Veg*n Cooking and Other Random Musings: Weekly Local Booty - Garden Grub, CSA, and Farmer's Market - July 18, 2009

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Weekly Local Booty - Garden Grub, CSA, and Farmer's Market - July 18, 2009

It is a gorgeous day here in Columbia this fine Saturday. Not even 70 yet, sunny, with a slight breeze - you really couldn't ask for better weather. Which is why, I suppose, Mother Nature determined that I was due for a cold. But, we did have a very successful trip to the farmer's market and I also stopped by the library yesterday for a new haul of books, so I think I'm going to open up the apartment and settle into a book for the day, try to rest and keep the cold from getting too bad. The uncontrollably runny nose, cloudy head, and slight cough really feel out of place in the summer, but hey - what are you going to do? Spending a Saturday in a comfy chair reading a good book doesn't sound too bad, eh? Always gotta look for that bright side, that silver lining, and all those other cliches that I can't think of at the moment.

Anyways, we got a bit of garden booty this week, check it out:


Twelve ripe and beautiful cayennes. There are probably close to that number of chiles on the three plants in various stages of ripening as well. The cayennes do quite well here I must say. Looks like I'm going to have to start a ristra tomorrow.

And this lovely load of booty below is our week ten DanJo Farms CSA quarter veggie share, I'm telling you, it just keeps getting better and better each week!


Starting from the top: 3 ears of sweet corn, an onion, green beans, 2 cucumbers, and a zucchini.

Check out this week's farmer's market haul. This ran us $24 and not pictured is a pound of Sho-Me-Farms ground beef we got for Brett that was put into the freezer before the picture was taken.


Starting from the top: cilantro, 6 ears of sweet corn, 5 tomatoes, 6 small boiler onions, 12 jalapenos, 6 unripe cherry bomb chiles, a yellow zucchini, a regular zucchini, and a quart of Country Goodies zesty dill pickles (they put a jalapeno in the brine with the cukes!).

We made out quite well this week. I am always surprised when folks say that the farmer's market is too expensive. While processed things like bread, cheese, salsa, jam, etc., do cost a little bit more than the corporate versions at the grocery store, the quality is far better and the produce is where the real savings lie. Try getting the haul above at the grocery store (it is almost all organic too mind you) for $24, I don't think it would happen.

Well, I'm off to do a little garden work at the community garden with Brett while I still feel good enough to do something, then we'll have some corn on the cob, and I will settle myself into a good book.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

'Til next time.

9 comments:

hmd said...

Mmm! Looks fabulous! Are you going to take another week for easy cooking? I'm feeling the same drain. I just picked up a few things to make sandwiches from. I just feel like scrapping the cooking (it's 100 degrees here, who wants to turn on the stove?) and eat sammies all week...

Anonymous said...

Oh no! You poor thing--I hope you feel better soon! But, I will admit, reading all day in a big comfy chair sounds very nice and relaxing :-) I hope Brett is a good nurse!

I got a bunch of yellow and green zucchini today at the market too--they are just so pretty! And I finally got tomatoes--lovely cherry and grape ones...I am in heaven :o) Those zesty dill pickles sound fabulous!

Courtney

Karen said...

Hope your cold gets better soon. No fun to have summer colds for sure. I know Brett is takiing good care of you though. Hugs

Anonymous said...

Oh no! Sending you healthy thoughts that you are over your cold soon - being sick is even worse when the weather is as beautiful as its been lately.
Your findings at the market look really good, but I am eying your chili peppers with particular envy. How do you think you'll use them?
(Oh, and I completely agree about the prices at the farmers' markets, and the quality...plus knowing exactly where and to who my money is going.

Catherine Weber said...

I agree -- the Farmer's Market is SO much cheaper! I spent $29 yesterday, and I couldn't believe the load! (At my market, salsa and cheese and bread and such is actually comparable to the co-op/Whole Foods, in my opinion. And eggs are so much cheaper!) Hooray for local!

Unknown said...

cute cayennes! looks like the beginnings of a beautiful ristra!

Erin said...

Your cayennes look great! And you reminded me that it's been far too long since I've been to the farmers market.

J said...

Heather - It has turned out that way. We have had really simple meals of corn on the cob, tomatoes with salt, fried zucchini, things of that nature. We certainly haven't been lacking in taste, but it has been very easy cookin's.

No kidding, when the weather gets hot, I make up lots of hummus, may run the oven ONE DAY to make lots of falafel, then I will just cut up raw veggies and eat on that all week. I am one of those people who don't mind eating the same thing all the time, and in fact, sometimes I prefer it.

I think in some ways, I might be coming around to your simple, no-nonsense style of cooking, and I must say, I am liking it.

Courtney - It has been a pretty icky cold, but I can say I have gotten a lot of reading in this week. I think I have padded my "Books J's Read - 2009" list for sure. :-)

Brett is a very good nurse, getting me OJ, soup, forcing me to stay in the chair and relax/sleep, he's gone to the library and picked up chick lit for me and even entertained me.

Mmmmm, zucchini and tomatoes! I guess summer has finally made it your way!

They are awesome pickles. I am not one at all to just eat pickles for the hell of it, but these I find myself snacking on when I have them out for something else.

Nanny - I am finally starting to feel on the up and up. No, summer colds are really crummy, especially when the weather is beautiful as it has been.

He certainly has, he certainly has.

Living in A Local Zone - Aw, thank you. I am finally starting to feel better. Thankfully! I don't want another weekend darkened by a cold!

Oh the chile peppers? Let's see, I had an unsuccessful attempt at stuffing and deep frying some, but for the most part I use them in salsas, to perk up bean dishes (which is what the rest of these will be used for), etc.

I like knowing where my money is going too, you give your money to the clerk at the grocery store and most of it is gone like that, right out of town to corporate headquarters. We are supporting families, PEOPLE, when we shop locally like this, not corporations.

Catherine - I am still amazed sometimes when I come home at how much we get for so little money. Our eggs are cheaper at market too. And the salsa and breads when compared to their organic counterparts at the grocery store aren't really a whole lot more.

Hooray for local is right!

Selina - We just got another huge load, I can't wait to start that ristra now.

Erin - Thank you. You should go right now!

hmd said...

I wish I could make my own hummus. I'm going to have to break down and buy a food processor...