3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that

within me there lay an invincible summer.”

~Albert Camus

IN THIS WINTER ISSUE:

PAGE 2A Letter from the Founder: Cold Hands, Warm Hearts

PAGE 3-4Updates from Recent Events

PAGE 5-6Community Spotlight: Dwayne Ballen, Greater Raleigh Emerald Society, Marley Jane & Carolyn Van Houten

PAGE 7-8Fortunate Father, by Dwayne Ballen

PAGE 9-10The Freckled Gardener, by Nancy Butterfield

PAGE 11-12Chef Steve’s Favorite Farm to Fork Recipes, By Steve Mesa

PAGE 13-15Announcements

PAGE 16-17Items for Sale: All proceeds benefit 3IJF

PAGE 18-19Thank you to our Wonderful Donors!

PAGE 20Nest Egg Fund: Help feather our nest!

PAGE 21Board of Directors, Our Mission, Vision & Logo

Cold Hands, Warm HeartsNEWS FROM THE NEST

Winter 2013 Issue No. 2

NEWS FROM THE NEST PAGE2

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Dear Friends,

elcome to our Winter 2013 edition of News From the Nest, the quarterly newsletter for 3 Irish Jewels Farm! Winter is often a time for reflection - activity gives

way to dormancy. Life is still, indwelling and silent. This is a time for introversion, contemplation and going within. Symbolic winter invites us to quiet the mind, catch our breath, to find our next step, our balance. Many animals hibernate, plants shut down and store energies to feed off of until the warmth returns. We as people tend to celebrate being indoors with our families and friends (Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas), warming our cold hands by fires built in the fireplace and in our hearts. It can also be a time where we think about what we want to accomplish for the next year (New Year's resolutions). A new year stretches before us and we get ready with anticipation for all that may await us. So as we celebrate our various holidays with style, and as we say our farewells to 2013 and welcome the start of a new year, I’d like to take this moment to sit back and catch my breath... to quiet my mind... to celebrate with you, my friends.

I am pleased to say, 3 Irish Jewels Farm is beginning to thrive, and we are making a buzz out in the community. This is all due to the fact that we have a committed, skilled and enthusiastic team (also known as our volunteers, donors, loyal supporters, and board of directors), and we have received significant financial support from existing and new patrons, foundations and donors, totaling almost $80,000, in addition to a $250,000 pledge from the Samuel P. Mandell Foundation. Donations whether large or small are deeply appreciated and are essential for the operations, future programs and new initiatives of 3 Irish Jewels Farm. Thank you to all who have supported us with your gifts thus far.

With your input and consideration, we continue to hone our vision and strategy. We hope we are making you proud. I leave you with an Irish blessing for the Winter Solstice & New Year: Slàinte maith, h-uile latha, na chi ‘snach fhaic. Gun cuireadh do chupa thairis le slainte agus sonas. A h-uile là sona dhuibh ‘s gun là idir dona dhuib. Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!.... Can you believe my husband speaks that language? For those of us who might need the translation: Good health, every day, whether I see you or not. May your cup overflow with health and happiness. May all your days be happy ones. Merry Solstice and a Happy New Year!

Warmly,

Erin O’Loughlin

“Winter is often a time for

reflection - activity gives

way to dormancy...

Symbolic winter invites us to quiet the mind, catch

our breath, to find our next

step, our balance.”

A Letter from the FounderCOLD HANDS, WARM HEARTS

W

Erin O’Loughlin, Founder & President

NEWS FROM THE NEST PAGE3

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

ctober... We raised $12,000 at our second annual Pat Murnane’s/3 Irish Jewels Farm golf tournament

and almost $2,000 at the Raleigh Irish Music Festival, hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Between those events and various individual donations, we managed to raise almost $18,000 during the month of October alone! Thank you to all of our wonderful sponsors, donors and volunteers - we certainly couldn’t have done it without all of you! Here are 4 great slide shows from the golf tournament: Registration, The Kitchen Sink, Action Shots, and Team Photos. As you can see, we all had a TON of fun (myself and board members included). Much thanks to John Hootman, one of our loyal sponsors, for putting the slide shows together.

Also in October, News14 Carolina aired a new segment called Giving Back. Every week they highlight a North Carolinian that is giving back to make our communities a better place. It airs state-wide and they highlighted 3 Irish Jewels Farm on October 11th. Watch me (Erin O'Loughlin), Dave & Robin Green (3IJF

board members), Marisa Smith (age 15 and rockstar with autism), and Johnny Chappell- News14 News Anchor, discuss our plans for 3IJF here:

ovember... Thanks to you and all of your wonderful votes, 3 Irish Jewels Farm was one of the 5

recipients at the People's Cocktail event at Fox Liquor Bar (one of Iron Chef winner Ashley Christensen's many popular restaurants in the Triangle), and we wound up pulling in over $900 that night! Of course, we couldn't have done it without you! And a HUGE thank you to Ashley Christensen and her culinary team for remaining true to yourselves and having such huge hearts in this dog-eat-dog world. What a wonderful way to help so many under-represented charities every month.

Continued on page 4

Of winter’s lifeless world each tree Now seems a perfect part;

Yet each one holds summer’s secretDeep down within its heart.

~Charles G. Stater

O

N

Updates from Recent EventsWHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?

“Thank you to all of our wonderful

sponsors, donors and volunteers -

we certainly couldn’t have

done it without all of you!”

