Community Supported Agriculture - CSA Box Week 1

To keep is in yummy fruits and veggies this summer, I'm doing a CSA workshare weekly. In exchange for manning their Friday evening pickup, I get a full CSA share full of beautiful organic yumminess. This CSA in particular is awesome because they have a "Market Style" option which means I can pick and choose what I want to go into my box. If I'm gone for a week or don't need as much that week I won't lose my food. It also goes until December! So exciting. The farm is located in a national park and is a nonprofit and operated by awesome people that I'm happy to spend time with. They offer internships to educate new farmers and an market and farm tours on Saturdays. It's a great place that I'm happy to be affiliated with. An added bonus for me (as a SAHM) is this is 4 hours a week where I don't have a baby attached to me - although I miss my girls like crazy and can't wait to get home!

What is a CSA? Community Supported Agriculture means that you are buying into the farm. You pay a set amount for the season or year to help the farm with their costs and in exchange you get a box of their bounty every week. Depending on the season, weather and conditions you may get more or less. You may get a whole lot of one thing and not a lot of something else. What you definitely get is the feeling of giving back to your community and supporting small farms. 

So what did I get my first week??

 

Zucchini, squash (crookneck and pattypan) turnips, kale, rainbow chard, beets, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes.

Not pictured are the little grape tomatoes that I ate before I even left the farm. They were SO good. Sweet and still warm from the field.  

What did I do with my bounty? The squash and zucchini were eaten with garlic scapes, shrimp and a butter sauce in orzo pasta. Amazing and possibly my new favorite dish.

Beets and Turnips were roasted and eaten as a side dish. My first time eating them and were so good. I will definitely make again!

Rainbow chard will be added to a chickpea stew this evening and will also be tossed in some scrambled eggs in a few minutes.

Kale was made into chips. Unfortunately I still haven't quite gotten that down yet :(

Eggplant was coated and fried and eaten as an improvised eggplant parmesean. I didn't have any parm so Big and I had eggplant mozzarella. It was delicious.

The bigger zucchini and crookneck squash are going to be shredded and made into pancakes that are going to be eaten with some shredded chicken on Saturday.

Next pickup is tonight, I'm so excited to see what we get!

Do you have a CSA? Any good ideas for recipes? I'm new to having this much yummy veggies to use in a week!

For more information, check out The Ecosystem Farm.

5 things I've learned about chickens

My ladies have been home for a little over a month now and it has been fun! I've learned a lot from them- about chickens themselves and about MY chickens. I've never been much of a pet person. I mean, I have three cats that are my little furry babies but let's face it, cats aren't too needy and they're more roommates than pets. So here it is. My top 5 things I've learned as a new chicken mama.

1. Chickens are FUNNY! Seriously. I've heard people talk about "Chicken TV" and it's true. The way they interact with one another, the way they do their little T-Rex run over when they think you have treats, the way they fuss at you if you get too close...they're hilarious. Some days I want to sit out there and watch them all day. Other days, not so much. On that note...

2.Chickens are pretty independent. Yes, for most flocks, you need to feed and water them daily. My chickens have a pretty nice sized run with lots of yummy bugs and some greens growing. If I want to leave them alone in there I can and they'll be fine if I don't refill their food immediately or change their water every.single.day. I'd never let it go much further than that but they don't require too much babysitting. By the way they run over when I come near one might think differently but really, they're just nosy.

3. Chickens form attachments and relationships. Word has it that chickens are dumb. I've heard that (and said it) and I'm sure you have too. I'm finding the opposite is true. They know me and the kids. They know who brings treats. They know when I come down and they're free ranging in the back that it's time to mosey into the run. They make friends with one another too. I have two inseparable Buff Orpingtons and two inseparable Easter Eggers. They're besties. If one looks up and the other is too far, they'll yell, "Hey, wait up!" and T-Rex run over there. When I first got them, all four were noisy as hell. After talking to the woman I got them from I found that their rooster was too. They were calling for each other. They missed their man and were trying to tell him where they were! I felt so bad for them but they got over it. Now they're only loud when they want to be let out.

4. Chickens get up EARLY. Yeah, I know. "Up with the chickens". I didn't realize this meant 6 am, every morning. Sometimes 6:20 but always the number 6 first. They want OUT. I lock them in the coop at night to keep them safe but the moment they see the sun they want to get to hunting and pecking. Now that I'm missing a bedroom window this is especially difficult to ignore, so up I get to let them out and then immediately back to bed. Nothing worthwhile happens at 6am.

