To market, to market

Here is what we purchased at our local farmer’s market over the weekend. We travel about 30 minutes to the closest winter market available, at the Hope Artiste Village, in Pawtucket, RI. Driving an hour round-trip and across a state line is obviously not the ideal for local eating, but I still feel it’s important to support farmers, even if they are farther than I’d like.

This Saturday market is inspiring. Over 40 vendors selling everything from hardy winter greens, milk and cheese, eggs, fresh and frozen local seafood, beef, lamb, and even boar! But what I really find inspiring is the community of people who trek out every Saturday to support the vendors. This place is CROWDED! One foot in the door and you begin the feel the groundswell of the local food movement. The sound of revolution is found in the exchange of cash (they do take debit/credit/EBT cards too) and the chatter between producers and consumers.

I love going to the market. Our family looks forward to it weekly. Not just the wonderful, fresh, food, but the people. The sense of community is overwhelming. It reminds me of the feeling you get at coffee hour after church. A group of like-minded people, communing over a shared passion- the growing and eating of real food.

Okay, enough prothletising. Here’s what we bought at the market this week and our meal plan.

We spent about $100 total for the two of us:

Saturday (we had our amazing CSA sharing friends Mark & El over)
Fried pork chops (raised in Maine) with roasted brussels sprouts, potatoes, shallots, onions, and a (non local organic) Caesar salad ( we did make the dressing using local organic eggs)
Sunday
Snacked all day but never had dinner. I made a late lunch out of homemade whole wheat sourdough, smoked gouda from a cheese vendor at the market and sliced local red delicious apples. It was amazing!
Monday
Sauteed pea greens topped with fried eggs and some panko bread crumbs. Simple and fantastic.
Tuesday
Roasted carrot and ginger soup
Wednesday
Portuguese Kale Soup (we use conventional Gaspar’s chourico in this because we haven’t found a good alternative yet, although the chorizo from Pat’s Pastured is delicious in its own right!)
Thursday
Stuffed squash (not sure of the variety- looks like an acorn but about 8” across) with sunflower seeds and raisins and cheddar cheese
Friday
Polenta with rainbow swiss chard (my chard wilted so not sure what I’m going to do here. Probably leftovers.)

Mostly above is certified organic, and came from the market except for:
Panko bread crumbs
Chourico
Polenta (but I did get some organic cornmeal so I may experiment!)
Sunflower seeds
Raisins
Romaine lettuce
Whole wheat flour and oats for bread (but I just found a supplier in Maine, Wood Prairie Farm, so I’ll be ordering!)

As you can see, even between snowstorms in the dead of winter, we are having very little issue eating locally. Everything is delicious & fresh! I strive for about a 80/20% split (80% local/organic 20% non local and organic when possible.

Lunches- leftover roasted carrot soup & I also made a VERY successful soup out of the roasted potatoes and onions from Saturday. I cooked them in the crockpot for about 6 hours with some vegetable stock and pureed in the blender. Very tasty and a good use of leftovers that I normally would have tossed.

That's all from here!

Exhilarating, Exhausting

So I'm a bad blogger.  I know this.  I set very low expectations for myself here.  But as far as reasons go, I have a good one.

Isaac Anthony, born on 7/25/12, has taken over my life.  He has caused me to want to be better.  To have more courage in my convictions; to smile more; to learn about the world so I can teach him.  I am so proud to be a mama to this amazing little person.

One thing no one told me about being a mama was how much it causes you to examine yourself.  Everything I say & do, he watches. No longer do the many imperfect things I do go unnoticed.

Becoming, not just seeming, is the name of the game.  Being the person you want your son to see you as is exhilarating  and exhausting.  I'm learning more about him, and myself every day.

I'll update when I can...but for now, snuggling beckons.

Best,
A

DIY Nursery Art (Nautical) :)

Not very exciting but necessary garden list

Here is what we have planted so far:

Garden list

Dill
2 Aristotle basil
2 large leaf basil
Rosemary
Parsley
Cilantro
6 cherry tomatoes
6 yellow tomatoes lemon boy
6 heirloom tomatoes
6 early girl tomatoes
6 cucumbers half seedless half pickling
12 red beauty bell peppers
6 eggplants
4 can't elope scoop ii hybrid
4 honey dew melon
6 kale

Here are the changes we have made to the yard so far this year:
Moved hydrangeas to side bed
Added cutting garden
Moved lillies to corner of yard


And here are some fun photos!
The yellow lily pictured is from Eric's uncle and aunts in Maine. This was the first time we got them to bloom :)

Memorial Day weekend

This is our third Memorial Day in our house, and our fourth as a married couple. Since we were married on Memorial Day, this weekend is always special to me. The first Memorial Day here, Eric built me the garden bed for our vegetables. The next, he planted an apple tree for me. This year, we spent the weekend in the yard working and planting.

The seeds pictured are from my baby shower ( they were one of the favors) that our families threw last weekend.

Changes for this year include splitting the garden bed in half, and adding a cutting garden behind the garage with some beautiful perennials. Grandam's peonies are coming in beautifully and i have already used basil, cilantro, and parsley from the herb garden.

We bought some fennel this year, but it's more finicky than we realized, so we need to have a plan for that.

Garden list to come!

This week

So far this week for garden/home things...

I have frozen some basil in oil. I used it I make a dip last night so preserving it didn't last long. I really love basil!

The dip was very easy. Blended a large handful of basil, some olive oil (maybe a third of a cup) and 8 oz of cottage cheese with some salt and garlic.

It made a creamy dip with the consistency of hummus. It was delicious and I plan on trying it on pasta soon!

I also made up some croutons from leftover bits and pieces of bread on the freezer. I noticed that the bread was still in really good shape, so I may try freezing some whole loaves of homemade bread in the future.

Last night I also made microwave simple syrup (1:1 ratio) that I can keep in the fridge for iced tea. I hadn't made it before but how simple! I made it in a large mason jar, so not even any dirty dishes!!

I am craving some homemade lemonade. If the price is right I may pick up some lemons tonight! They are never local so I feel a bit guilty, but I guess it's my little indulgence.


That's about all! Seedlings are growing, slowly. We will be planting the garden next weekend and I can't wait!

What an amazing day!

My first (kind of) Mothers Day was absolutely lovely. Brunch with my family, including my auntie who is the only person that understands my love of crafting and DIY-ing. She is an amazing woman!

Then spent the afternoon in the yard with my fabulous husband, and went to my mother in law's for a great BBQ!

This preggo mama is all tuckered out!

Ps: I think the gift baskets were a hit!