I am the proud owner of a peanut butter mill. It may sound odd to you, but it makes perfect sense to me. I spent many years in Portales, New Mexico, a town lovingly known as Goober Gulch. It is the valencia peanut capitol of the world. A while back I decided I’d like to get involved in farmers’ markets and started researching how to buy a peanut mill so I could make my own brand of organic peanut butter.
I guess I didn’t completely understand how Ebay works—When I found a peanut mill that looked like a good value, I thought I placed it in my online basket. I only realized I had actually placed a winning bid when I received a congratulatory email letting me know I was the proud new owner of a one thousand dollar peanut mill. As luck would have it, that’s a pretty good price for a peanut mill—if you need one. I didn’t. I had the mill and no plan.
I made a bunch of peanut butter and made friends with all the peanut-butter-loving women at work. I perfected my recipe but hit a road block when it came to a name and a label. We tried “Norman Ranchero’s Peanut Butter” and “Norman’s Own Peanut Butter” and nothing quite hit home. We had some artistic label ideas but the peanut butter idea sort of fizzled before they came to fruition. The rigors of my news job killed my latest promising entrepreneurial masterpiece.
Recent events (brain tumor) have led me to consider taking my peanut mill out of storage and whipping up a new batch. I figure sympathy (if nothing else) could sell a few jars.
I did mention that this is just my latest entrepreneurial flare— I’ll introduce you to my Nancarrow EWWW Bin (a worm composting system) in the days ahead.
Until then, there are important decisions to be made—crunchy or creamy?
Loren
The Nancarrow Project 
Loren Nacarrow’s Organic Peanut Butter would suffice.
Salty anchor! 🙂
Hello, Loren!
There’s no particular reason you should remember me, but I met you and Susie through my work as a society editor/social columnist for Decor & Style Magazine (now defunct) and then for La Jolla Village News (which has just changed its name to La Jolla Today). I covered an event or two that you chaired at Quail Botanical Gardens years ago (still have the plant they gave me…), and of course I was familiar with your news and weather TV appearances over a number of years.
Last August, I also became the Society Director for the U~T San Diego (my column appears every Sunday, usually on page E14). I work most directly for Chris Cantore, and although I work out of my home office, I was at the U~T offices a week or so ago to meet with Chris. I saw his cobalt-blue nail polish, and he told me the story behind it; about how you and he became friends when he, too, was in broadcasting years ago and have remained pals since. And he told me about your recent diagnosis. Of course I was completely surprised.
I just saw the front-page article about you in today’s U~T (complete with blue-nailed portrait), read the full story, and just had come here to read your blog. Very nicely done! How nice to have this outlet for your thoughts and ideas. I’m enjoying reading it.
My very best wishes to you, Loren, in every way. And whenever that peanut butter is ready, I’ll take some–in the Crunchy (or even Extra Crunchy, if available…) variety!
Sincerely,
Vincent Andrunas
I’m another one who just read your article in the UT. My prayers are with you. You can beat this thing.. And of course, CRUNCHY!!😍
There is so much love going out to you that will give you strength to kick the snot out of that tumor. Just stumbled onto some history about your peanut mill. http://activerain.com/blogsview/2567954/5-amazing-things-you-can-do-with-peanut-butter
Wandering the I-net brought me to the U-T, and its story about you. Brought back a lot of memories of the nights watching you during the 18 years in SD. I lost a good friend to your ailment a couple of years ago, but you can beat it. Gonna have to follow your blogs just to keep up with you. In the meantime, what do you do with baked potato skins?
Crunchy! I have organic peach jam to share!
Sent from my iPad
First things first…crunchy! Next..just found your blog. Holy cow man you have been challenged!! What a before and after X-ray! Had no idea. I’m just one of those people who have watched you for years and learned so much from you. I just went through and read all the updates and will continue to follow you. You have a great attitude! Thanks for sharing about this crazy journey. You certainly have a lot of people loving and supporting you. Keep laughing. Have a good cry now and then too.
What the heck. Can’t hurt. Right?
In the spirit of your attitude you have regarding “Blob”, your comments about you lunch with Hal Clement, and your salty humor, here are a few names for your p-nut butter. ENJOY!
I encourage all readers to post some too.
1.Big C P-Nut Butter.
2.LNC Big C Nut Butter (LNC= initials)
3. 1 to 3 (1-2-3) Big C-Nut or (Big C P-Nut) Butter
4. C-Real-Bro (play on the word Cerebral) Pnut Butter
5. C-Nut Butter
6. Brain-Bucket Butter (hyphen or no hyphen)
7. Tumor Time…(Any play on word)
8. To More Time..
9. Too More Time…
10. 2 More Time…
11. Silent Anchor….(If you can’t talk)
12. Salty Anchor…
13. Cerebral Crunch…(Crunchy) (Play on as above)
14. Cerebral Cream…(Creamy) (Play on as above)
…More to come…
More Pnutty names…
1. Spread’em! (Thanks Kathleen)
2 Butt-Head Butter
3. Head Butt-er
4. Butt-er Head
5. HTH P-nut Butter (HTH= Hole in The Head)
6. No Prompter Now….
7. Night and Mourning Low Clouds -N- Fog…..
8. Bars -N- Tone Butter or Spread
9. No(t) Commen(t) P-Nut butter…
10. (A) Sound Bite….
11. X-IT Stage 3 or Exit Stage 3…..
12. Stage 3P-nut Butter…
….More to Come…..
