Softball lemons

Generally speaking we go to a farmer's market to pick up healthy food to prepare healthy meals.  But, how about dessert?  Last Saturday we took the boys to the St. Johns River Farmers Market.  We visited the KYV Farm booth and picked up some goodies -- kale, rainbow carrots, and softball-size meyer lemons.  At first I thought I was holding a grapefruit.  I had to check the sign twice to make sure I was actually looking at a lemon. 

Although the recipe called for more, it only took one gigantic lemon to make a pan.  They had a perfect balance of sweet and tart. Lemon Bars never tasted better.

Need to get away?

Here is a place we like to visit on Sunday afternoons.  It's part of the University of North Florida's campus.  It's a beautiful place.  We love to come here to "get away" and absorb ourselves in Nature.  My children eat it up.  Here there is water to dip your toes into, birds to watch, native plants to admire, and huge turtles to feed.  There is actually much more to do.  But this a typical afternoon visit for our family.

There are several trails, each unique.  Above Lake Oneida is a zip line.  My boys think they want to try it.  It had been a few months since our last visit, and when we arrived we found a newly constructed ropes course.  And, it is  HUGE.  Another thing my children think they want to try.  The organic garden is amazing.  I could spend some time there, in awe of the large healthy plants growing, and observing all of the different structures and materials used to build the garden. 

I love this idea -- the canoe full of growing things.  And look at that nice melon in the corner.  I would have to say, it is growing quite nicely.  ;-)

 Those little tadpoles are determined to get away.  But we are more determined!

I think we'll be returning soon. 

Spring/Summer Garden

Here's our game plan for Spring and Summer.  In the front yard we have four large pots of sweet 100 tomatoes and I already see about three dozen baby tomatoes growing!  Florida's spring is short.  It seems that it jumps from cool to hot quickly, not much in between.  Because of this there are some things that are better planted in early March.  Tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkins... to name a few. 

We have blueberries!  Their spring green color is beginning to deepen to a pinkish-purple.  I haven't had to worry about birds yet.  I was told by an employee from the nursery we frequently visit that by having half a dozen blueberry bushes we should have enough to share with the birds.  We shall see.   Now-- if only I can keep little fingers away from them I might be able to see them mature to their deep, frosty blue.  It is hard for him to resist plucking off those little berries.

Not much success here with strawberries.  Something is eating them; most likely slugs.  I'm looking for

a natural slug repellant.  Any ideas?  I've read all kinds of things from a cup of beer [apparently slugs love it!], to sharp egg shells, sandpaper [another one too painful to cross], to sprinkling powdered ginger around the plants.

But the blueberries, sweet peas, tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkins, and herbs are thriving.

The Kumquat

Perfect for little hands to hold.  The peel is my favorite part to eat.

Halfway

I know.  What is a blog post without picures, right?

Yesterday: Navel orange and grapefruit sections.

Today: Salad with lettuce from the garden, adding our mint; Roasted honey gold potatoes with olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and our rosemary. 

Anyone eat anything local recently?

Days 9 - 13

Last week was a bit overwhelming.  I'll try to be a better blogger this week.  But, I have been eating locally.  Lots of sweet citrus over here - grapefruit and navel oranges; waffles with some Thomas wildflower honey; cucumber and peppers from KYV Farm; herbs from my garden; and finally, some lettuce from the garden, too. 

 Ooh, and some delicious pecans that a kind neighbor brought by the other day.  Now, they aren't Florida grown, but they're coming from a couple hours north of here, in Georgia.  So, I'm considering them local.  We've been cracking those open today, along with some hazlenuts I picked up at the store.  I sat down with my husband at the dining table after church today, enjoying his company, while cracking open some hazlenuts, pecans and eating slices of grapefruit.  Maybe we don't know how to crack open nuts, because  some of the shells were shooting across the room.  We laughed and the kids were playing well together.  It was a nice Sunday afternoon.

quick visit to Switzerland

Switzerland Florida, that is.

Lovely organic vegetables grown thirty minutes from my home.

Just as a baby in utero needs the last month for fattening up, this tree needs a couple cold snaps to sweeten up.  Almost ready to deliver.  Can't wait.

 

The ladies.

Hello, Henrietta.

This is Miss Maggie Moo, just two days old. 

Days 5 & 6

cucumbers + yum-yum peppers + carrots + *grape tomatoes

Last week I was doing a lot of single parenting and this week looks like it will be similar.  My husband is beginning a trial at the courthouse tomorrow. It's difficult for me, but harder for him.  He hates to be away from our family, and the boys don't understand that he has to do it.  He misses us and we miss him.  I suppose we'll make it work, as we always do.  For this week, the local food I eat will most likely be very simple and basic (more than usual).  I'm not so concerned about fancy meals as I am about having happy, content children.  I may miss days of local food eating or some days I might just swig down a glass of Florida OJ, and call it a day.  Please bear with me.

