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Margaret Hochla
El Reno, Oklahoma
I have been married for 27 years to Victor and have 4 children. The two girls and two boys range in age from 25-10 years. We are pleased to still have one grandparent from each side of the family ... More about Margaret
Sareen Dunleavy-Keenan
Minneapolis, Minnesota
I live in Minneapolis, in 1.5 story craftsman bungalow with beautiful woodwork, but a tiny lot. Sharing this space is my husband Brendan, 'baby' (5/07) and 'new baby' who is expected to join the fold in August. More about Sareen
Gina Keenan-Klages
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
My name is Gina, and my husband's name is Patrick. We have three children, ranging in ages from 1 to 5 years. Our household also includes my mother, who is living with us from September to May. More about Gina
Donna McClurkan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Early January may seem an inauspicious time to begin an "eat local" project in Southwest Michigan. As if to underscore that point, nearly a foot of snow fell in Kalamazoo on January 3. More about Donna
Cher Stuewe-Portnoff
St Louis, Missouri
My first father-in-law taught me to garden in the mid-1960s. Over the next few years, with a family of five to feed, I read everything I could find about nutrition ... More about Cher
Vera Schabicki
Ashland, Mississippi
Four years ago my five children, one husband, two dogs, one cat and I moved to the rural South from a large northern California city. We went from .12 acres to a rambling 57 acres. More about Vera
- oh yeah
- Love
- successes and failures
- Hurrah for (kind of) local juice!
- Wow, it has gone fast!
- You must be brave
- Perhaps to give you some insight
- Finale: The Meaning of Life
- Meeting Joel Salatin ... and other posts from the cutting room floor
- The snack that does what?
< FAQ: How do you define "local?" | Main | Getting hungry in OK >
Courting Failure
Posted at 12:34 AM on January 31, 2008 by Vera Schabicki (1 Comments)
I was about to have to post a blog stating my failure. Our cupboards are empty and I have called and e-mailed looking for local things…..we are having lots of starch and lots of milk……..but no vegetables. I am turning into a pudding!
Today though, I went and saw Mr. Van Cheeseman, the farmer at Flora,The Gardens at Bluebird Farms. He has a few acres (I am not sure exactly how many) of a new developing sustainable farm. He took me on a tour and showed me his fields, cold frame, small green house and planned larger greenhouse. We met his chickens and ducks, snug in the charming hodgepodge of chicken houses and runs that his wife built. (I got to help put the chickies to bed.) I left with a huge basket of fresh picked spinach, really tasty collard greens and arugula grown in his ingenious cold frame. I also got three dozen colorful eggs (If I get tech savvy I will show y’all pictures!) and (gasp) a chicken for stewing (don’t tell his wife).
When I got home I did not have that dreaded feeling of, What am I going to make for dinner? I excitedly thought, What am I going to do with this wonderful stuff? The spinach was so good I left it raw with a dressing. I made a focaccia with the fresh thyme he gave me, and a lovely frittata with an onion thyme pepper jack crust.
The best part was the kids. Number one and number two said it was the best spinach they had ever had! Number three agreed to try one leaf, and then snuck a large extra serving. Number five ate a huge serving with quiet pleasure. (I confess I lied and told him it was lettuce, but he ate it even after the other kids gave me away.)
I love having something in nature dictate the shape of my meals. I feel like an artist working with natural gifts rather than a drudge having to slog through books looking for inspiration.
Best wishes,
Vera
Comments (1)
Hi, Vera - I've read your post at least a dozen times now. From where I sit, that farm sounds like a dream-come-true. It gives me hope either that something unexpected could still show up here, or that spring will arrive soon and we'll start seeing some green stuff in the co-op and farmers market again! Isn't this fun!?
My best,
Cher (St. Louis, but for now in Ok)
Posted by Cher | February 7, 2008 9:47 AM