Ah, Sweet Sunshine




It is so nice to finally have a day where we're not weaving in and out of thunderstorms. Yesterday was a great market day - the place was packed, our friends stopped by, and we sold out of pretty much everything. We came home to have a big lunch with E's family who are in from Trinidad, and then met up with friends later that night for a late dinner. Unfortunately, the flounder we had at lunch must have been a bit too close to the clams and oysters in the display case at market - E ended up in the ER at 4 am with a bad reaction (he's allergic to shellfish). It made for a pretty scary night, but he's up and about today, and we'll need to re-think this eating fish thing - or at least get an epi-pen to keep around the house!

My dad and I both mowed a bit today, but then the bees got up in arms about it so I had to stop till later tonight. It may be purely psychological, but I feel so much better when all the edges of the gardens and paths are mowed down - it looks so much more organized! (And you notice the weeds less :) E is out there now planting some more tomato/pepper/eggplant seedlings into polymulch, and I'd like to turn over the last of the scallion bed to cukes tonight so that whole bed is up and running. Also on the to-do list this week, trellising the rest of the peas, weeding the beans, beets and radishes that just came up, potting up mint, looking into organic sprays for our fruit trees and grapes that have started bearing, vaccinating the goats, and lots and lots of kiddo snuggling, as I head back to teaching next Monday! The girls will be fine but oh, I'll miss them. It's only for three weeks and then I'll be back home for the summer, so I'm trying to focus on that and not leaving my babies!

Here's our independence days challenge update:

1. plant something:
another round of cucumbers, some tomato seedlings.

2. harvest something:
eggs, lettuce, baby kale, radishes, scallions, oregano, mint, thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic chives, siberian iris

3. preserve something:
I planned on starting to chop and freeze the green onions we brought home from market, but with all our company, I ended up using all of them for lunch and dinner. :)

4. prep something:
mowed paths, weeded and kept thinning beets and radishes

5. cook something:
Used our scallions, greens, herbs, and eggs in meals this week.

6. manage your reserves:
kept using up canned goods in the pantry, note to self; can less green beans this year, more tomatoes!

7. work on local food systems:
Sold at market, bought asparagus, fish, strawberries, cider, and baked goods from other local producers.

8. reduce waste (was compost something):
Started using waxed paper bags to pack Georgia's lunch for school, recycled and composted.

9. Learned a skill:
After several years with my sewing machine, realized I was placing the bobbin incorrectly. What an ah-ha moment!

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Posted: Sun - May 25, 2008 at 06:12 PM        

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