I had my first shifts at the farm last weekend. As always, I have to be circumspect about blogging about an employer, but of course I must share a little. I worked in the farm market on Saturday, restocking produce as it was picked up by members, and then on Sunday I was in charge of helping the members who came to pick their own strawberries and snap peas: explaining the quantities they were entitled to, handing out containers, driving a temperamental big white van up to the fields and back. Saturday was hot as hell and Sunday was chilly and windy, the sand from the parking lot blowing around and getting in my eyes. No air conditioning, no indoor plumbing, no refrigerator. The closest Wawa is 7 miles away back in Bordentown. Strawberries are basically over – so fleeting! — so I won’t have a Sunday pick-your-own shift til blueberries come in. I have a new appreciation for my air-conditioned, sedentary Monday-Friday job 🙂 But between working on the farm and mowing our almost-half-acre here, I should be down 20 pounds by the fall!
Snap peas on the left, garlic (?) on the right
Back here on this little farm, I was enjoying the romaine lettuce I planted, until the groundhogs got into it. There are 3 this year (at least), a mom and babies. Yeah. Every time I go out the back door, at least one furry butt startles and scurries away. By the by, we also had a turkey in our yard yesterday.
We also had some strawberries, but as I’ve learned at work, I don’t think it’s a great year for strawberries here. Too much rain.
I planted green beans and they are growing well so far. My lazy self was happy to see tomato plants that sprouted on their own where last year’s were. Arugula did the same thing, and so did the sunflowers out front!
I’m sad that I don’t have any onions or garlic this year. Next year for sure.
I did buy a basil plant at the farmers’ market and had a week of mozzarella and basil sandwiches with the quality garlic infused olive oil that I bought at the shop in town, Blue Moon. Mmmm. That bottle is almost out. And my mail-order organic, fair-trade, no artificial flavorings coffee came in, from Black River Roasters, and I love it! That’s almost gone too.
Sebastian planted a maple tree seed in a small container, and has been carefully tending it. He keeps it in the dining room window. I offered to give him more seeds to plant, but he declined. He is just really into this one little plant. 🙂 (It now has 2 sets of leaves.)
I also was able to stop in this week and see the school’s 4th graders checking on their plants in the community garden. I hope to do more with the school’s Green Team next year.
I ended up not having to work at the farm this weekend (“Get ready for blueberries,” said my boss cheerfully/ominously), so I slept in today (yay!) and now we are just bumming around and will eventually go to the pool. Had a big school event last night and lots of other stuff this past week. Next week is light in comparison: I *only* have a dentist appointment Monday, a playdate/birthday party to throw for Sebastian on Wednesday, and physical therapy for Aidan Tuesday and Thursday. And I have to work late on Friday at my main job. The week after next is 5th grade graduation on 6/19 and the last day of school is 6/21.
We had some cooler weather, so I was able to bake cupcakes for Sebastian to bring to school for his birthday (from a mix and canned frosting), as well as banana bread, which came in handy when we ran out of our usual breakfast staples. And a little further back I made chocolate chip muffins that the kids really liked.
Not much else exciting going on in the way of cooking. We definitely have not been out to eat at all.
Tomorrow, we have a birthday party and I will probably go to the Sunday farmers’ market. Hope you all are having a nice weekend!
McGuire Domestic Enterprises 