CSA Week 1: Part 1

Around noon yesterday, I made my way over to the farm to pick up my share...





This is the driveway/walk to the farm. Along the fence are the cutest little wooden plaques painted with different sayings, etc. I wish I would have took a picture. Next time.


We could pick up our shares from 12-4pm. And since I arrived pretty much at 12, there were not that many people. I met the farmer's wife, Pamela, and she was very welcoming. She had us sign in and then gave us a paper with the list of vegetables we'd receive that day. I found this extremely helpful because it has the name of the veggie and an explanation of how it looks, how it tastes, and how it grows, etc. They kept kind of apologizing for the harvest this week, how it will be much more in the future (there were floodings, see previous post), but to me, it was just the perfect amount! No complaints from me, I was excited.










After I packed all of my veggies into the bag, I went for a walk and wandered around, snapping a few photos:











I also took a video on my way back. It is a bit shaky and you might not be able to hear me, but...



More pictures:







Stay tuned later for more pictures of the awesome vegetables and what I received!!!!

Beginning of a beautiful friendship...

Today is like Christmas for me.

For months (maybe even years?), I have been waiting anxiously...dreaming about it...imagining all of the deliciousness, the freshness, the GREEN-NESS!!

Yes, today marks the first pick up day of my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)!!!

I received this email during the week:

Welcome to the 2009-10 CSA season!

Warm greetings to our old friends and new friends of the farm.

2009-10 CSA HARVEST SCHEDULE:

Pick up days/times will remain on Wed 3-6 OR Sat 12-4

Our season will begin on Saturday Nov 7th for our full share members and those in the Group “A” . (Designated member name A-L)

Group “B” (designated member name M-Z) will begin the following week on Wednesday Nov 11 or Sat Nov 14.

Any questions, give us a call or stop by. The schedule should be updated on the website and reflect the continuing for 30 weeks until the end of May. For those of you who have been members you know we will continue to harvest into June as long as the weather allows. We are very informal and use the A/B system to keep the harvest stable over the life of the garden. We are not concerned about necessary changes you may need to make as long as we are made aware. Thanks for your support and cooperation.

What’s new at the farm 11/2/09… perhaps the fall season at the farm will be a “tasting” rather than a bountiful “harvest” due to flooding in the fields….

Hello everyone, I have been missing you and hoping you have had a wonderful summer. Many of you have been coming to the farm so you are aware of the work that has been done and how we are re-doing about six weeks of work in the field due to the wet planting season. Following two seasons of record drought and record freeze- we find ourselves in the midst of record-breaking rainfall during the planting season (10 days-12”) and record heat! As we enter our third CSA growing season – we learn the lesson of farming yet again - Rule # 1. It’s all about the weather. No amount of worry or fret is going to change the outcome. Farming will humble you and teach you patience! So what’s a farmer to do?

Of course, there’s - Rule #2. Don’t get too attached to your vegetables! For those of you who have stopped by the farm - it comes as no surprise that many of the seedlings you saw under water in the field did not survive…the poor broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards…all swallowed up by the sand and silt. Most of the seeds that were in sharp, clean rows ended up scattered in pools of swirling rainwater, while we couldn’t step foot in the field for fear of sinking in a foot! So what’s a farmer to do?

Most of you know our dear friend Berk Gumus, farm director at the Bern’s Steakhouse Farm in Tampa - you know how this is meant when he says - If it isn’t working – plow it under and begin again. That is oh so difficult to do when you have nurtured those little seedlings from a tiny seed to this point …you want them to succeed, you want them to grow – you want to EAT THEM!!! Our lesson - If something isn’t working in your life, you plow it under and begin anew. Seeds and plants are the same way…So what’s a farmer to do?

Well…first things first - we couldn’t bring ourselves to COMPLETELY till the gardens under; especially when I was so smug as to think I had begun this season on such a positive note when planting had began in JULY! But reality and Berk’s voice - forced us to be brutal…plow the field yet again, add a little compost and replant the seed we had left. Fortunately, when the rain didn’t stop for 10 days and the Farmer had recorded over 12” here at the farm - we saw the handwriting on the wall. When much of the garden looked like a rice patty…we began a list of all crops we needed to replace and began seeding everything AGAIN in the greenhouse.

That’s what a farmer has to do…and that quick action may have served us well if we can get a cold snap in the next few days and a few willing hands to help replant the fields. This week – hundreds of seedlings are ready to venture out of the greenhouse to the field. See list below of what’s to come…

Did you see our “dibbler” (measuring stick) when you visited? The dibbler marks the spacing of transplants in the field. No experience necessary to become a master dibbler! All kidding aside, many of you have asked about volunteering at the farm. Contact our volunteer coordinator Denise - and she will be able to give you specific information about volunteer training most every Sat 10-11 So e-mail Denise at volunteer@gatewayorganicfarm.com. Once you are comfortable with our system, join me from 9-12 any morning except Tuesday or Sunday to help with farm chores or harvest. If the weather cools to the 60’s in the evening - the mornings will be heaven on earth, perhaps almost “sweater” weather.