#####################################################################################

NEWS FROM THE NEST PAGE4

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

On November 26th, I had the honor of meeting Mr. Dwayne Ballen for lunch. I have been enamored by him for so long, due to his work in both sports and the autism world - I'm afraid I may have been a little starstruck while dining with him. Make sure to mark his blog, Journey with Julian, as one of your favorites. I couldn’t believe my good fortune when he agreed to write a column for this quarter’s newsletter. Perhaps I could talk him into becoming one of our regular columnists?

ecember... On the 8th, Champions Bar & More and

Shining Stars Pediatric Therapy sponsored a Charity Poker Tournament for 3 Irish Jewels Farm. The buy-in was a flat fee on the day of the event. The pay-out was a 50/50 split to 3 Irish Jewels Farm and 50% divided between the top 3 winners, with an unlimited buy-in. We wound up making almost $450 and all it took was showing up and having fun on a rainy night! Adnan Hamad with Champions was very generous with a fantastic spread of wings, ribs, chips and dips, and his staff took great care of us. It

really was a ton of fun, and we are going to try it again in a few months.

Overall, we have raised almost $300,000 (which includes a grant over 5 years), since incorporating in 2012. Some extremely exciting developments have come up over the past couple of weeks, but I will save that potential news for our next newsletter, as I’m getting superstitious in my old age and I don’t want to jinx anything. Thank you to all of our supporters, sponsors, volunteers, donors, and everyone who has continued to stand by us from the beginning. We're getting there, I promise!

“Some extremely exciting

developments have come up over the past

couple of weeks, but I will

save that potential news

for our next newsletter, as I’m getting

superstitious in my old age and I don’t want to jinx anything.”

Updates from Recent Events, ContinuedWHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?

D

I watch the springs, the summers, the autumns; And when comes the

winter snow monotonous, I shut all the doors and shutters

To build in the night my fairy palace. ~Charles Baudelaire, “Paysage”

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE5

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Community Spotlight: FOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WE THINK SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED...

Dwayne BallenDwayne Ballen is an award-winning television journalist. His broadcast resume includes CBS Sports, The ESPN networks, The Golf Channel, Fox Sports, USA Network and TNT’s NBA Playoffs coverage. He has also been a contributor to NPR and the Fox News Channel. He resides in Durham, NC, with his wife, Martina, and their two sons, Julian and Jared.

So why are we at 3 Irish Jewels Farm recognizing Dwayne Ballen? Because when I (Erin) met with Dwayne for lunch in November, I was blown away (and yes, a little starstruck) by his candor, his elegance, his realness, and his overall patience to answer any and all questions I had. For Dwayne has connections that only a person who has been there, done that for many years in this business can acquire, and yet a shared connection between us of a certain journey made him more real. Because make no doubt about it, Dwayne Ballen is real. When Dwayne’s son Julian was diagnosed with autism at age four, he started a blog (“Journey with Julian”) to record his thoughts and share his family’s experiences. That blog became such a success and stirred up such a following, that he went on to write a book (Journey with Julian). As our children tend to do, Julian has taught his parents much about life and the real meaning of success. He has led them to realize that a smile and a warm hug are two of the most rewarding gifts a parent can ever receive. The Ballen’s journey is inspirational and enlightening. Journey with Julian will strike a chord with parents who are just receiving the diagnosis of autism for their child, as well as those further down the path. It shows us that in the end, it’s family and fierce determination that help us all to get the most out of life.

And as I mentioned in our own documentary highlighted below, living with autism is just that: a journey. So thank you Dwayne, for your time and willingness to help all of us who are on this journey.

Greater Raleigh Emerald SocietyThe Greater Raleigh Emerald Society is a 501(c)(3) organization that celebrates the contributions the Irish have made to public safety. All members of the Triangle area's public safety community are welcome. In the early days of America, the Irish were not always welcome. They were the first ethnic group to live in the slums of the larger cities and they were discriminated against in their search for jobs. The Irish were mainly limited to low paying, hard labor jobs.

Two professions the Irish immigrants were drawn to were police officers and firefighters. Both of these careers were considered undesirable due to low pay, few benefits, and poor working conditions. The Irish gladly took roles in these professions because it was a way to become a part of mainstream America, and it was a way to give back to their new country. By the early 20th century, the Irish were not only immersed in the police and fire departments, but they were in charge of them. The public perception of the Irish cop or firefighter in the neighborhood was more than a stereotype;

it was a fact. Up to the mid 20th century, the Irish dominated the police and fire departments. These departments were largely made up of Irish born or 1st or 2nd generation Irish. The Irish produced more chiefs of police and fire departments than any other ethnic group in America. In order to celebrate the Irish identity and heritage, the Irish members began to form a cultural brotherhood among its memberships.

In 1953, the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) formed the first Emerald Society within an American fire department. The society was formed to help foster the spirit of the heritage within its members and to promote and preserve their accomplishments. In the last half of the 20th century, there has been the growth of hundreds of Emerald Societies across America.

Since its humble beginnings 50 years ago, the Emerald Society movement has reached new heights. The Irish have a long and proud history of Public Safety professions. A glance through the rosters of any fire department in America will be filled with Irish names. Unfortunately, so will the walls dedicated to the men and women who gave their lives in the service of the fire profession. The Emerald Society is here to preserve that legacy.

3 Irish Jewels Farm is especially grateful to the Greater Raleigh Emerald Society, because they have graciously chosen us as one their charities to support. Their annual winter ball and various fundraisers throughout the year will benefit our efforts, and for that, we are forever grateful.

Jennifer Huson (Marley Jane)We are featuring Jennifer Huson, talented jewelry maker & owner of Marley Jane, because she is the one who creates the beautiful and extremely popular custom nest egg necklaces for 3 Irish Jewels Farm. Jennifer began making jewelry in a class on the Eastside of Portland with her mom. She couldn't stop making it day and night. She began to grow fond of her late nights in the shop. For Jennifer, jewelry became very much so a labor of love.

