chappaqua – Tack and Tweed Equestrian: The Love of Horses

Cavallo Rosso – Red Horse Sauces by Tack and Tweed

Many years ago, a fellow mom friend and I founded a baby food company named Petite Palate (good press: https://people.com/parents/petite-palate-g/ ). I was making food for my newborn son, and started selling it to friends and family and small retailers. It grew pretty large; eventually selling on Amazon, Whole Foods and other regional retailers. We were all the vanguard of the frozen baby food frenzy along with Happy Baby and Plum Organics.

It wasn’t long before our competitors started offering shelf stable options, like pouches. We refused as we really believed that frozen retains more nutrients and is healthier for babies, being closer to homemade. This turned out to be our tragic error, as most retailers do not want to dedicate their prime real estate next to the frozen pizzas to something as novel as frozen baby food.

Next blow was the crash of 2008, and poof, all our funding dried up, sealing our fate. (Not-so-good press: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/business/smallbusiness/06sbiz.html).

After YEARS of healing and recovering financially and mentally (it was such a labor or love and we dedicated our lives for years to our endeavor), I think I can finally start another project. This time, however, slow growth and complete control over finances is my goal.

I have been selling my t-shirts and equestrian themed apparel (available here), and it’s been so much fun, but I am excited to incorporate my chef skills to my business. I’ve been cooking my own fresh marinara, basil pestos for years. I decided to start exploring how I can monetize my love of cooking and my yearning to start a food business again.

I found a great kitchen incubator named Hudson Valley Beta Kitchen (HVBK), in the adorable town of Croton on Hudson. I’m putting together my recipes, scaling them up for small batch production and will be selling them at local farm stores, farmers’ markets, and local summer festivals.

Starting with Fresh Marinara, Fresh Basil Pesto, and Spicy Thai Basil Pesto under the sub-brand, Cavallo Rosso, meaning Red Horse in Italian – same brand look at feel as Tack and Tweed, but food-related.

I’m hoping to be ready in time to launch at the Summer Fest in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, finger’s crossed I can secure all the necessary permits.

I’ll be posting recipes that can be made with the Marinara Sauce and ways to use the different Pestos, so stay tuned! If you are local to Northern Westchester County, NY and want samples, please email me at TackandTweed@gmail.com; in addition, any comments, please comment below as I need and appreciate any feedback!

Life after Lame

I’m sure many of us have been there. You’re riding and something feels wrong. Are you pulling on the reins too much? Is your seat not right? Are you out of balance? I naturally go to what I’m doing wrong (which is the usual suspect), but this time, it was Chance’s leg that gave out.

Chance is my steady Eddie…the Golden Retriever of horses; forever an ambassador for the equine species to kids and adult beginners and husbands alike. To see him out of action breaks my heart. His gait was never completely even, but this seems different, like we won’t ever do that training level dressage class we were working towards.

Chance has a bad stifle (the rescue where I adopted him said it was because of an injury as a colt…we’ll never know for sure). There seems to be quite a bit of arthritis in the joint, and it’s basically taken all summer to for him to feel up to trotting at a good clip for more than 20 minutes; we’ve yet to canter.

I’m left wondering if he’ll ever be back to normal, but then I think will I? My back and neck have arthritis and hurt every other day. I’ve been feeling carpal tunnel start in my wrists of late, and I have to struggle to keep off that last 5 pounds these last few years. As we age together, I’m happy to fight for every canter, trot and trail ride we have left. With enough Advil for me and bute for him, there is definitely life after lame!

Catch Rider – part 2

I ordered Catch Rider by Jennifer Lyne for Kindle last year, and hadn’t had a chance to read it. When I learned that Ms. Lyne was going got be signing her book at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival (she currently lives in NYC) a couple weeks ago, I decided to break the virtual spine and start reading. I couldn’t put it down. Sidney, the main character, has such an honest and strong voice. Her view of the world, as described by Jennifer Lyne, comes to life, in detail, drawing in even the most non-horsey of people into the world of a young woman struggling with class issues, personal tragedy and how to escape from her hometown by doing what she loves, riding.

While I didn’t grow up riding horses every day, after reading this book, I felt as though I had. Ms. Lyne’s attention to detail was a master class in equitation riding, the show world and how much effort it takes to succeed for someone who doesn’t have a fortune. Sidney won my heart; I instantly fell in love with her. As a mother, I wanted to take care of her, and couldn’t wait to read what she would do next. I felt as if I were there with Sidney and her uncle at the (spoiler alert) Maclay finals in NYC; found myself trying to calm my own nerves on her behalf.

Sidney’s perspective about her rural Virginia life, and her extreme brevity is compelling, and I will be sure to have both my children read Catch Rider when they are old enough. Kids don’t need to be in the horse world to learn from Ms. Lyne’s themes. Doing what you love, hard work and holding your head up high no matter what your background, are lessons we all need to learn.

Okay, now Ms. Lyne….time to write a sequel.

SPCA – Caring for Westchester’s Kittens Puppies & Ponies

Orange Tabby Kitten - ball of fluffy love ready for adoption — Ball of Fluffy Love up for adoption at the SPCA in Briarcliff NY – Orange Tabby Kitten

Anyone who is concerned with cruelty to animals has heard of the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), and the one in Briarcliff, NY is one of the oldest. Founded by Mary Dusenberry (of Ossining) in 1883 after witnessing horses being mercilessly beaten and whipped as they carried heavy loads of coal up a nearby hill, Mary and her generous friends bought the land and started a fund to help our animal friends. Besides caring for smaller animals like dogs and cats, the SPCA in Briarcliff has an Equine Rescue Fund, helping to find our less fortunate equine friends right here in Westchester County; sad to say that there are many horses and ponies in bad shape right in our own back yards. They provide food, shelter, medical, farrier and emergency care for abused equines around the area. They even help enforce animal cruelty laws (Animal Cops Westchester!).

Ready for Adoption - baby Black mix...cute little boy needs some love!!! — Baby Black Retriever Mix ready for love and a fun family to hug!!

For more information, sponsor an animal or make a much needed donation to these heroes, please go to www.SPCA914.org. To reach the Equine Rescue Fund directly, please call (914) 941-2896 ext. 12. Contributions can be made out to the SPCA Equine Rescue fund and mailed to the SPCA. The SPCA depends solely upon private donations; it is a no-kill shelter and is not affiliated with the ASPCA, and receives no federal, state or county funding.

Rescued Pony from the Equine Rescue at the SPCA Westchester

I’m sponsoring the monthly care of a kitty and I challenge all my Westchester and Connecticut friends to help. No amount is too little.

share if you dare

Like this:

share if you dare

Like this:

share if you dare

Like this:

share if you dare

Like this: