Day 12: Vegetable Hunter

I got my first rejection from a CSA today. The farm already hit their 200-member "share" limit, and their web site offers little hope for an opening, ''We've reached 200! The application process is now on hold. IF any spots open up, we'll email those on the waitlist."

Thanks to a friend's recommendation, I'm making my way through more options on Local Harvest which lets users search by zip code to find farms, farmer's markets, restaurants and local-food grocers. I'm on the hunt for vegetables.

As a CSA member or "share holder," people pay farmers some of their weekly food budget in exchange for organically-grown farm products. I expect to spend anywhere between $450 to $600 for about 24 weeks from May to September/October or summer options for about $250. Joining a CSA is a garden gamble, like any growing venture. You never know what you're going to get. Product depends on farm output. And you may just have one of those harvests that yields endless recipes for things like "Summer Squash Cupcakes."

And ... check out the new poll. Dirk says to the great majority who voted for him as the most likely candidate to fall off the wagon, "I have iron will."

Menu
Breakfast: Yogurt, berries and OJ with fish oil.

Lunch: Leftover chicken salad, pita, hummus, bananas, apples, carrots and milk. Aidan took his usual - PB on bread, craisins, applesauce, grapes and pretzels.

Dinner: We had a pizza playdate (spinach, carmalized onion and roasted garlic for adults, plain for kids) with friends and they provided a delicious dessert - organic strawberries with balsamic vinegar and black pepper over vanilla Haagen Daz.

Nugget o' the Day: "We found ice cream with five ingredients!" - a very excited young family friend about a Fresh Mouth dessert discovery. This ice cream has fewer ingredients than even the organic stuff which is loaded with "guar gum" and stuff. Read yo' labels!