Originally from SE Kansas, Jennifer then moved to Portland, OR when she was 12. She feels like the Northwest is in her blood and considers it to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. She has 2 beautiful children that she is crazy about and not just because they are hers, but because they are happy and kind. She also has a husband that makes her laugh all the time. Her motto for her business is “To make someone smile is all you need.” Jennifer certainly makes all of us smile with our special 3IJF nest egg necklaces. To order one of her nest egg necklaces through us, where 30% of the proceeds go back to 3 Irish Jewels Farm, see our Items for Sale below. And to see more of her beautiful work, make sure to check out her website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/marleyjanedotcom.

Continued on page 6

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE6

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Community Spotlight, Continued

Carolyn Van HoutenCarolyn holds a very special place in the O’Loughlin family’s heart. She is a photojournalism student at UNC Chapel Hill and it’s hard to explain the integrity and maturity that encompasses this young woman. My family had the huge honor of working with her last year when she contacted me after stumbling across 3 Irish Jewels Farm’s website. She wanted to follow our family around for a photo story about living with autism for a class project. I cautiously agreed and my life has not been the same since... in a good way.

Carolyn had been photographing portraits and weddings here and there going into college, but decided to pursue astrophysics as a career path. She thought that she needed a "real person job.” However, the longer she spent in those physics classes the more she realized that she really only cared about light and optics. She remembers a specific phone call with her dad in November of 2011 when he told her that if she followed her heart and her passions the rest of life's challenges would come together and be worthwhile. The next day she swapped her major to photojournalism and dove into photojournalism classes that spring. For the past several years, she has been running her very own wedding and portrait business to help cover travel and gear costs. But ultimately, she wants to transfer that business knowledge to a more editorial and commercial photography-centered business.

For Carolyn, the longer she is in photojournalism, the less about photography it becomes. Photography for her is a tool to tell stories and a reason to connect with people of all walks of life. Yes, she adores photography itself. She walks around creating compositions in her head, even when she does not have a camera in her hand. However, to her, photographing beautifully is a means to an end and that end is telling stories that inform people. The ultimate goal is to open people's eyes to issues that many either dismiss or misunderstand and, hopefully in some way, have those stories help those affected by the issues she has photographed.

After she submitted her completed project with our family as the subject matter, World Within our Own, both of our worlds exploded. She is now hoping to continue the documentary project as long as all of us feel that it is not complete. Both of us would love to see it through to the building of 3 Irish Jewels Farm. Carolyn’s real hope for the documentary, though, is two-fold. One, she hopes that it raises awareness about those with autism and their families, as well as the issues of long term care that they face. Secondly, she hopes that by bringing to light the beautiful

relationships that the O'Loughlins have with Marcus, the story can in some way supplement their tremendous effort to make 3 Irish Jewels Farm become a reality. An important part of that is getting the project published. There has been interest from various national publications, but she is still working through that process.

The project is currently in two forms: a series of still photographs and photo story, The House Autism Built, and a video piece, World Within our Own. The video won gold for the Individual Multimedia Story category of College Photographer of the Year (CPOY), which is a competition amongst undergraduate and graduate photography students from around the world (cpoy.org). It was also included in the Large Group Multimedia Project that won silver in CPOY and the student Portfolio for which she won silver. The still photographs won Best in Show and Feature Photo Story as well as being a part of the Student Photographer of the Year portfolio for North Carolina Press Photographers Association competition. It was first place in the National Hearst Journalism Awards for the Picture Story category and one image from the project was named Best Single Photograph of the Year. A grant proposal Carolyn wrote for the project was a LUCEO Student Project Award finalist. The video was also featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in the Sprout Film Festival, where we joined Carolyn for the viewing and a celebration.

Carolyn has also worked on international short documentaries and done freelance work across the US for publications such as The Chicago Tribune, The News & Observer, The Tampa Bay Times, and The Washington Post. Although still an active student at UNC Chapel Hill, she is in currently in the middle of an amazing internship with The Tampa Bay Times for the fall and is looking forward to starting at The Dubois County Herald in Jasper, IN in the spring. I’m so proud of Carolyn and as she knows, I often times refer to her as my little sister... but truthfully, I have learned so much from her and I’m so grateful to have her in my family’s life. Make sure to check out her beautiful portfolio at http://carolynvanhouten.com/ and her wedding and portrait work at http://shop.vhphotography.com/portfolio. You can view World Within Our Own here:

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NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE7

Fortunate FatherBy Dwayne Ballen

am a very fortunate father. This is attributable, largely, to my sons Julian and Jared. Both of whom have provided me with a deep reservoir of love and special moments. Allow me to share, with

you, some thoughts on the former, Julian. He is twenty and has autism. The diagnosis was made in 1997, when he was four years of age. At that time one in ten thousand children had an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Most of what I knew about it (autism) was gleaned from Dustin Hoffman’s character in the movie “Rain Man.” It just wasn’t on my radar. In the subsequent sixteen years, since my wife (Martina) and I first heard the words “Your son has autism,” I’ve learned so much from, and because of, Julian.

The first, and probably most difficult, thing for me to come to terms with was what having autism meant for Julian. His life would not be like that of a neuro-typical person. He related to the world around him differently. He learned differently. Academics would be hard. All this ran counter to the grand plans I had for his place in the world. Joe Kennedy had nothing on me when it came to charting a path to greatness and world significance for my eldest son. Autism, simply, wasn’t part of my equation. Once I came to the realization that it wasn’t about me, it was about Julian, then a whole new world opened up and I began a wondrous journey with him as my guide.

