#15 New & Fresh Challenge

Stay Inspired!

This week, create something new. Try something you have never attempted before. Document and post next Monday.

#14 What's a garlic scape?

This was a perfectly timed challenge as our CSA (community supported agriculture) delivered our first box of veggies for the year this week - Hurray!!!

Spinach
Red Leaf Lettuce
Green Leaf Lettuce
Tuscan Kale
Curly leaf Kale
Rhubarb
Radishes
Beets
Garlic Scapes

To celebrate we fixed a feast with our neighbors who we split our farm share with.

The menu was:
Pasta primavera (Kale)
Green Salad (Radishes, Spinach, Lettuce)
Roasted Beets with feta
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

We also juiced Kale, Beet Greens, Carrots and a few apples!

The surprise in our box was garlic scapes. This little green is a bit like a green onion, but with a mild garlic flavor. They are part of the garlic plant which needs to be removed when growing garlic to help form big juicy bulbs. So its a win, win. Great bulbs later, yummy garlic scapes now. Lightly sauted they add a bit of garlic to any dish or a kick when chopped fresh sprinkled on any dish.

New Peas and Potatoes

We've definitely had enough rain to water our gardens in Utah this year. Our only concern is getting enough sunshine between rainstorms to help the plants grow. Luckily, the sun has been out enough to yield new red potatoes and peas locally so I made a summertime favorite this week - new peas and potatoes.

The dish is very easy to fix. You quarter and boil the new potatoes (leaving the skins on) and shell and boil the peas separately. While the peas and potatoes are boiling, make a white sauce out of milk, flour, salt, and butter. When the white sauce is thick and the potatoes and peas are ready, combine them together and serve them immediately. The resulting meal is light and absolutely delicious - perfect for a summer evening!

Challenge 14 - Garden Fresh

This week create a dish with garden fresh vegetables and/or fruits. Summer's on and so is fresh produce - hooray! Share your recipe and/or photos of your creation by Monday of next week.

Cards on the way...

My cards are works in progress right now. I'll finish off this post when they're complete.

#13 How does your garden grow

Gardening note cards for my beautiful neighbor Charlene, whom I love to share my gardening with. I loved this periwinkle tissue paper and thought it paired nicely with the buttons and extra green envelopes I had sitting around. Thanks to Charlene for the photos as my camera is broken!

The Future is Indeed Bright!

I have faith that great things (even miracles) are brought about by small and simple acts.
I have faith in sunshine - it brings out the best in people.
I have faith in children - they are our bright hope for the future.
I have faith that God exists and watches over all of His children on earth.
I have faith in the power of the human spirit to overcome great odds.
I have faith in exercise, good nutrition, and healthy living.
I have faith in using natural means to cure illnesses and heal the body and soul.

#13 Write it down

When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realize my friends are my energy

This week create two sets of note cards. One for you and one for a friend. You can use any medium you would like. Post photos of the finished product next week.

#12 Faith

Farmer John

I did not record daily those things that I have faith in, but I did think about it often this week. Most of my musing were about those things that scare me in this world and what kind of faith I have in the world, people and myself to change them.

I watched two documentaries this week that focused on one of those subjects that keep me up at night, food. That seems funny to type but I think it is one of the scariest subjects in the world today. I watched 'The Real Dirt on Farmer John' and 'The future of food'. These movies focus on the rise of chemical and industrial farming industry, the environmental degradation, health concerns and loss of small family farms.



While I watch movies like these, my heart aches and I think how will we survive, are we setting our civilization up for failure. I wallow without seeing an out, my faith is temporarily put to the side. Luckily as I wallow the movies change and talk about those who are fighting, changing and turning the tide. My faith is sparked and I think about the 2000 acre organic farm I am a member of and how my choice to only buy organic produce that is produced locally really is fighting and can make a difference.

So today I have faith in consumer power, organic farmers and my son. I often wonder if bringing a child into the world today is a good idea. Then I spend time with him and take in all his light and goodness and I know that the world needs more light like him and that he will help repair the damage we have done.

To learn more about CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) in your area contact www.localharvest.org or in Colorado www.grantfarms.com

#11 Gorilla Gardening

My surprise warm fuzzy came in the form of gorilla gardening. I live very urban and often times the very small front yard landscapes are forgotten and become overgrown. Last week I would slip out of the house after 9:00pm and secretly pull weeds. One advantage to living urban is we have lots of street lights that make moonlight gardening easy to accomplish. I received many compliments from passerby's as I frantically worked trying not to get caught.