farm share 2016

I think this is at least my family's fourth year of getting a farm share through Red Fire Farm in Granby, MA.  My parents and I "split" the share.  Which means that they pay for most it and I cook most of it.  Without their "help" I'd never be able to afford it.  This year I decided to document each week's share so that when my mom is complaining about it being too expensive I'm wondering if it's really worth all the money I can have photographic evidence to look at.  I won't lie it's very hard to argue with all this beautiful photographic evidence.  ;)

A few weeks into the season this year my mom and I were talking about what it really means to "join" a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm share.  My take on it is that you have to remember that you are paying for a "share"of the farm's harvest that season.  You are not walking into the store and grabbing what you want.  It's a very different concept than most of us are used to.

As a CSA member, in my opinion, you really don't have the right to complain about the product that you've receiving because you are not out there working hard to grow it.  It really pisses me off to hear people complain about the shares.  One time, there was a mom and small child going through the pick up line and the child started grabbing at the fruit share grapes.  Mom smacked the child's hand away and exclaimed, loud enough for the room full of paying share members to hear, something to the effect of, "No, mommy doesn't pay for that!  She pays enough for all this other crap."

Bottom line:  You and the farmers are at the mercy of the weather and such as far as the final product goes.  It's a crap shoot; some years are awesome and some years are not.  Again, it's NOT the grocery store and it's not for everyone.  It's a totally different way of getting your food.  Personally, I think it's awesome and I'm very grateful that my rents are into it too.

I'll update the post weekly until the end of the season with new pictures as we are not even halfway through and I'm full just looking at all that beautiful fruit and veggie love.

Enjoy the farm share fruit and veggie porn!

Week # 1

Week # 2

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Week # 5

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Week #12

Week # 14

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Week # 18

I can't live by your rules, man. Pizza edition.

If I had to list a hobby it would probably be watching The Food Network.  I LOVE watching people cook and eat on tv.   I find it very inspirational.  I was watching The Kitchen the other day and Sunny was making a 1-2-3 pizza recipe.  Click here to go to FoodNetwork.com and check out her recipe.

When I see something on food tv that's not gluten free or FULL of dairy my brain instantly goes into Ingredient Swap Mode.  What can I use that I can eat for that?  This recipe had both of those challenges.  However, the swap for the flour was easy just using gluten free flour instead, duh.  The more challenging swap was the dairy.  (TMI.  Yogurt, like cow's milk yogurt, does NOT like me.)  When I was in the "healthy" section at the supermarket today shopping for a yogurt swap I found a "Coconut Milk yogurt alternative".  Yay!

All of the gluten free Bisquick on the shelf at the supermarket was expired!  Naturally, I pulled all of the expired boxes off the shelf and left them on floor.  W T F, people.  Don't you have computers to remember when products are going bad?!  (When I worked in retail we'd get an email from the home office and it would say something like:  Go get SKU #blah blah and check the date.  If any of the products are out of date destroy them.  Not rocket science.)  Anyway... I had rely on my own pantry for the flour.  I was able to use up a 1/2 cup of gluten free Bisquick and the rest of a box of Aldi gluten free pizza crust mix.  I don't feel bad about using two different products for the crust.  It got two boxes out of my pantry.  Okay, I admit it, I was a little worried but SPOILER ALERT... the pizza came out great!

I followed along with the show using my TiVo to watch and pause when I was ready to go into my kitchen and proceed with the recipe.  I used my swaps, added salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil to the top, and baked it at 450 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes.

Ta-DA!!  Fresh basil and sprinkle cheese for the WIN.  The moral of the story is to take chances... it might turn out great!  (I think that's good advice for life too.)

"I don't ask myself why, I ask myself Why Not?"-- Dr. Phil

To blog or not to blog?  That is the question.  I've been thinking about this new blog for a while now.  Thinking things like:  Do I have time for this?  (I've already abandoned another blog.  I have a full-time job.  I'm the dog mother of a very demanding a very active American Cocker Spaniel; named Suzie.)  Why should I add my voice to this?  What do I have to offer?  (My life experience.  I'm a quick learner and a self starter.  Which adds to the drama fun of trying new things.  Maybe you could learn from my mistakes wins and or Pinterest fails.)

Sometimes the answer is maybe nothing.  It would be a blog about nothing.  (Would that be so bad?)

Sometimes the answer is Why Not?  If it's something I'm still thinking about then it must be something I really want to do.  Sometimes people even tell me I should write a blog.  (Toot, toot.  That was me tooting my own horn; I don't usually do that.)

Either way...  Here it is;  I'm not reinventing the wheel here but sometimes I do feel like I do things that I want to share with other people and this would be a good vehicle for that.  Stay tooned for gluten free recipes, tips, and tricks...  home themed crafty things, gardening ideas... and I want to share some of my photography work too.

Thanks for stopping by!