When you arrive at that place, where you understand it’s about him, not you, ego is (thankfully) a casualty. Instead of dwelling on how his autism reflected on me I, along with my amazing wife, focused on what needed to be done to make his life better and successful. Whether it was occupational therapy, speech therapy or passionate and unrelenting advocacy with educators, we constantly searched for ways to make his pathway easier. Julian has forced me to view the world through his eyes, and the vistas have been heartwarming, heartbreaking and breathtaking.

Most persons with autism have areas of intense interest that dominate their lives. For Julian there are three; Disney animated movies, animals and drawing. An exceptional artist, he can draw detailed sketches of the Serengeti (complete with the proper wildlife) or produce drawings of myriad Disney characters from memory. It is a marvel to listen to his near encyclopedic musings on animals and the plot twists of the aforementioned Disney films. I never knew, until Julian taught me, that Disney animators cleverly hide cameos, of characters

from other movies, in plain sight in their films.

Even during the more challenging times, I have learned from Julian. From the time he was two to now, meltdowns have been a factor in our life with him. They can be volcanic, often we aren’t even sure what triggers them, such is the nature of his autism. Along the way I’ve figured out how to ride out these “emotional storms” with him. Patience is an essential tool in the world of autism.

Socially it is hard. Though he is very verbal and considered high functioning, forming friendships, talking to girls or just “fitting in” with most neuro-typical young people are all difficult. I have watched, with great admiration, as he bravely steps out into a

Continued on page 8

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Dwayne Ballen,

ESPN sports broadcaster, journalist, father & published

author

I

“Tiger,” by Julian Ballen, 2008

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE8

Fortunate Father, Continued

world, not designed for someone like him, each day with a smile on his face. I recall, our daily routine, when he was just beginning high school. I would drop him off every morning and watch him take the thirty-five steps required to reach the front door of his school. Without fail he would turn and wave goodbye while flashing his heart melting grin. He would then navigate a world in which he had no friends and ate his daily lunch with a teacher. Julian’s autism is not as severe as some others, who basically exist in their own insular world. He’s acutely aware that he’s different, yet there is nothing he can do to change that. Thanks to him I really understand the word courage.

When he was a toddler Julian didn’t like to be held, would not look you directly in the eye and wasn’t very verbal. Martina was moved to wonder if she would ever hear him say “I love you mommy.” Now he is not only very verbal, but also very affectionate. He showers her with “I love yous” every day. He loves giving and receiving hugs. As anyone who loves and/or cares for someone with autism knows, this is a bonus. A considerable number of persons on the spectrum never are able to show real affection. When he and I are together he will often take my hand or put his head on my shoulder. If people stare, and sometimes they do, at the sight of a twenty year old young man and his father holding hands in public, it bothers me not the least. Julian demonstrates to me on a daily basis what unconditional love means.

Maybe the most important lesson I have taken from my experience with Julian is the need to be there for him, as a father. Unfortunately the autism community has seen a significant number of fathers disengage from their children with autism, especially when the child is a boy. This is even more unsettling when you consider the prevalence rate is five times more likely in boys than girls. The most recent study from the Center for Disease Control indicates that one in eighty-eight children are now on the autism spectrum. We need all fathers, present and accounted for. To not be involved does a disservice to the child, the rest of the family and the father. Whether or not that child can communicate it properly, I assure you they want and need their dad, actively, in their life.

I think being with Julian has made me a better father, husband and human being. I know that he has immeasurably enriched my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined when he was first diagnosed with autism. I believe that he, and others like him, can teach all of us something about what’s really important in life. I’m certain that I am a fortunate father.

Dwayne Ballen is an award winning journalist and television sportscaster. His book, Journey with Julian, is available in bookstores and Amazon now. Julian Ballen, his 20-year-old son, was diagnosed with high functioning autism at the age of four. Julian attends the The University of North Carolina-Greensboro. They reside in Durham, NC with Julian’s mother, Martina Ballen who is immediate past board chair of the Autism Society of North Carolina, and his younger brother, Jared. Dwayne often speaks to groups about being the father of a child with autism. The Ballen family hopes that everyone develops a better understanding and appreciation for persons with autism and the gifts they have to share with the world. If you’d like to share your thoughts send emails to: journeywithjulian@gmail.com

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

“Red Fox,” by Julian Ballen, 2012

Dwayne with Julian & Katie Couric on “Katie”

December • Carve out some time for yourself amidst the holiday hustle and snuggle

up next to the fire with a good gardening book. Eliot Coleman’s Four-Season Harvest is a favorite of mine not only because I adore Eliot’s lively style of writing, but also because he shares detailed descriptions and illustrations of season-extending gardening techniques that can be applied right in your own backyard. He covers organic gardening basics with special attention to managing the winter garden. And he devotes a chapter in the book to ducks as garden helpers—a man after my own heart.

•Head into the new year with a garden reference book that will really get you “growing”—Nancy Bubel’s The New Seed-Starters Handbook. Nancy covers the basics of seed selection, soil mixes, renewable seed-starting containers, germination, fertilization, hardening-off techniques, and seed-saving. Why start your own seedlings indoors when you can just go buy them in the spring at the garden center? Well, why not? It’s easy—you can build your own plant-birthing contraption using a shelving unit. It’s therapy for the soul in an otherwise dormant period of the gardening year. It allows you complete control of plant health and plant selection. And it causes quite a stir in the neighborhood when you keep your grow-lights on all night in the dining room. Just sayin’.

January

• Large, field-grown trees and screen shrubs can be safely planted now where the soil is cool but not frozen. Deciduous woody ornamentals can also go in now.

• Pay a visit to the compost pile to see how it’s doing. Adding green organic matter like kitchen scraps to the browns already in the heap is necessary for the process of decomposition. Turn the pile often.

