okay, i think we blew the budget today. we had such GOOD intentions. really, really good intentions. let's hope the cold snap holds for a while, because i've got everything in a box on the patio. let me explain:
we have a local pick and pay orchard here in town. it's a great place. i've been trying to get hubby to go for a while now. we decided to get up today, as next weekend is the last saturday for the year. i *think* i got some decent rest, i'm not sure. but i got out of bed without too much of a struggle, got dressed, insisted on something other than doughnut shop coffee (YUCK!) and we were off. i wanted to show little one where some of our food comes from and how we can pick and process it ourselves. she had a blast! first stop was the granny smith apples. we all love granny smith apples. everyone kept saying there were huge apples, but we went for some smaller ones, because they are great lunchbox size. and now i have to bake a pie. that's okay, we have pie crust in the freezer. remember the rules? have to use up the processed stuff first! lucky hubby, he gets apple pie. seven pounds later....we move on to sweet potatoes.
now THIS is what i came for. and we really didn't get that many. but the ones we DID get? big enough that one will fit the bill for an entire meal for all three of us. i think that's pretty efficient. they are big, beautiful, and just in time for winter. yum. next, zucchini. little one scored. she was a master at spotting the PERFECT zucchini. not too big, not too small. just the right size. she'll be rewarded with chocolate zucchini bread for sure. such a help to her mom. AND she found the eggplant. they were on the smaller size. i can't remember the name, but they are a traditional round eggplant. i am hoping i can find some recipe that hubby will try, as his experiences with eggplant have not been that great. we only picked four, as not to over do it.
total damage for the produce? $18.00. BUT, it's locally grown, pesticide free, organically grown and we're supporting a small business. that makes me feel good. then we drove over to the farm. it's actually called The Farm. another small business that sells produce, honey (raw, unfiltered, from their own hives. if i get in a pinch and i can't get it from my usual honey man, i can get it there because they are pricier.) they have chickens roaming freely, a vietnamese potbellied pig named violet that LOVES butternut squash, ethel and mabel, their two holstein cows, some horses, a llama, a few peacock families, including mama pearl and her babies. mama pearl is very protective, so when she's around, everyone has to stop moving. you don't want to get between pearl and her babies! and a HUGE rooster, who is recovering from coyote injuries. little one suggested a name for him, and i think it's going to stick. she tagged him "big murray." the owners seemed to like the name. that's my girl. we bought a dozen eggs. farm fresh eggs, i haven't had these since i was a kid! they were pricey, we won't make this splurge that often, unless they're REALLY GOOD EGGS. $5.50/dozen.
so tomorrow i have to sit down and total up what we have left of our budget. i suspect there isn't much left of that budget. i think we really blew the first month. but hey, it's a learning experience. and i've packed all the produce in a cardboard box, brown paper and old bed sheets and set it outside, so we'll have it for a while. another reason to get the *&^$ out of this city, i need a root cellar. i'm hoping we have cooler temps for a while, so we'll have produce for a while. i know the sweet potatoes will keep, and i'm going to have to use the zucchini within 2-3 weeks, if the weather holds. the apples, if this is it for the warmer weather, they'll be good for a few months, but they won't last that long!
so, do i feel bad about wrecking my budget or feel good about supporting small, local businesses and getting some really great produce into my family's diet? i'm trying to be an optimist these days. i'll go with the latter. besides, it was a great way to spend the day together, and that's what really matters.
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