6. Chickens look like dinosaurs.  Maybe this is a me thing, but they look like dinosaurs. It simultaneously freaks me out and fascinates me. I could so imagine these things as ginormous flesh eating beasts, stomping across the wilderness and fighting and stuff. Especially when they are tearing up some poor defenseless (yummy) worm or fighting over a chunk of pancake. Chickens love pancakes. The way they run reminds me of a T-Rex chasing down a torch wielding Jeff Goldblum. What's up evolution??

There are a few other things I've learned, like that having them eat out of your hand isn't the best idea (owch!) and that putting the compost in the run doesn't work the way you think it would (they throw it everywhere!) but those are my Top 5.
Do you keep chickens? Any advice for a novice such as myself? What has surprised you about your ladies?

Menu Plan Week of July 1

Summertime, and the livin is easy!

I love this time of year. Life is slower, days are longer, food is better.

There always seems to be something fun going on and it all seems to come together this week.

There is so much going on this week around Independence Day. It is possibly my second favorite holiday. 

Cookouts, BBQ, fireworks. What's not to love?

One of my favorite things to do is The Capitol Fourth dress rehearsal. As anyone that lives close to DC knows, you don't go downtown on the Fourth. It's crazy town. There's people everywhere, it's expensive, it's hot. You just don't want to be there. What you might not know is that they do a dress rehearsal the day before that's open to the public. The whole show. It's awesome. We've seen Stevie Wonder up close and personal, for free. Last year it was Earth, Wind and Fire and Josh Turner. This year it's Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond. Not exactly my cuppa but a good time none the less. We take a picnic dinner, sit on the mall and enjoy ourselves. 

Friday marks the first CSA Day. I am doing a workshare at a local CSA. I'll man their Friday pickup and in exchange I'll get a share! More on that later. 

Saturday we're hosting a Bring Your Own Chainsaw party to clean up the mess in the backyard. We're providing beer and pizza in exchange for cheap, friendly labor.

As always, this weeks plan is messed up. It got messed up before it was even posted! Today was supposed to be meatloaf but I had to take Mr. Brown to get some medical attention for some wicked poison ivy (he has a Popeye arm!) so it didn't get made. Now I have thawed hamburger and thawed chicken - which gets made??

Monday - Supposed to be Meatloaf, corn on the cob, buttered noodles

Tuesday - Peanut Chicken, broccoli, rice

Wednesday - Picnic Dinner - tuna salad, egg salad, sourdough bread, cucumber salad

Thursday - Fourth of July! We'll be cookout hopping all day, I shouldn't have to cook

Friday - Pinto Beans in the Crockpot

Saturday - BYOC

Sunday - Leftovers from Fri and Sat. 

So why? Why do I still menu plan when we have this much going on? Because we have this much going on! It helps a lot to know where we have to be when and how it affects what we're eating. The best part is, we usually have most of this stuff on hand. Which means that on crazy weeks like this one I can plan easy peasy menus from stuff on hand so I don't have to squeeze in a big shopping trip. 

What do you have planned for the Fourth? Have a great week!

Damage!

Remember how I said nature was attacking?

Shit just got real.

A storm blew through last night and took out our fence, a portion of our deck and came through the window where I was laying with Little. 

I probably don't need to say it but it was effing terrifying. 

We're in the process of figuring out our next step, unfortunately it's not pretty.

As you can see in the bottom picture, one particularly spiteful branch fell to the side and knocked out my beautiful plants. I think the cucumber plant is going to make it, I don't know about the others.

As the tree was on town property, we called them to let them know and see what they would do. Unfortunately, they came by unannounced and saw our illegal chickens.They didn't say anything so we're just waiting to see what happens.

I'm the type of person that finds humor and joy in everything. Otherwise, I'd rip my hair out and scream at people and my head would explode and that wouldn't be fun for anyone.
It's kind of hard to do right now.

Just Another Day in Paradise

We’re getting into a kind of routine around the Brown-stead. Get up with Little and wake up Big. Let the chickens out and do their chores with Big and with Little on my back. Send Big in to get ready for school while I weed the garden and stand around looking at things and breathing.

Like my boots?

During the day I play with Little, bother the chickens, clean, cook, all that fun stuff.

Take pictures of our shoes…you know, the normal.

We eat dinner, I get Little to bed, Mr. Farmer Brown and I go close up chicken shop and watch something stupid on TV.
Big plays outside with her friends.
It’s simple. It’s suburban. It’s mundane and boring.
It’s paradise.

There are eggs in paradise, right?

The Necessity of Anonymity

The Necessity of Anonymity

They’re running from me.

Our chickens are here! My ladies are lovely, although terrified of us. We have 4 laying hens that are about 1 year old. Two Buff Orpingtons and Two Easter Eggers. It’s funny that the two pairs seem to follow each other around.

