Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Organic Farm Share 2011

How it all began...For Christmas last year I bought myself a book called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I wrote a little about it here. From that book, came my ideas of growing or finding more local produce. We have wonderful farmer's markets that are local, but it can get rather expensive. I found a local organic farm share through a website, http://www.localharvest.org/ . I really recommend checking out the website if you are not local to South Jersey.
If you are a South Jersey local, and you are interested in a farm share, follow along and I'll let you know how this year goes. Unfortunately they are sold out for 2011.





I joined Honey Brook Organic Farm C.S.A, way back in February. You can check them out here. It seemed much cheaper to put money down for the whole year, then to spend $20 or $30 each week at the market. Follow along out year and find out if I'm right. I didn't hear anything from them, until about May. I saw that they cashed my check, so I figured that we got in, but there was no guarantee because only so many shares are available. I did get my confirmation (guarantee) postcard during April or early May, and my directions for pick up just within the past few weeks.

I am a boxed share member, which means that we get a "box" of organic produce every week. I still have no idea how much produce will be in the box. They say it varies year to year depending on the harvest which makes sense. I joined the Collingswood group, because it is the closest local pickup. (The Cherry Hill group is only for members of a local Jewish Temple. I am trying to get this changed or provide a local pickup at my house. I just inquired yesterday so I will keep you informed on how that plays out.) My first box pick up is tomorrow.
So far, my favorite part about the farm share, is the pick your own privileges. Certain crops will not be included in the box shares, but can be picked by you at the farm in Chesterfield. So yesterday, we all took a trip up 295 to pick strawberries. A big Thank You to Auntie Lyndsay for coming with us and helping. It was opening weekend and we were allowed to pick 4 quarts! They had a wagon take us out to the field, and we got to work. They have lots of strawberries planted, but it took some effort to find the ripe berries. Looks like we will have plenty of weeks of strawberries ahead.



I will try to post regularly with our experiences at Honey Brook C.S.A., because so far, they get an A!

Friday, May 20, 2011

Our Garden 2011

So I swear that at one point , I wrote this post. But since no one read it and I can't find it on my blog, I guess I drempt it. Crazy things happen to your mind when you are tired. I guess I'll write it again....

We are welcoming spring/summer with another garden. Last fall, MJ built another garden right next to the old one. Double the garden, double the veggies.

The large garden, was last years garden. MJ tilled up the soil and added some compost and it was good to go. Mother's Day weekend, he got a yard of dirt, and we spent the day filling the new garden and planting. The smallest garden (right next to the new garden) is for the girls. It is already full of strawberries and the lone blueberry plant looks healthy as well. Nothing red in the garden yet, but lots and lots of little flowers.

We still have quite a bit of work to do out there. Besides the usual backyard upkeep, I still need to put a fence around the big garden. Last year the bunnies and squirrels got all my beans. I am determined to have beans this year! I also want to get mulch to go aound the garden and up by the house. Currently, it is a sad spread of weeds. I bought some flower bulbs to plant against the house, and I would love do something under the deck steps. It is nearly impossible to mow all the way under there and it too, is just weeds.
I think I may have found a perfect solution for under the stairs. Behind our shed, I was looking for tomato cages, and amogst the occacional motorcycle part, I found these...

Pefectly good hostas for free!!!
Can't wait to show you what I do with them!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Who Do I Look Like?

Growing up, everyone said that my sister looked like my dad (they both have darker skin), and that I looked like my mom (fair as can be). I guess I never really looked into it. How did I not realize in 28 years, that they were wrong. I do indeed look like my dad.
It all started the week before Mother's Day, when everyone was posting pictures of themselves with their mom on Facebook. I didn't have a recent photo of just the two of us, so I quickly cropped my sister out of this one. Sorry Lyndz.

If you look closely, my mom and my sister look alike. No question. I look similar, but not like the two of them. So I found an old photo on my computer of my dad with Lexa Loo a few years ago. Look at me above and then look at my dad. here....
Do you see it?
Yep... I look like my dad. I told MJ I just noticed this, and he laughed. He said he could have told me that from the beginning. I guess I need to look in the mirror more often.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Tastes like home, Onion Rings

There is a little restaurant in Pleasantville, Iowa, called the Checkerboard. They have the best onion rings anywhere. I love how they make them, skinny and piled high on a plate. I'm not a big fan of their pizza, but I could fill up on just onion rings alone.
I made these awhile ago and I think they turned out pretty darn close to the originals. Watch out Checkerboard, I think I've got you beat!




Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Bathroom Blues.....

Things are not going well..... This bathroom quick fix is taking much longer than I thought. I finally got around to painting the vanity cabinet the other day. I primed the cabinet and the doors, and then got stalled without paint. It looks better already, but it needs a coat of semi-gloss to finish it.
Then I went to put the new hinges on, and drilled right through the front of the cabinet. This is not a nice wood vanity, it's a old 60's particle board front that I don't think I can repair. So I took a little trip to ReStore. There are two of these stores fairly local to me, and I was impressed at the selection they had. I bought two doors to fit on the bathroom vanity for five dollars each. Bumping up my costs to sixteen dollars. Which is sixteen dollars above my original estimate. Hopefully I will figure out how to install them without messing it up.
Maybe I'll have a finished project to show you next week. But... I wouldn't hold your breath!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Baby no more

It's official. My baby is growing up. (tear) We no longer have a crib in the house. We changed the crib into a daybed for Peanut. She was so excited! Miss Lexa Loo is also now without her toddler rail and now thinks she is "almost six", sleeping in a big girl bed, just like Little Miss. Crossing our fingers that all goes well tonight. They've been in there for thirty minutes and have only come out once so far. Wish us luck!