Hey, during my research, I found this absolutely incredible letter to the president elect. it's from the week of October 12, and addresses my deepest hopes for this country. I opened a new post about two weeks ago to post it, and had to cancel it because I didn't have time to actually write anything. Then, I saw it posted on one of the blogs I follow. How cool is that?
Here it is.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html
Written by Michael Pollan, it's a weighty 6000 words or so, and worth every minute it takes to read it.
I guess I can start getting the NYT again, now that Bush is going away. The news just got too sad for me, and I quit, but maybe I'll be able to read about what's happening. I tried last Sunday and this to get the paper, and it turned into the NYT Quest, which was repeated this weekend... so I'm getting it delivered.
My friend Stephanie told me that her dad had to set his alarm to get up and get his paper in the morning, because if he didn't-- his NEIGHBORS stole it!!!! and the time is getting earlier. now it's 20 to seven if I remember correctly. In any case, neighbors of mine-please don't steal my Sunday NYT... once I start getting it!!!
Only two more classes, and then I get the big break of the year, til the first of the year. I have enough projects planned for the next month to fill a good season, so we'll see what actually transpires.
I can't believe how much better I'm sleeping since Tuesday. Despite my children! :D
Showing posts with label local food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label local food. Show all posts
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
And since we're on the topic
Did I mention that I have a problem about food? Today, because I wasn't thinking clearly, I went on an outing without a single snack. Now, this was normal in my pre-child life but no longer. Usually I have a few things almost literally stuck up my sleeves or something because in addition to my darling husband who can lose it slightly upon being seized suddenly by hunger, now I have a three year old who does the three year old version of losing it when (frequently) being seized suddenly by hunger.
Soooo I went to Atlanta Bread Company. Not fast food, right? Makes bread, right? Well, I order him the peanut butter and jelly, (Can't be too bad can it?) with whole wheat instead of "french bread" (read White) and the lady who was so helpful, offered to give him oranges instead of chips... Aw, how nice of her to get my drift.
So I go pick up the plate, and there is a sizeable bowl of (canned in corn syrup mandarin) oranges!!! THATs the ALTERNATIVE "healthy" food there.
Should I say anything more about our meal there, or should I just move right along?
I think I'll go to the other end of the spectrum, so that you don't think I'm a raving lunatic. (Who am I fooling? No one, right?) After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I was convinced by the importance of Asparagus. This, being the first food to pop up in the spring, and ONLY in the spring, I signed up for a day at Monroe farms where they have exactly two pick yer own crops. I know this is different from other CSAs out there, but it is what it is, which is a full hour drive away.
I load up the boys, Milo had a fever, (yes I'm a bad mother too) and Rowan was a little under the weather. But dammit, three years at this CSA and I was going to make it out there to get my little penis shaped spears. I didn't even know what they looked like growing, but I remembered a carrying container, and the Ergo, so Milo would ride on my back.
Rowan brought his rain boots, wisely, and I unwisely brought my crocs, which fill immediately with dirt as soon as you step in it. And FYI, food is grown in dirt, even though the world of grocery stores would like you to forget that, and quick.
We got our assigned row after walking past the chickens that would be giving us eggs or becoming our dinner/stock soon, and Billy (yes, the Goat. har har). It stretched very far, and I looked down it, as Jacquie said, if you don't think you're going to pick the whole row, please go to the far end and pick this way. (Which is very wise with children anyway.) So we did, we sang and sang and I talked about my big strong boy who could walk ALLLL the way down there, and how it was a good thing he was three now, and was big enough to do this important work with me. (He wanted to see the piglets, they were the reward for finishing.)
So we did it, I bent and picked and Milo was a champ and Rowan was a champ and I was too, I picked that whole row and crowed to George (whose LEAST favorite food in the world... yup you guessed it-ASPARAGUS) Was going to come home in a big ol' laundry basket.
And then we went and saw the piggies. Who are so damn cute, I have to say. They run around and circle like puppies do, and their noses are adorable. very cute.
And then we came home, and I was so glad that Rowan met his farmer and saw this land and saw those animals, and if we can't do the growing ourselves then thank goodness that we can know the people who do.
But our peas are doing great, and there are flowers on the plants, so we're doing a bitty bit here in the backyard. And we have Radishes popping up, the easiest thing to do with kids, according to my friend kim and she is right, they came right up, very satisfying.
What do you have in your garden?
Soooo I went to Atlanta Bread Company. Not fast food, right? Makes bread, right? Well, I order him the peanut butter and jelly, (Can't be too bad can it?) with whole wheat instead of "french bread" (read White) and the lady who was so helpful, offered to give him oranges instead of chips... Aw, how nice of her to get my drift.
So I go pick up the plate, and there is a sizeable bowl of (canned in corn syrup mandarin) oranges!!! THATs the ALTERNATIVE "healthy" food there.
Should I say anything more about our meal there, or should I just move right along?
I think I'll go to the other end of the spectrum, so that you don't think I'm a raving lunatic. (Who am I fooling? No one, right?) After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I was convinced by the importance of Asparagus. This, being the first food to pop up in the spring, and ONLY in the spring, I signed up for a day at Monroe farms where they have exactly two pick yer own crops. I know this is different from other CSAs out there, but it is what it is, which is a full hour drive away.
I load up the boys, Milo had a fever, (yes I'm a bad mother too) and Rowan was a little under the weather. But dammit, three years at this CSA and I was going to make it out there to get my little penis shaped spears. I didn't even know what they looked like growing, but I remembered a carrying container, and the Ergo, so Milo would ride on my back.