Buff Orpington

Unfortunately, the town that I live in does not share my infatuation with small scale homesteading or, specifically, chickens. When I inquired as to why, I was told noise. BOOOOO stupid town that I live in. Unfortunately, the town is run by elderly busy bodies with very little imagination that are pretty set in their ways. It’s unlikely that by going to the town I would change their mind, instead it would put their beady little eyes on me and everything I want to do. So, instead of going before the town saying pretty pretty please, we decided to do what we wanted on the land that we own. (Insert further rant about “THE MAN” here)

Big feeds a chicken

All of this hopefully explains my “Farmer Brown” alias and why my beautiful girls are called Big and Little. I know some bloggers make up names but I find it confusing, especially as a new reader.  I understand that this by now way guarantees anonymity and that anyone who truly wanted to know who I was could easily find out. However, it makes me feel better. Seems foolish to do something not allowed and then go on the internet spelling it out, right?
So please, if you know me, please refrain from using my name on here or my girls’ names. Also, my picture was drawn by a good friend, Christine DeRosa who is ridiculously talented, right?
My ladies need names. Any suggestions? Whenever I think of them I hear Beastie Boys in my head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Naf5uJYGoiU

Garden Walk Through the Eyes of a 10 Year Old.

Last week we went on a garden walk at the Museum Garden at the Accokeek Foundation. The Accokeek Foundation is 200 acres of park on the Potomac River that, “serves as an outdoor classroom for educational programs about land conservation, historic preservation, sustainable agriculture, and environmental stewardship.” It’s open dusk to dawn 365 days a year. They have a colonial farm, heritage livestock, an organic Ecosystem Farm, walking trails, cool activities – it’s a pretty interesting place.

We went for a Garden Walk of their Museum Garden which holds a variety of plants – native beds, a small permaculture bed, sundries, medicinal and culinary herbs etc. The idea is that each bed is supposed to convey an idea in gardening – an exhibit if you will. Farmer Dan led us around, explaining everything well with the help of Molly, The Community Outreach and Education Coordinator. Molly is amazing. I need her to come to my wild backyard and tell me what all the things growing back there are and how I can use them. I’m afraid to get rid of anything because I’m pretty sure everything is SOMETHING and I’d hate to find out too late I ripped out something incredibly useful!

So we’re walking, we’re learning. Ten minutes in I’m wishing I’d brought something to take notes on because there’s so much to learn. First off, I’m doing the three sisters thing all wrong. I planted everything at once. You’re supposed to plant the corn, then the squash, then the beans. Oh well, we’ll see how it goes. Also, comfrey. Need to grow the comfrey. It’s BEAUTIFUL!

Isn’t it pretty!

So anyway, we’re walking, we’re learning. We’re ooing and aahing and sniffing and tasting and asking. It’s awesome. But then Little decides she’s DONE. So, while trying (unsuccessfully) to calm her, I handed the camera to Big. She took some nice pictures. Enjoy and let me know if you spot anything familiar!

For more information about the Accokeek Foundation visit http://www.accokeekfoundation.org

Ron Finley, Geurilla Gardner

THIS! Everything about this. It’s only 11 minutes long but I swear it’s life changing. Ron Finley is my new real food/gardening idol. First it was Sally Fallon Morrel but then she came out with her insane children’s nutrition book and ridiculous ideas about who should and should not breastfeed.
Then it was Joel Salatin. Still kinda is but his insistence on only hiring people that look “All American” kinda hurts my feelings. I’m not “All American looking Joel, but I am awesome. Who am I kidding Joel, I can’t stay mad at you. Everything I want to do is illegal too.
So now we’re onto Mr. Ron Finley. Gardening Gangster in South Central LA. Or, excuse me, South LA.
“Food is the problem and the solution”

http://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerilla_gardener_in_south_central_la.html

It's a Big Day Around the Brown House.

Mr. Farmer Brown and I got married a year ago today. Happy Anniversary to us! We celebrate with raw fish and punk rock, cus that spells true love <3

Kindly and Gently

I am the mother of the two most interesting, amazing people that I have ever met in my life. They are 10 years and 7 months old and positively adore one another. My big girl loves to play with her little sister, carry her around, do her hair, all the fun stuff. My baby girl lights up when her big sister walks in the room and leans over for her to take her from Mama’s boring old arms. She plays with me all day – I’m old news when Sissy gets home.
But sometimes Sissy plays too rough. Sometimes baby girl pinches or pulls and doesn’t know what she’s doing. They both need a reminder – “Are you treating your sister Kindly and Gently?”
How often, as adults, do we need that gently reminder? Are we treating those we love Kindly and Gently? Do we get wrapped up in life and our needs and play too rough? Do we forget that sometimes, just a hug will do?