• Begin gathering supplies for starting vegetable & herb seedlings indoors (beans, corn, cucurbits, borage, dill, coriander, and caraway don’t take too kindly to being transplanted). Decide on the type of seed-starting equipment you’ll need—and remember, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy indoor grow center. Get creative and repurpose a thrift store bookshelf. Familiarize yourself with proper light, moisture and temperature requirements for seeds. Never start seeds in ordinary garden soil. Choose a sterile soilless medium or mix up your own. April Johnson, landscape and greenhouse coordinator at the Rodale Institute, has settled on this general formula:

• Since many of our warm-season lawns like centipede are still sleeping this month, take advantage of an unseasonably warm day to spray & kill broadleaf winter weeds like wild onions and chickweed. Check labels for sensitivities.

Continued on page 10

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE9

The Freckled GardenerCULTIVATING SOIL & SOUL IN THE HEART OF NORTH CAROLINA (USDA ZONE 7B)

By Nancy Butterfield

Nancy Butterfield, 3IJF Board of Directors & Recording Secretary

Cutie, Big Mama & Max—my dearest garden friends (2008)

Basic Potting Medium for Seedlings

4 parts screened compost + 1 part perlite + 1 part vermiculite + 2 parts sphagnum peat moss/coir

• Bite the bullet and get your lawn tractor serviced now before the spring rush.

• Opt for organic ice-melting. Non-toxic, environmentally-friendly products like Green Logic work effectively without wrecking the landscape.

• Maintain the optimal mulch layer of 2- or 3-inch depth around landscape plants. My mulch of choice—pine straw—can be spread a bit thicker and is the best weed control in shrub borders. Plus, you can’t beat the fluff.

• Seasoned organic gardeners give serious thought to crop rotation as they are planning their spring planting beds. Changing the type of plant grown in a garden space and moving plant families around a bit is called crop rotation. Traditionally, a farmer plants crops like legumes that fix nitrogen, and then rotates in crops that have a high nitrogen requirement—like corn—into that spot the next season. Crop rotation prevents disease and is a natural pest management tool. I do this on a small scale in my kitchen garden.

• Be kind to the birds by filling the feeders and suet cages regularly. And don’t forget the water.

February• Order your seeds if you haven’t already. A few of my favorite companies include Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Renee’s Garden Seeds

(heirloom selections), and Kitazawa Seed Company (Asian & Oriental), and Seeds of Change. Check out Seed Savers Exchange for organic, heirloom, and non-GMO seeds.

• What’s blooming in North Carolina now? Look for winter honeysuckle, hellebores, crocus, violets, and Japanese flowering apricots to come alive this month.

• Fertilize emerging spring flowering bulbs and shade trees this month. As plants from flowering bulbs begin to emerge, they will absorb nutrients. This is a good time to apply a bulb-boosting fertilizer or compost to bulb beds. Some gardeners use 10-10-10 fertilizer at one pound of fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed area. Research conducted at North Carolina State University found that bulb plants absorb most of their nitrogen and nutrients during the period of root development and as the new foliage is emerging in late winter.

• The first week in February is the time to start broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower plants inside the home.

• Plant English peas, onions, Irish potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, kale, turnips, and carrots the last week of February.

• Plant asparagus crowns when soil is dry enough to work.

• Direct-sow lettuces, radishes, and carrots under grow tunnels in the kitchen garden.

• Trim ornamental grasses like liriope, mondo grass, and pampas grass. Do this early so you don’t risk permanently damaging new growth.

• Prune crepe myrtles carefully—do not commit crepe murder! No sawing of arm-sized branches. No hacking-down or hacking-off. Gently prune pencil-thick, inward-growing branches and old seed pods only. I will be holding my breath this month, waiting for the scenes of horrific carnage in neighborhoods all over the area.

• Peach and nectarine trees need to be sprayed with a fungicide to prevent leaf curl.

• Spray all fruit trees with dormant oil to help eliminate some insects.

• Divide perennials like daylilies and Shasta daisies when the ground is dry enough.

• Clean out bluebird boxes, refill feeders often, and stuff unused suet cages with nesting materials like coir, fuzzy yarn, dryer lint, natural cotton, and jute twine.

Until next time, may your worries be composted and your freckles forever celebrated... Nancy

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE10

The Freckled GardenerContinued

Nancy, an aspiring horticultural therapist, is an avid home gardener of 20 years with a special passion for historic & heirloom plants, vegetables and herbs native to the South. Her gardening blog, Nancy’s Carolina Kitchen Garden, chronicles her adventures in her yard and potager. Follow her on Twitter @NancButterfield.

The winter was not given to us for no purpose. We must thaw its cold with our genialness. We are tasked to find out and appropriate all the nutriment it yields. If it is a cold and hard season, its

fruit, no doubt, is the more concentrated and nutty. ~Henry David Thoreau

Chef Steve’s Favorite Farm to Fork RecipesWRAP YOURSELF IN THE FLAVORS OF WINTER

By Steve Mesa

am not really the most practiced baker. In culinary school, the baking and pastry instructors used to joke that we culinary guys

were the smart ones for all of our creativity, but I quickly realized how much knowledge goes into developing a baking recipe. Whereas a typical culinary recipe usually can allow for quite a bit of personal interpretation, bakers have to consider all kinds of reactions and interactions that changing any part of a recipe might have on the outcome. I realize now that the bakers were just making fun of us for being a bunch of Neanderthals beating our sauté pans and chasing the dragon of burnt fingers, while they had to actually know a thing or two.

A few weeks ago, my daughter was assigned a project in her 4th grade class for which she was to explore her ethnic heritage. As my wife is of Italian descent, my daughter thought it would be cool to find out more about Italy, and next thing I know, I’m making Italian Christmas cookies for her class!