Last night, plate of veges; some of them from KYV Farm.  I so enjoyed visiting a part of KYV this weekend.   I have yet to see the 100 acres of farmland, ten minutes down the road from the family's home (where I visited).  I plan to tour the farm in the near future. The part we visited Saturday was the chicken and citrus portion of the farm. 

Tonight, cucumbers from KYV, with some ranch.  Keepin' it real - real simple, that is.

*purchased from my every day grocer, grown in Boynton Beach, Florida.

Days 3 & 4

Yesterday was my husband's birthday, so we celebrated with fresh basil and sweet campari tomato pizza.  The basil came from my small herb garden, on the side of our house.  It's hard to see the basil; it's there though, buried under the cheese.  ;-) Along with the mozarella I added some parmesan, because you can almost never have too much cheese.

Instead of cake we had pie - Key Lime Pie, my husband's favorite.  Wish I could say I made it with fresh Florida limes, but we had to settle with lime juice from another place.  Summer is the peak time for limes here.

Today, a glass of Florida orange juice and a couple slices of local grapefruit.

Day 2

Local grapefruit + a pinch of salt.  It was so yummy! 

I've received some emails and comments on the local food you've been eating.  Great work!  It may sound silly, but I get excited when I see a note from you telling me what you've found.  I know some of you who are participating are from other parts of the country.  It's interesting to see what is growing in your area at this time.  At the end of the week I'll make a post of all of our local finds!  Keep it up!  It's never to late to start.

Local Sustenance Day 1

Mid-morning I concocted a tasty smoothie with my FLORIDA tangerines. 

tangerines + bananas + frozen berries + spinach + oj

I enjoyed it and felt good about including some local food, even if it is just a small addition.  I figure it's a start.

And it must have been good.  Just look at his face.  Babies aren't good fakers.

The Challenge Begins...

Tomorrow!  Even if you can't participate every day, it's okay.  Do what you can. 

Over the weekend I shopped at my every day grocer and picked up some local food.  Let's just say citrus time is just beginning in La Florida.  Mmm... my favorite.

A few places to look for the local goods:

• your every day grocer
• health food store
• Wal-Mart  (WM is now the nation's largest purchaser of local produce.  Did you know this?  News to me!)
• farmers' markets
• CSA's
• farms and U-Picks
• grow your own food!

Send me pictures of the local food you're finding and I'll post them to the blog -- miltonsara@gmail.com, or leave me a comment.  Good luck and have fun!  I can't wait to see what you find!

Local Farm

A perfect way for you to get fresh, seasonal produce is to become a member of a CSA - Community Supported Agriculture.  When you become a CSA member to a particular farm, you are buying a share of the season's harvest.  A CSA is all about offering what the season brings.  As a member, your money goes to operating the farm -- seeds, equipment maintenance, labor, and so on .  And in return, you get a bagful of freshly picked produce.  So...

You are eating with the seasons.
Your food couldn't be fresher.
You can build a relationship with the person growing your food. 
You can know exactly how your food is grown (organic, without pesticides and fertilizers, etc.)
You support small, local business and they support you. 

Doesn't that sound wonderful?

KYV Farm is a local (for you Northeastern Floridians) organic family farm/CSA.  I found it in my search for locating the local for next month's challenge.  I'm thrilled to have found this local jewel!  I'm going to take a tour of the farm sometime soon.  Anyone want to join?

Only ONE week until the local food eating challenge begins!

The Locavore Challenge!

Here it is: Eat locally for 30 days.  

This may sound daunting, but don't let it be!  Allow me to explain...  You do not need to prepare an entire meal with as many local ingredients as you can dig up -- although you may. 

What it does mean -- eat ONE local thing a day. 

A locavore is someone who makes an effort to eat food that is grown, raised, or produced within a 100-mile radius of home.  Let's broaden the "local" boundaries to mean anything in your state.  You could pull a few mint leaves from your potted mint and toss it into your salad; or, spread a teaspoon of local honey on your toast; another idea, you could roast a halved squash that you purchased from your neighborhood farmer's market.  This can be as simple or as complex as you'd like it to be.  It is up to you.

By doing this we may not be making a huge change in our diet yet but, it will push us to search out what our surrounding area has to offer - because it is there!  And, our local food growers need us and we need them! This will give us knowledge.  And, knowledge empowers us!

We will begin November 1st.  This way you have time to hop on the internet and locate the local.  Any sort of organic grocer will have items; your neighborhood farmer's market; even your common, every day grocery store is likely to have some things.

You may email me pictures that you'd like to share on this blog of the local foods you added to your daily diet.  I would love to see what you're eating (and others would enjoy too, if others are out there... hope you are!). Or, you may simply leave a comment about what you ate that day.  If you can't do this every day, that's ok.  Keep on trying throughout November.  Eat locally as often as you can.  This isn't about us making a great change to our diets, but rather it gives us the knowledge we need to start making changes.  Perhaps you will try some new fun recipes along the way!  This will be just as challenging for you as it will be for me.  Until now my local food purchases are few. And, if you are already living this way -- WONDERFUL!  Please share your knowledge with us!

Ooh -- this is going to be fun!  Begin searching now.