Rowan brought his rain boots, wisely, and I unwisely brought my crocs, which fill immediately with dirt as soon as you step in it. And FYI, food is grown in dirt, even though the world of grocery stores would like you to forget that, and quick.
We got our assigned row after walking past the chickens that would be giving us eggs or becoming our dinner/stock soon, and Billy (yes, the Goat. har har). It stretched very far, and I looked down it, as Jacquie said, if you don't think you're going to pick the whole row, please go to the far end and pick this way. (Which is very wise with children anyway.) So we did, we sang and sang and I talked about my big strong boy who could walk ALLLL the way down there, and how it was a good thing he was three now, and was big enough to do this important work with me. (He wanted to see the piglets, they were the reward for finishing.)
So we did it, I bent and picked and Milo was a champ and Rowan was a champ and I was too, I picked that whole row and crowed to George (whose LEAST favorite food in the world... yup you guessed it-ASPARAGUS) Was going to come home in a big ol' laundry basket.
And then we went and saw the piggies. Who are so damn cute, I have to say. They run around and circle like puppies do, and their noses are adorable. very cute.
And then we came home, and I was so glad that Rowan met his farmer and saw this land and saw those animals, and if we can't do the growing ourselves then thank goodness that we can know the people who do.
But our peas are doing great, and there are flowers on the plants, so we're doing a bitty bit here in the backyard. And we have Radishes popping up, the easiest thing to do with kids, according to my friend kim and she is right, they came right up, very satisfying.
What do you have in your garden?
Sunday, December 30, 2007
amending the holiday letter
Yesterday, Milo had his first oatmeal cereal! He was so funny, pulling everything into his mouth with such urgency! We also got a new car seat for Rowan so that Milo could have his old one, and Rowan was so excited about it, he completely dressed himself trying to get us to go somewhere in his new carseat (which was still in the living room.)
I went to bed thinking about the holiday letter, especially after finishing This Organic Life (Thank you so much Rach and Frankie) and realized that although I have made a great effort to eat more locally, we didn't do as great of a job in the first half of the year. I don't want to over-represent what we've done.
Last year, I tried Door-to Door Organics, being pregnant and frustrated with the availability of food at the local grocery store, but that didn't really make me feel too much better because here was this food being shipped from all over the world and then delivered to my door. Then i read BK's Animal Vegetable Miracle and had many epiphanies about how I look at food and what I consider when i buy food or choose recipes. We already belonged to a CSA, (Monroe Farms) but didn't do the winter share b/c I thought it was basically just potatoes.(it's not! we did it this year)
Anyway, what I should have said is that the first time I walked into Safeway (i think it was June) and asked what was grown in colorado, and they said... the green onions. i just walked around in a sort of wonder. All this food brought here in great quantity regardless of what is actually able to grow where we live. I get the clear impression, like Gussow (TOL) that most people don't care about how or where their food is grown, and maybe you don't either. But I didn't want to make it sound like here we were eating all from our backyard and whatnot, because we aren't. (yet!)
Maybe in a handful of years I'll have more things worked out for eating more locally (especially from Feb to May), but my biggest two goals for the garden this year are to get a functioning compost and plant some raspberry bushes. My next book I'm going to read is another by Pollan, Second Nature .
As you have already figured, both boys are napping at the same time! Milo is getting more regular in the pm, which gives me hope. Hope that Rowan doesn't give up his nap!!! That way I may actually have a few minutes to study (or write here!) during the day. School starts again next week, wish us luck and sleep!
New Years is upon us, and my list of resolutions calls for more canning, more raspberry picking and more strawberring picking.
I went to bed thinking about the holiday letter, especially after finishing This Organic Life (Thank you so much Rach and Frankie) and realized that although I have made a great effort to eat more locally, we didn't do as great of a job in the first half of the year. I don't want to over-represent what we've done.
Last year, I tried Door-to Door Organics, being pregnant and frustrated with the availability of food at the local grocery store, but that didn't really make me feel too much better because here was this food being shipped from all over the world and then delivered to my door. Then i read BK's Animal Vegetable Miracle and had many epiphanies about how I look at food and what I consider when i buy food or choose recipes. We already belonged to a CSA, (Monroe Farms) but didn't do the winter share b/c I thought it was basically just potatoes.(it's not! we did it this year)
Anyway, what I should have said is that the first time I walked into Safeway (i think it was June) and asked what was grown in colorado, and they said... the green onions. i just walked around in a sort of wonder. All this food brought here in great quantity regardless of what is actually able to grow where we live. I get the clear impression, like Gussow (TOL) that most people don't care about how or where their food is grown, and maybe you don't either. But I didn't want to make it sound like here we were eating all from our backyard and whatnot, because we aren't. (yet!)
Maybe in a handful of years I'll have more things worked out for eating more locally (especially from Feb to May), but my biggest two goals for the garden this year are to get a functioning compost and plant some raspberry bushes. My next book I'm going to read is another by Pollan, Second Nature .
As you have already figured, both boys are napping at the same time! Milo is getting more regular in the pm, which gives me hope. Hope that Rowan doesn't give up his nap!!! That way I may actually have a few minutes to study (or write here!) during the day. School starts again next week, wish us luck and sleep!
New Years is upon us, and my list of resolutions calls for more canning, more raspberry picking and more strawberring picking.
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