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What we purchased this weekend at the farm.
I just spent $456 on vegetables. I signed up for an organic CSA. Basically, I bought a ½ share of a farm’s summer crop. Every other week from May through October, a box of local, freshly picked, certified organic produce will be delivered to my temple – where I happen to work, anyway. How great is that?
Josh and I took the family to the farm this past weekend to take a tour and go shopping at their market. It was windy and we were late, so we pretty much missed the tour. But in our brief time there, we saw all we needed to: Drip irrigation (which was created in Israel!), vibrant mixed greens sprouting, a huge compost, and beautiful communal buildings for events and group dinners.
The clincher was learning that the farm sends out an e-newsletter on Thursdays before deliveries. It lists the foods that will be in the next delivery and gives recipes for cooking some of the more obscure items. This way I can still plan ahead and shop over the weekend.
A few of our friends have signed up too, and we’re going to share best practices. A CSA support group of sorts. Veggies united!
I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited about produce before. But it’s more than that. It’s Jewish ethics. Reducing our carbon footprint. Supporting a wonderful, local farm. Veggie philanthropy! And it’s an interactive way to teach our children where their food comes from.
Hopefully, Max will actually try the collards next time. He turned them away this week, even though they were covered in peanut sauce. But I wasn’t upset. It meant more for me! Who knew collards and crunchy peanut butter would make such delicious partners. Can’t wait to see what else I learn this summer!
Recipe for Greens in Peanut Sauce
Care of Poplar Ridge Farm
1 medium onion (I didn’t have one on hand, so I didn’t use it)
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 medium tomato, diced (optional, I used it)
½ tsp ground coriander (I didn’t have this, cumin or cloves, so I left them out)
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 lb kale, collards or turnip greens (I used collards, I think. It may have been kale…I’m a veggie in training!)
2-3 tbsp chunky peanut butter
1-2 tsp hot water
In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in 1 tbsp oil. Add tomato and simmer 2-4 minutes.
Add greens and steam until greens are soft but not mushy. Avoid overcooking. Stir occasionally to coat greens with the spices.
Combine peanut butter and water and add to greens at the end of the cooking.
Enjoy!
My phone got run over by a car last Sunday. I discovered it at night, my car’s headlights shining down on the bright pink case as though it were a throbbing heart. Only, it was a heart no longer beating.
My obsession was gone. Just like that. No warning. Little backup. My calendar and lists – including medical ones – had vanished. You could call it a divine Crackberry intervention. I called it annoying. The humorous hindsight would come later.
Fortunately, I had insurance. Unfortunately, the insurance company sent me a defective replacement. So, for the better part of a week, I found myself a computer’s reach away from all things immediate and organizational. How did we function 15 years ago? Driving without cell phones, walking around without the ability to reach each other – and our calendars – constantly?
For the first time since I became addicted to Facebook while nursing baby Ian, I found myself free from the constant check-in. Free from feeling like I ought to be accessible to my part-time job at all times. Free to focus on my kids without feeling like they were pulling me away from THE DEVICE.
Besides for being physically run down and mentally scattered last week, I have to say I felt healthier. I actually sat down to write a little. I took a few cat naps. The kids and I watched less TV, too. Coincidences? I’m not so sure.
Yes, my bright pink temptation has started functioning properly again. Will I have the willpower to stick to my resolution – to check email and status updates only twice a day, in the morning and at night? Only time will tell.
But God, please grant me the courage to change the things I can…
Notes From Time Out 