I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the years since culinary school working on my baking, with the hope of feeling more comfortable with the processes involved and to eventually get to the point where developing recipes for baking and pastry are not such an intimidating process. In the meantime, I love scouring books and the Internet for great baking recipes. I’d love to take credit for this one, but it comes from an unknown Internet source found by my daughter!

This is a great little recipe, easy to make, fun for the kids to decorate, and delicious to eat. I wish you and your families all the best over this holiday season.

(Recipe continued on Page 12)

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

I

Steve Mesa, 3IJF Board of Directors & Professional Chef

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE11

!

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE12

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 601-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Italian Almond CookiesYield: About 30 cookies

Cookies:½ C Butter, softened½ C Sugar, granulated3 Large eggs2t Almond extract2 ½ C All Purpose flour 1T Baking powder3 T Milk

Icing:2C Powdered sugar3T Milk½ t Almond extract

Sprinkles and other assorted cookie decorations-----------------------------------

Heat the oven to 350° and line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone liners

Cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating fully before adding the next. Add the almond extract

Blend the flour and baking powder. Add a third of this mixture to the butter mixture, and then add 1T of milk. When mixed, add another third of the flour mix and another T of milk. When mixed, add the final flour mix and the last T of milk. The resulting batter should be softer than a typical drop cookie dough and more like a brownie batter. Add more milk by the teaspoon if necessary, but be careful not to over mix.

Use a cookie scoop or a regular tea spoon to make simple drop cookies spaced an inch and a half apart.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. They will not brown, but the insides will be soft and cake like.

Let them cool on the sheet until they have firmed enough to move and then transfer to a wire rack and cool.

For the Icing:

In a bowl, mix the sugar, milk, and almond extract to make a sugar glaze. Put a piece of parchment under your wire rack to catch drips. Hold each cookie in your hand and finger paint the icing over the top of the entire cookie. Immediately sprinkle as you like. Don’t wait to sprinkle, as this frosting sets up quickly. Allow the icing to harden completely and then store in airtight containers or freeze.

A native of Northern California, Steve has a degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He worked as a professional chef on the West Coast before moving to the Raleigh area. He has two children - a 9 year-old daughter and a 7 year-old son with autism.

Chef Steve’s Favorite Italian Almond Cookies NOW THAT’S AMORE!

(Continued)By Steve Mesa

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE13

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Announcements

* 3 Irish Jewels Farm is now a part of AmazonSmile - so finish your holiday shopping now, and help 3 Irish Jewels Farm at the same time! Make sure to open your amazon

account via smile.amazon.com when beginning to shop. Details below.

What is AmazonSmile?AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite

charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that

Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.

How do I shop at AmazonSmile?

To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to AmazonSmile to make it even easier to return

and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.

Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations?Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. Recurring Subscribe-and-

Save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently eligible.

Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List,

wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.

How do I select a charitable organization to support when shopping on AmazonSmile?On your first visit to AmazonSmile, you need to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. We will remember your selection, and then every

eligible purchase you make on AmazonSmile will result in a donation.

How much of my purchase does Amazon donate?The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile

purchases. The purchase price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and excluding shipping & handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes, or service charges.

Can I receive a tax deduction for amounts donated from my purchases on AmazonSmile?

Donations are made by the AmazonSmile Foundation and are not tax deductible by you.

How can I learn more about AmazonSmile?Please see complete AmazonSmile program details.

3 Irish Jewels Farm

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE14

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Copyright © Erin O’Loughlin. All rights reserved.WestBow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson

Announcements(Continued)

The Bluebird Dance Erin O’Loughlin’s children’s book is finally ready to purchase in

bookstores, Amazon (Don’t forget to use Amazon Smile!) & Barnes & Noble!

ALL sales will benefit 3 Irish Jewels Farm.

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE15

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Announcements (Continued)

The Eagle Rare Life Award

Please vote for us! 3 Irish Jewels Farm has been nominated for The Eagle Rare Life Award and we need your

votes! The Eagle Rare Life Award was created to allow people to share amazing, inspirational stories about amazing people. Seven of those amazing stories each year are

awarded money to be donated to the charity of the winning nominee's choice. The grand price is $40,000 donated by Eagle Rare. Eagle Rare will also host a local award reception

for the Grand Prize award winner. They will also donate $4,000 to the other 6 finalist charities.

So please click here and vote for 3 Irish Jewels Farm!###############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################

NEWS FROM THE NEST ! PAGE16

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Items For SaleALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT 3 IRISH JEWELS FARM

3 Irish Jewels Farm Store

F

A. Tie-Dye T-Shirt, Hand Dyed! Adult (S-XL): $15! Youth (YXS-YL): $12

B. Gray T-Shirt! Adult (S-XL): $12! Youth (YXS-YXL): $10

C. Puzzle Bangle Bracelet – $10! Sterling silver plated bracelets have ! two puzzle pieces at the ends that ! can be squeezed to adjust size. ! Approximately 8”.

D. Puzzle Piece Cookie Cutter – $5

E. Nest Bead – $5! These sliver plated charms fit ! European style bracelets (e.g. ! Pandora, Chamilia, etc.) or any 3mm ! snake chain bracelet or necklace.*

F. Puzzle Piece Bead – $5! These Pandora inspired beads feature ! a 1 cm x 1 cm chunky !puzzle piece.*

*Note: (E) and/or (F) can also be purchased with a silver plated snake chain bracelet with barrel clasp for an extra $5.

G. Surgical Steel Puzzle Ring – $25! Hypo Allergenic Surgical Steel. ! Has a Jigsaw Pattern Design with a ! combination of polished and brushed ! satin finish. 5/16 in. (8mm) wide. ! Sizes 5–14, including half sizes.

