Authors serve slices of life

Friday, 04 December 2009 14:00

Farmer and cheesemaker Lisa Schwartz will offer tastings of her prized cheeses and sign copies of her memoir, “Over the Rainbeau: Living the Dream of Sustainable Farming,” during a book signing from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, December 5, at Elm Street Books.

The book is a collaboration by the author, her sister and farming partner, Karen Sabath, a photographer, and their friend, food writer Judith Hausman. It conveys the romance and challenges of Schwartz’s journey from tending a pair of goats to becoming an award-winning cheesemaker and building Rainbeau Ridge, a multifaceted, sustainable farm in Bedford Hills, N.Y.

Schwartz, who lives with her husband and two children on property adjacent to Rainbeau Ridge Farm, is the resident cheese maker and herdswoman. She teaches children’s agricultural education and cooking courses that emphasize the importance of local, sustainable agriculture in daily life. The small farm increasingly plays host to many philanthropic and community events, furthering Schwartz’s goals of keeping land as open space, conserving resources and helping people understand the value of farming and sustainable, accessible agriculture.

An avid photographer who is rarely seen without her camera, Sabath loves capturing authentic moments at the farm and with family and friends. “Over the Rainbeau” is the first publication of her photographs.

Until recently, Hausman was food critic and a feature writer for The Journal News, as well as the food columnist for NY House. She is intimately knowledgeable about the region’s food and farms, reporting frequently on farmers, home cooks, chefs and small producers in the Lower Hudson Valley. Hausman has written about Rainbeau Ridge repeatedly as the farm has evolved. She is also a Rainbeau Ridge CAP member, a long-time friend of Schwartz and the farm and a dedicated locavore.