From our very first meeting in a back alley wine release party, we knew our paths would continue to cross. Chrissilda, a formally trained and highly traveled Chef currently working for Michelin Starred Six Test Kitchen, was pouring natural cider after interning in the cellar for a harvest season. Natt, a practiced Oceanographic Engineer with a decade spent biodynamically farming both land and sea, was shucking oysters she had pulled from the bay that morning. We bonded over our shared Oceania ancestry, our experiences as young women in the worlds of wine & fisheries, our desire to act as caretakers for the sleepy little coast we call home, and our deep love of being involved in every step necessary to provide our community with soul-filled food. We began to collaborate on menus and meals that showcased our food web in its entirety while putting emphasis on the inclusion of art, connection, and consciousness.
Years later, our universe presented us with the ultimate gift of land to steward. Land tucked into a rare pocket of California water abundance, land with ancient flowering trees to watch over us, land with fluffy fairy-gifted grass underfoot, land with quail nesting on the riparian edge. When we each sat to sketch our vision for the new farm, we were stunned to realize we had drawn the exact same shape…a spiral. The ripples on the creek’s surface, the Fibonacci sequence in the wildflowers covering the fields, the dirt caked into the crevices of our fingertips all gently nudged us to a vision of meandering pathways leading to a secretive soulful center. Thus, WHORL. became our reality. A constant reminder to feel free to wiggle about, deviate from the sites you recognize well, maybe even circle around a few times for the memories; but know that your core will hold firm and call you home when the time is right.
Nowadays, you can find us bringing life to our vision of food within the WHORL. by tending to an array of produce, herbs, flowers, and people. This includes working with numerous local restaurants to grow unique and stunning varietals for their menus, cheffing for private events and outdoor education workshops, hosting a seasonal supper club of our own, and perfecting our first release of herbal tea blends, infused oils, and other home-cook staples. We believe we have created a truly cyclical food system, where energy continues to be transferred between the land, the community, and ourselves. We hope you’ll join us within the WHORL.