H.Hand Crocheted Hair Clip – $5 each! Puzzle piece hair clips, hand ! crocheted by Kate Marshall, artist of ! Simply SophistiKated.

I. Heart Necklace- $10! Silver plate necklace, 17” – ! “Autism Touches Us All”

J. Butterfly Believe Coffee Mug – $10! Beautiful 12-oz. coffee mug, ! featuring an autism ribbon as a ! butterfly with the words Believe, ! Strength, Courage, Hope, Love & ! Determination.

B

C

E

G

D

J

H

$15A $12

$10 $5

$5

$10

$25$5 each

I $10

$5

NEWS FROM THE NEST ! PAGE17

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Items For SaleContinued

CUSTOM NESTS BY MARLEY JANE

Custom Sterling Silver Nest Necklace - $50

3 Irish Jewels Farm has partnered with Oregon artist Jennifer Huson... 30% goes back to 3 Irish Jewels Farm!

This listing is for a 1 piece sterling silver pendant set, created by talented Oregon artist Jennifer Huson, with name stamp on bottom piece and a beautiful handmade nest with your choice of up to 4 (sometimes more) "egg" beads. Possible options: Up to 3-4 names (depending on length of names - possibly 4-6 names if they are short), date or dates.

Chain: 18" silver chain (Can request up to 24”)Pendant: 1" x 1" (bottom piece)

Notes: Jennifer can do most any color of smooth beads, including the 3 Irish Jewels Farm signature blue eggs. She also has a selection of faceted birth-stone beads. She can create one-bead nests, but she suggests adding a middle name or a birthdate to the name, otherwise the single egg nest looks too small for the pendant. ]

~*Please contact Erin at Erin@3IrishJewelsFarm.org to place your custom order*~

3 Irish Jewels Farm Signature Blue Eggs

Example

Example

Example

Example

Example

Example

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE18

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

A THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERSOn behalf of all of us at 3 Irish Jewels Farm. thank you for your generosity! Your support assists us in

continuing to build upon our dream. The following individuals & organizations have shown their support through monetary contributions. Thanks to all of you, we have raised almost $300,000 so far.

POT O’ GOLD DONORS ($5,000+)Samuel P. Mandell FoundationPat Murnane's Irish Pub

EMERALD DONORS ($1,000+)AnonymousFox Liquor Bar David & Robin GreenKestrel Heights Elementary SchoolWake County Ancient Order of Hibernians

IRISH EYES DONORS ($500+)AnonymousDr. & Mrs. Charles BarishMitchell & Joanne BigelJeffrey ChaffkinChampions Bar & More/Adnan HamedSusan FinkelsteinMarceen & Matthew GasperoniKen KohagenRaleigh St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival Committee

SHAMROCK DONORS ($150+)Courtney BarrusPaul & Renay BeckerAllison & Matt BymanKelly BullockFrank & Joan ConnLaura FraioliStephanie GedmintasElise Graziano & Steve MesaMelissa Jacobs Jennifer JurkusAnne LeahyJeremy LeBlancJerry & Joseph Lemanski

Howard & Lori LevineAndy MayMaureen MorrellKaren Moss - In memory of Janet SullivanPatricia PagetRuby Tuesday RestaurantToni Anne RockerJonathan & Helene RodSusan Kessler RossSharon & Fred TooleyGeorge & Ann ToskyMichael Ungar & Deborah Warner Maude VeechKelly S. WyattPhilip YoungQuan Zhou & Jun Chen

CLADDAGH DONORS ($50+)Carmen AndrewsBillie & Davie Barbour - In memory of Janet SullivanMary & Marshall BassettJamie BenjaminAlan & Mindy BiegelmanKaren & Alan BoothNancy & Alan ButterfieldBuck CochranMimi CookKelly D'AmicoMichael DevineMeredith DixonBen DulmanSophie DunnLora EddingtonDan Friedman & Family Nicole GauntGolden Junebugs Group (via Lisa Kimmett)John GuerinSuzanne GumppJohn & Elaine Johnson - In memory of Janet SullivanJennifer JurkusStefanie & Douglas Kahn

Debra KossmanL&M Transportation Service, Inc.Helen LaVereCheryl Martin - In memory of Janet SullivanKaren MeirStephanie NovickBruce & Mindy OberhardtSiobhan & Fursey O’LoughlinDebbie & Rob QuintCarl & Lisa RobertsSuzanne RodaRick RollinsonJamie RorrerElizabeth & Mike RossBruce & Sandy RubensteinFrank & Richelle SajovecSAS Institute - In memory of Janet SullivanRachelle & Jay SchwartzCaren SeussermanLeslie VanDykeEileen VanHoutenTammy Wells-AngererNC Representative Jennifer WeissRobyn Ziperski - In honor of Corey Green

3IJF FRIENDSElizabeth ButterfieldSusan ButterfieldSally ButterfieldJeanne HolmesMelissa JacobsMarlene LeavellArthur & Heather Levey - In memory of Janet SullivanTerri MaineyLori McIlwainVirginia & John Nugent - In memory of Janet SullivanSiobhan O'LoughlinCliona SalazarShari SimsCheryl L. Turney - In memory of Janet Sullivan

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE19

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

AND A HUGE HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS FOR OUR 2ND ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT ON OCTOBER 4TH.

Thanks to your support, we raised $12,000 this year! On behalf of all of us at 3 Irish Jewels Farm and Pat Murnane’s Irish Pub, thank you so much!

BREAKFAST SPONSOR ($750)S&ME Engineering

LUNCH SPONSOR ($1,500)John Hootman

DINNER SPONSOR ($1,500)Pat Murnane’s Irish Pub, in memory of Brian Clark

HOLE SPONSORS ($1,000)BarishBohler EngineeringScott CorriganDancoDigestive HealthcareThe Electric Motor ShopDave GreenHi-Tech FabricLucille HudsonSamuel P. Mandell FoundationMargeurite Norris The Skin Center of the Triangle

HOLE IN ONE SPONSOR ($750)Premier Carpentry

PUTT FOR CASH ($750)Pepsi Co.

