoHl7vKVJVvPwtYvk3tZUxzt1BeAdeF_u7cFQ_FMkY1L7Q/s1600/patience+the+little+red+hen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vjjb20VVBaOPSm87PkfNAGu-2E5_9N8gRWx8EQUhB4vgcYQmuWs5ZfIg4I3SUlkQAKSCYzyah07MNc2ymkGmvErggg19_LoHl7vKVJVvPwtYvk3tZUxzt1BeAdeF_u7cFQ_FMkY1L7Q/s200/patience+the+little+red+hen.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>
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...you know that our family has started this cafe on a <i>very </i>small scale. Since both Eric and Cynthia have more-than-full time careers (at least until Spring 2013 when Cyn will leave the parish ministry), and since we also have our darling Seth who has recently been diagnosed with Autism.. so much for us to learn and absorb... the "Hen" is very part-time. We'd rather do it well and small than big and badly.<br />
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That's what this blog is here to talk about. The vision, the meaning, and the idea of community, partnership, cooperation, and sustainability behind what we do and who we are.<br />
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Why we chose Springfield and what we are all about. <br />
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I'll try to post once a week or so. You can read it if you choose, and I welcome your input!<br />
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First, the name. My adult kids think I chose this famous children's story to lay a guilt trip on them: "WHO will help me?" "Not you?" "Fine! I'll do it myself!"<br />
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Here's a great version of the story from Gutenberg press you can enjoy right now:<br />
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<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18735/18735-h/18735-h.htm">http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18735/18735-h/18735-h.htm</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fK4R8oxiqUSLN-7ta1Ksw8_mXRx0Y5T5yK2acQe1b6tc7jNN9tar6WPmk8wCWs2LPXwdwNxVRwwxRCYRjYvInq1kTGyT6w6U-Njdyy4haYF7RmYQe3mLeEao8LN7uZko2bVW5ZiHYUg/s1600/TheLittleRedHen.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fK4R8oxiqUSLN-7ta1Ksw8_mXRx0Y5T5yK2acQe1b6tc7jNN9tar6WPmk8wCWs2LPXwdwNxVRwwxRCYRjYvInq1kTGyT6w6U-Njdyy4haYF7RmYQe3mLeEao8LN7uZko2bVW5ZiHYUg/s320/TheLittleRedHen.png.jpg" width="269" /></a></div>
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Really, if you take the story at face value, both meanings that arise are kind of... creepy.<br />
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One moral mentioned by interpreters is the biblical idea that those who don't work don't get to eat. (Thessalonians 3:10) That's not my interpretation of scripture. I think everyone should get to eat! And I think everyone everywhere should eat well, and, by the way, everyone could. It's the greed and short-sightedness of the factory-farming, industrialized-agriculture economy that is helping to create a world where those of us in the West are over-nourished while millions starve.<br />
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I also don't really like the idea of being a big martyr and doing everything myself. I think we all need to learn to ask for help for one another. The Hen did ask for help, but the lazy pig, rat and rooster wouldn't lift a paw or a claw. She had a choice at that point. Maybe that's where the Hen Cafe can be a meeting place here in our community. We can help one another learn, grow, and become more healthy, more honest, and more committed to a local, sustainable economy. It's your choice, too!<br />
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<br />Rev. Cynthia Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05939044773581361835noreply@blogger.com