Have an opinion? We hope so!
Dear All,
Not sure about you, but one of the things I miss the most during this period is the ability to make spontaneous decisions. Just the silliness of doing stuff because you wanted to and you could: drinking a Negroni too early to seem appropriate on a sunny day; driving to Grand Bend just because your dog needs a swim in the cold lake; sitting on a good friend’s porch drinking rosé just because there is rosé; making a new sheepmilk cheese just because no one had done it before and why on earth not? And just anything without the need to have it planned and structured, or having to tuck away all your hedonistic urges, or both. Some of my best and worst decisions have been about spontaneity—after all, Daniel is almost 44 and that in itself makes Mother’s Day so valid. Driving to the Old Prune for lunch because Ruth Freme said the rhubarb tart was the best in the country and ending up in cooking school as a result.
But even the act of trying to be wise and make thoughtful decisions seems problematic in this new world. Do we open or not? Do we cook rillette or not?
I spent a fair bit of time last week crafting communication about post-lockdown goals for Monforte that included the outdoor kitchen at the dairy and takeout food, bubble weekends at the farm for this summer, and how excited we are about the opening of farmers markets in this month. And then the weekend happened and now we are talking—and I believe wisely so—about staying locked down longer until vaccine rates are high and the hospitalized numbers come down.
But Lord; I feel as though I have spent most of the last year sitting on my couch, watching CBC news and trying to figure out what to do next knowing that it will change by the evening. I will not miss my couch or the remote in my hand trying to understand how to cashflow the next month; worried about almost everything but trying not to panic about anything, and mostly just missing my old life and the people that were part of it, but so grateful to be alive and well. Goodness there is no middle ground at this point. It is all about dichotomies.
So, this is kind of an ask for help from the girl who doesn’t answer emails quickly or well enough, if at all, who doesn’t fill in her market applications on time, who avoids phone calls from Rogers, and who sends government officials (including our premier) uncomfortable emails like WTF do you want me to do??? So, I am asking you: because we are now at that time where we need to increase sales for the next months and not be so hunkered down, how can we best get you cheese and other things from Monforte?
It seems to be the most sensible option for us to increase deliveries as that seems the safest and wisest of all options. Being realistic, markets are my favourite thing in the world but they are venues based on intimacy and perhaps need another year to stabilize before they go back to the old and important way of doing most of our business. And if we are trying to be appropriate and wise and not spontaneous then it would seem dropping stuff off at your abode is the best way for now.
So just so you know, to try to achieve this increase in sales I am now committed to this kind of communication weekly to entice you to order online. We had our Facebook page hacked and are not able to access it at this point (but if anyone can help please do so) so website posts and these emails will be how we try to muddle through the summer. We will increase our options for sales and I will try tell you funny stories, and insert beautiful Terry Manzo pictures, but please if you don’t want us in your inbox just block us. Lord, none of us needs much more pressure at this point.
And so you can look forward to it: next week is my Ruth Freme story, and there are a bunch of classy girls I can hardly wait to write about. Adrianne, Liz, Bonny and Rose, will all be coming soon.
Be well, breath, remember most of us live in a place of grace, help those that aren’t as fortunate and mostly thank you.
Fondly, Ruth
Not sure about you, but one of the things I miss the most during this period is the ability to make spontaneous decisions. Just the silliness of doing stuff because you wanted to and you could: drinking a Negroni too early to seem appropriate on a sunny day; driving to Grand Bend just because your dog needs a swim in the cold lake; sitting on a good friend’s porch drinking rosé just because there is rosé; making a new sheepmilk cheese just because no one had done it before and why on earth not? And just anything without the need to have it planned and structured, or having to tuck away all your hedonistic urges, or both. Some of my best and worst decisions have been about spontaneity—after all, Daniel is almost 44 and that in itself makes Mother’s Day so valid. Driving to the Old Prune for lunch because Ruth Freme said the rhubarb tart was the best in the country and ending up in cooking school as a result.
But even the act of trying to be wise and make thoughtful decisions seems problematic in this new world. Do we open or not? Do we cook rillette or not?
I spent a fair bit of time last week crafting communication about post-lockdown goals for Monforte that included the outdoor kitchen at the dairy and takeout food, bubble weekends at the farm for this summer, and how excited we are about the opening of farmers markets in this month. And then the weekend happened and now we are talking—and I believe wisely so—about staying locked down longer until vaccine rates are high and the hospitalized numbers come down.
But Lord; I feel as though I have spent most of the last year sitting on my couch, watching CBC news and trying to figure out what to do next knowing that it will change by the evening. I will not miss my couch or the remote in my hand trying to understand how to cashflow the next month; worried about almost everything but trying not to panic about anything, and mostly just missing my old life and the people that were part of it, but so grateful to be alive and well. Goodness there is no middle ground at this point. It is all about dichotomies.
So, this is kind of an ask for help from the girl who doesn’t answer emails quickly or well enough, if at all, who doesn’t fill in her market applications on time, who avoids phone calls from Rogers, and who sends government officials (including our premier) uncomfortable emails like WTF do you want me to do??? So, I am asking you: because we are now at that time where we need to increase sales for the next months and not be so hunkered down, how can we best get you cheese and other things from Monforte?
It seems to be the most sensible option for us to increase deliveries as that seems the safest and wisest of all options. Being realistic, markets are my favourite thing in the world but they are venues based on intimacy and perhaps need another year to stabilize before they go back to the old and important way of doing most of our business. And if we are trying to be appropriate and wise and not spontaneous then it would seem dropping stuff off at your abode is the best way for now.
So just so you know, to try to achieve this increase in sales I am now committed to this kind of communication weekly to entice you to order online. We had our Facebook page hacked and are not able to access it at this point (but if anyone can help please do so) so website posts and these emails will be how we try to muddle through the summer. We will increase our options for sales and I will try tell you funny stories, and insert beautiful Terry Manzo pictures, but please if you don’t want us in your inbox just block us. Lord, none of us needs much more pressure at this point.
And so you can look forward to it: next week is my Ruth Freme story, and there are a bunch of classy girls I can hardly wait to write about. Adrianne, Liz, Bonny and Rose, will all be coming soon.
Be well, breath, remember most of us live in a place of grace, help those that aren’t as fortunate and mostly thank you.
Fondly, Ruth
Hi!
I’ve been missing your wonderful cheeses! I live in Toronto and am wondering if the Brickworks or Wychwood markets are open during the stay at home order? I would love to place an order if they are open for pick up.
Thank you,
Emily