BEVERAGE CART SPONSORS ($250)Pete HartmannPet Mania

SCORE CARD SPONSOR ($250)Capital Games

150 YARD SPONSORS ($250)Wayne GilmanPete Hartmann x3

TEE BOX SPONSORS ($250)John KingRufty

TEAM DONATIONSCasey AtwaterMichael GrayJesse GriffinTom HartleThomas Law Group

CART SPONSORS ($50)AOH PennaBrentwood CarpetsThe Butterfield FamilyCourtney Campbell CPAKendra ElliottFidelity BankGentle Touch Car WashThe Helms FamilyThe Mesa FamilySue Morley InvestmentsIn Memory of “Little Mike”In Memory of Larry BarrettIn Memory of Judy SosnowskiIn Memory of Sameer “Sammy” MurarkaIn Memory of William “Bill” NanceJames G. Norris Sr.James G. Norris, IIILori NorrisMitchell NorrisWill NorrisThe Osborne FamilyPravavaPLOCFred TooleyWake Manor Properties

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE20

The Nest Egg FundHELP FEATHER OUR NEST!

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

Donate to our "Go Fund Me" campaign by clicking the icon to the left. There is no need for a Paypal account, nor do you need to sign

up for any separate account in order to donate to this campaign.

Make an online donation with PayPal by clicking the icon to the left.

Click on the form to the left, download, and mail in with your check or money order.

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Our Nest Egg Fund is designed to nourish the startup costs of 3 Irish Jewels Farm. Startup costs include expenses such as cost of sales,

professional fees, technology costs, administrative costs, marketing costs and land acquisition. You can help by contributing a donation in the amount of your choice to 3 Irish Jewels Farm. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax exempt organization. Your gift may qualify as a charitable deduction for

federal income tax purposes. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call

Erin at (919) 602-9883, or e-mail her at Erin@3IrishJewelsFarm.org.

Thank you in advance for your support!

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“The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell.”

~Zora Neale Hurston

NEWS FROM THE NEST! PAGE21

Board of Directors, Our Mission, Vision & Logo

3 Irish Jewels Farm | (919) 602-9883 | www.3IrishJewelsFarm.org

3 Irish Jewels Farm

Board of DirectorsErin O’Loughlin*3 Irish Jewels FarmPresident & Founder

Andrew Moriarty*Bohler EngineeringVice President

Nancy ButterfieldDurham County Public School SystemRecording Secretary

David Green*Private Investment ConsultantTreasurer

Robin Green*Grant Writing Chair

Steve Mesa*Professional Chef

Colm O’Loughlin*Digestive Healthcare

Laurie Smith*Social Chair

Advisory BoardDawn AllenGHA Autism Supports

Brian BradyBrady Law Firm, PLLC

Maureen Morrell*Autism Society of NC

MissionTo create an environmentally sustainable agricultural community where adults on the autism spectrum can live dignified and meaningful lives with support in a healthy, safe and enriching environment and achieve independence through meaningful work, recreation and community involvement. In addition to adults living on the farm, school-age children with autism will be able to attend track-out and summer programs so that they can also experience the farm life. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax-exempt organization.

VisionTo offer a person-centered home to adults with autism in which they can thrive and continue to grow and learn. The tranquil agricultural setting will provide a well structured residence with safety, cohesiveness and serenity. Well-trained co-workers who are familiar with the resident farmers’ special needs will assist the farmers in learning and discovering new skills, encouraging them to reach their fullest potential. In turn, the resident farmers will experience appropriate and rewarding work, along with organized leisure time and social activities.

As a community within a larger community, we will strive to educate the general public about autism awareness and will invite community members to volunteer in farming activities and special events. 3 Irish Jewels Farm will collaborate with the many universities and schools around the Triangle and provide internships, classes, volunteer opportunities, as well as educational workshops and support groups to the general public.

Our long-term goal is to create a pilot program in the Triangle of NC, nurture it and grow it to the best it can possibly be, and then open more around the state, and then around the country. Because we know that we will be at capacity within just moments of opening, and there is a need for hundreds more of 3IJFs around the country. Please join us in making this happen... our fellow brothers and sisters with autism depend upon us.

Our LogoI love the symbolism that encompasses birds, nests & eggs. Eggs represent a new chance at life, hope, the excitement of seeing the treasures that lie within those eggs. Birds represent the connection between the sky and the land, freedom, the ability to spread their wings and soar independently. The nest symbolizes home, love, protection. I admire the manner in which a mama bird constructs her nest piece by piece, gradually making it strong and protective. And so I chose three eggs in my nest for my three beautiful children. I dedicate this farm to my three children, Jordan, Marcus & Brendan. May this farm provide a strong and protective place for those who need its support. May it allow everyone who walks through its doors to spread their wings and soar. May it provide you and your family with hope and a new chance at life. And may it provide all of us with the opportunity to discover the treasures that lie within us.

NEWS FROM THE NEST

Winter came down to our home one night

Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,

And we, we were children once again.

~Bill Morgan, Jr.

Winter 2013

FROM:3 I R I S H J E W E L S F A R M

( 9 1 9 ) 6 0 2 - 9 8 8 3 w w w . 3 I r i s h J e w e l s F a r m . o r gE r i n @ 3 I r i s h J e w e l s F a r m . o r gIssue No. Two

Winter 2013, Issue No. 2

MAIL TO:3 Irish Jewels Farm Supporter

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