Fallish Days

Today is one of the first real "Fallish" days we've had this year.  We woke up to temps in the 40's, and it's been sunny and breezy all day.  It's not even quite 60 out there yet.  Andrew and I spent quite a bit of time outside this morning.  He immediately headed to the sandbox with his trains, where he occupied himself for a good half hour, while I sat nearby shivering in the shade, despite wearing my favorite fall jacket.  It's quite breezy out there, so you really need that sun to keep warm. (James even announced this morning that maybe he should have worn mittens!) But I just LOVE this time of year!  I can't wait for the leaves to change color.  We even got our first small pumpkins from the CSA already a few weeks ago.

I also harvested a nice bunch of veggies from the garden this morning. Andrew helped by picking broccoli leaves and eating them. This is one of the rare instances where my kids like a real food (i.e. not a processed "kid food") that I just do not!  I enjoy broccoli, but those leaves I can just do without!  However, after a little googling I read that the small, young leaves can be compared to collard greens, which I do like when cooked, so maybe I'll give them a try. But back to my harvest.  I was happy to pick quite a few tomatoes (I only have six plants because we get quite a few from the CSA), some broccoli florets, a couple pickling cukes and some green beans.  Enough to fill a Zappos box about the size of 2 shoe boxes.

There used to be a lot more green beans, but Andrew ate quite a few of them while we sat on the front steps.  I'm not complaining!  We're having some family over for James' birthday tomorrow, so I'll make good use of those tomatoes.  When I don't have immediate use for the tomatoes, I've been making big batches of sauce in my 8 quart slow cooker.  In addition to the tomatoes, I add in any zucchini (shhhh...that's my little secret) and peppers we haven't eaten, plus usually a couple cans of crushed tomatoes.  And of course there are some herbs and garlic to round out the flavor. If I have onions on hand, I'll slice up one or two and put those in as well.  And some times I add a touch sugar depending on how sweet the vegetables are.  Since my boys (all three!) don't like chunky vegetables in their sauce, I just whip out my immersion blender after it's been in the crock pot all day and blend it up.  You'd really never know the zucchini is in there.  Currently I have about 8 quarts of the sauce in my freezer!

All this talk of veggies and sauce is making me HUNGRY!  So time to go whip up some lunch for Andrew and myself!

Vegetables, and flowers and tractors (and a beauty queen) - Oh My!

A few weeks back, I joined the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture - you are buying a share of the farm) at our local nursery/farm.  Starting sometime in June, each Saturday morning we'll go pick up a box full of local produce - enough to feed a family of four.  I'm REALLY excited about this.  We have our own garden, but it's showing some wear and tear, and JC is working on correcting that.  So we'll get some things planted in there, but we're not sure exactly what and when at this point.  So after hemming and hawing for oh, about 6 months, I finally bit the bullet and signed up.  Had I made this decision prior to January 31st, I could have gotten a 5% discount.  Oh well - live and learn.  There is a bit of a gamble involved when you sign up for a CSA.  First, you don't know exactly what you'll get each week.  But I find that exciting, and hope it will inspire me to try new things.  And maybe I'll get those picky eaters I live with to try new things as well.  Second, if it's a tough growing year, there may not be a lot to pick from.  But the the thought of all that fresh, local produce has me practically giddy so I'm willing to take the chance.  Third - it's pretty much a given that come fall, we'll be getting butternut squash in our box.  I DESPISE butternut squash with a passion, and never cook it for my family.  But I know plenty of people that do like it.  Maybe I'll put a bow on it and give it out as Christmas gifts!

This morning they had an open house, so I took JT and LW down to check out the tractors.  They had a blast!  They also managed to turn on the lights on each of the tractors, as well as an alarm on one of them, requiring employees to come over and figure out how to turn them off.  I had a very hard time getting LW to get off his favorite.  But I did need to buy some flowers and a couple of tomato plants (we'll surely be getting some through the CSA, but I think it's in my genes to grow tomatoes.  I'd feel strange if I didn't) so over we went to select our plants.  I think JT may have smelled every single flower in that greenhouse!  And thankfully, somehow I managed to keep LW from picking any of the "fwowers".  As we were getting ready to pay, we were informed that a photographer (and his student intern) from the free monthly paper wanted to take pictures of the boys because they looked like they had a lot of fun on the tractors.  Well being the proud Mama that I am, I said of course  - despite knowing that I'd once again have to deal with LW's tantrum when it was time to get him off the tractors (oh two is SUCH a fun age!).  JT LOVES the camera!  He has the biggest, brightest smile I've seen, and is glad to pose whenever asked.  LW is in his own little world, determined to do whatever he has his mind set on.  So you may get some good shots, you may get lots of shots of the top of his head!  But I'm pretty sure they got some good one of both, so I'll be looking for the June issue of that paper soon!

By this time, we had been there longer than I anticipated and it was getting to be time for lunch.  Somehow I managed to pry them off the tractors once again (though not without a few tears being shed).  Then the photographer announces "there's Mrs. Massachusetts".  She was scheduled to be there, but arrived early.  When JT saw her, he said "she's beautiful".  How sweet is that?  Then as she got closer to us, he told her she was beautiful, showed her his binoculars, then proceeded to talk her ear off!  She was very sweet and gracious with him.  All the while I was trying to keep LW from running out in traffic and whatnot.  But eventually I managed to pull them both away, and off we went. And I figure it will take me about a week to do an hours worth of gardening and get those petunias and tomatoes planted, since no matter how engrossed the little ones are in whatever they are doing, as soon as I start they are right on my heels.  Sigh....