Lately I’ve been woken up each morning, (at daylight sometimes) to my 85+ neighbor pounding nails (hanging pictures maybe?) in the common wall of our twin home. Now, I gotta say, this gentleman has been the quietest neighbor one could ask for! In fact I think my TV volume is up higher than his is sometimes. So…. I was just getting up the nerve to inquire about my elder neighbors new found (hobby?), ……. when I noticed some shells with holes in them all over the front and back yard landscape and the light bulb came on! It wasn’t my neighbor creating a photo gallery in the early morning, it was the crazy smart crows pecking away at our neighbors Macadamia nuts on our adjoining roof! I gotta say though……I can’t help but wish you could get to those nuts first!! Prayers and positive thoughts always for you Loren and I’ll take one of each… smooth and crunchy with my Apple Crisp apples! Hugs to you and family!
I think you forgot one variety…you may want to consider Nan-creamy, Nan-crunchy and given the treatment ahead…Nan-cannibas (or Nan-chronic if you want to be more hip). I speak from experience. One of my dear friends is a top Radiation Oncologist @UCD and medical pot helps a great many of his patients with his blessing and encouragement. Eating it is the preferred method too and … And the natural oil in peanut butter is a perfect delivery system. Carpe Nan-Diem from the guy who loves that book, Dead Slugs… Randy Baker
Hi Loren, just found your blog via the UT’s piece on you. Your entries have made me smile and remember a lot of similar emotions. I haven’t had cancer but I was hit by a drunk driver when I was 23 (28 now) and broke 14 bones coupled with a traumatic brain injury. I’ve got pictures of my brain too 🙂 I’m from Canada but have enjoyed watching you on the news since I moved here. I know the whole doctor, surgery, various therapies ritual and I look forward to seeing you come out the other side of this, healed and happy. As a young journalist, I really respect you too and can’t wait to see you back at the anchor desk. I will envision you beating this and keep you in my prayers. Take care
I think you should call it “Peanut Butler.” sub title: “Peanut butter the way you asked for it.” Ad would read “Greetings from the Peanut Butler! Crunchy or Creamy peanut butter the way you asked for it. Peanut Butler at your service! Enjoy!”
I am laughing out loud about that one!!. But I kind of lost my appetite after hearing about the worm farm, so you may want to reconsider selling your peanut butter without mentioning the EWWWWWE venture. However, I prefer crunchy and low-carb is you can do it.
Really chunkie?? Really creamy?? Try all types.
Can you make almond butter with that gizmo?
Blue skies, sunny days and nothing but healthy tomorrows Loren.
A good healing day to you Loren. Say….I woke up this morning craving peanut butter on toast. hmmm…..I wonder why. lol
Definitely creamy
Thanks!
Robin Toft Mobile: 760.792.6468 Direct: 760.788.6010
Definitely both, on whole grain toast! YUMMY. I will take a jar, but may have to barter you for it, I can help you get it off the ground too. 619-208-2134, Love Retta “Susy” Jones (I am unemployed, have a BS in Business Mgmt/Personnel.)
I would take one jar of each, I’m not picky with creamy vs. crunchy. Yummm!!! That IS very entrepreneurial of you, nice job. 🙂
Hi Loren,
Absolutely, I would love some!!! Extra crunchy.
Come by and see us soon…… I am sure Dr. Monahan would like some too. 🙂
Shelley
One of each please…
I think your rekindled passion for peanut butter is from your early days of hearing “spread’em, buddy”. It’s just a suspicion. But, if anyone can make something out of a nut, it’s you Nancarrow. Afterall, you managed to work with all of us for years and look dignified doing it.
Your entrepreneurial spirit is one of the things I like about you most.
Totally Lol.
Loren “Alpha-Nail” Peanut Butter. Just a thought.
I would love to buy a jar of your creamy peanut butter! Let me know how. Praying for your quick recovery! God Bless! 🙂
Crunchy
Crunchy all the way. Love the purple shirt. Love all your posts!!!!!
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One of each please.
whoops! Sorry. meant to type crunchy there. Where are my glasses?????? Holy cats!
Creamy please. Can’t chew cruncy anymore. lol
creamy would be wonderful. how do we get a jar of your wonderful creamy peanut butter?
Creamy… make the PB and sell it with a % of proceeds to go to cancer research.
Creamy
salam cheto0ri:Ddasteto0n dard nako0n.baese eftekhare mast ke sho0ma o0nvare do0nya hantavamato0no0 faramo0sh nemiko0nin.az barnamehaye jalebeto0nam lezat bo0rdim.merc.o0midvaram hamchenan mo0vafagh bashin
Crunchy by any means!!!!!!! And several jars of it too!
My humble vote is CRUCHY!!! Always! From a fan and her husband who loves scars:-)
I married a man from Goober Gulch whose father was head of the education department at ENMU and whose mother was an English teacher. Many good memories there!
Never tried it… although I will be trying it with CRUNCHY!
Creamy
I’ll try some Loren! So glad you are pursuing your entrepreneurial hobbies!!
You are in our prayers!!
ummmmmm creamy on baked smore’s. OMG!
Sounds so yummy but I woyld use CRUNCHY
Crunchy!
Crunchy peanut butter on a hot flour tortilla and a glass of cold soda, preferably 7-up. Made this midwest Mexican what she is today. You go for it Lorenzo! xoxo Andy
I would totally buy that peanut butter! My 6 year old and I are planning a ladies afternoon to go to get blue manis too – we’ll be sure to share with you 😉
I would buy either!! Love them both.
Man u can dress!
Loren,
Do you want some macadamia nuts to make peanut butter with? I have a large tree and always have a bunch. Let me know… ?
Macadamia nut peanut butter…..? interesting.
P.S. They are organic.. no poisons in my yard.
Either…love it!
DEFINITELY Crunchy!
Loren it would be an honor to try your peanut butter, crunchy or creamy! Love the blue nails!