Fall Farm Fun

This year we became members of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) by purchasing a share from a local farm. For the past 21 weeks we've been receiving a box of fresh, local vegetables every Thursday. We've always been fans of "fresh & local" by supporting our Farmer's Market (there is one about two blocks away from our home) but there is an element of surprise with CSA that we wanted to experience: you don't get to choose what you're getting! As a result we've enjoyed the standard vegetables (corn, asparagus, potatoes, beets, cabbage, beans, etc.) as well as those that we most likely wouldn't have purchased (kohlrabi, garlic scapes, tomatillos, bok choy and rutabagas).

This past weekend the family who owns and runs the farm where our vegetables are grown had a potluck dinner on the farm for all of the share holders. Even though the temperature was only in the upper forties, we had a super time! The afternoon started with real popcorn where kids were shelling dried corn on the cob and then popping it. That is awesome popcorn (even without butter and salt!!). Next came a walking tour of the farm and fields. My families' favorite part was picking (or trying to!) carrots and selecting pumpkins off of the vines (my happy, snappy camera batteries died after my carrot photos!).

Mean Mommy taking a pic of my dear O as she went flying onto her bottom when the carrot green broke with the carrot still in the ground!

Finally, there was the dinner. Each family was asked to prepare a dish to pass that included vegetables from their share. I made potato and fennel au gratin using fresh Yukon Gold potatoes, fresh fennel, and fresh garlic (along with gruyere cheese, half & half cream, and salt & pepper). The most creative dish was named Secret Chocolate Cake and it was made with beets!

After an afternoon in the cool, fresh air and a delicious dinner we headed home. It was no surprise to me that we all slept very well Sunday night!