What’s ready to re-plant – some of which could be ready to harvest in 4-5 weeks…

Kale Red Russian

Kale – Lacinato

Kale – Green Curley

Kale – Redbor

Collards

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Kohlrabi

Choi

Lettuce

Eggplant

Fennel

What’s already in the ground – reseeded and growing daily!

Radishes

Diakon radish

Green beans

Arugula

Mizuna

Red mustard

Turnips

Choi

Carrots

Beets

Swiss Chard

Asian greens

Onions

Sweet cherry tomatoes

Peppers

Eggplant

Squash

Herbs

Now for the good/better news! The 37 year old Florida Herb Society will be using our 2nd greenhouse for their test garden. They should be around most weekends and you can visit their website for information about their meetings. www.floridaherbsociety.org

So much to tell you about www.SLOWFOODUSA.org

If you are interested in good, clean, fair food - check them out. A special membership promotion for a limited time - $60 fee is waived – join for any amount!! We are organizing an effort to build a chapter here in the Tampa Bay area. Right now Sarasota is the closest chapter. We had our first meeting at the farm last Sunday and will be having an event at 4:00 - Sunday Nov 22 - A potluck and a showing of “FRESH-The MOVIE.” Details will be posted. Also bring your own table service and a chair! A small fee will be charged by the SLOW FOOD Chapter.

With all that said, we look forward to seeing you at the farm. The harvest may be more of a tasting than a true bounty until the new planting matures…but rest assured it is a LONG season and the vegetables will grow and we will all share a good time and great food. We add Rule #3 – It’s all about the veggies…and herbs and flowers,…and friends. See you soon. If you are partnering with another family, please pass along this e-mail message. I am still trying to streamline this message distribution. Perhaps someone with lots of time to type and who knows Constant Contact software will appear at the farm....HA! So much farming to do,...so little time to type!!

Pamela

The Farmer's Wife

------

I bought a half share, but will be picking up my harvest today since I work on the other days. They are quite flexible at Gateway, which is wonderful. Earlier in the year, my friend from nursing school let me pick up his share of a CSA in Tampa while he was out of town. I know it may sound weird, but when I got in my car with all of those vegetables, I almost wanted to cry. Just to think that these edible foods were in the soil just hours before, growing, taking in light and nourishment...and were now with me, ready to eat...really just blew my mind. I think more people need to see this and feel it. Food does not just come from the grocery store. It GROWS! I know that is obvious, but I often wonder if children (or even some adults) truly understand this notion. Whenever I bite into a fruit or vegetable, I am just amazed at the entire process. I think to myself, "This was on a tree, growing, and now I am eating it!!" Does anyone else think that is amazing?!! Maybe I am just quaked out of my mind?

Either way, I hope to take pictures while I pick up my harvest. I know they mentioned that the first "harvest" may be more of a "tasting" due to the weather conditions over the summer, but that is okay because it is a long season!!

"My vegetable love should grow

Vaster than empires, and more slow..."

Overview of the 31-Day Yoga Challenge

The month of October just flew by, almost as if it didn't even happen. I guess that's what happens when you're focused on each and every day. I would have thought the opposite, personally. However, I loved October.

During the challenge, I felt more alive. Going inward and taking an active focus on yourself everyday can do wonders for the mind. I also felt like I was more level-headed and had less mood swings, as if i were better able to handle emotions and stress and not (over)react.

I calculated from my posts that I did almost exactly half of the challenge at home, which is a huge surprise for me. At the beginning of this challenge, I was skeptical of home practice. I thought I wouldn't "be able to do it." Trust me, there is absolutely nothing like going to a studio and practicing yoga with a teacher and even a group of other people (yogini's), however, this month gave me a new appreciation for the home practice. When you're at home, you're completely focused on yourself. You may not know what is coming next, but you dictate it all, allowing you to completely focus on yourself.

Physically, I have noticed my bends are deeper and my flexibility has increased. I felt like I was pretty balanced before hand, so I did not see much of a change there. I also want to mention that I did not lift weights during the entire month because I wanted to see if I could subjectively see a change in my muscle tone. I was almost irrationally scared that I would lose some muscle mass in my biceps, but I did not find that to be the case. In fact, my muscles are almost longer and leaner and still the same size, to me anyway.

One of the reasons I wanted to do this challenge was to decide whether or not I would want to go through a Yoga Teacher Training program. And I've found the challenge completely gave me a boost and sense of motivation --I know for sure I want to go through training. The month was also about positivity and motivation. I now feel like money is not the only thing holding me back. I CAN earn the money and I WILL go through training. It's just a matter of patience, right?

The most difficult part of the challenge? Doing yoga on my days of work! As you all know, I work 12 hour shifts and they are completely exhausting at times. I know now that I should probably just stick to meditation after work, and not actual asana or any yoga movement, except for relaxation poses right before bed. I also learned how important it is to not force yourself to do anything! You may finish, but you will not get any benefit out of it, whatsoever.

What's next for me and yoga? Well, I'm not too sure. I am obviously going to keep practicing (duh) and even incorporating at-home practice. I am thinking that once I get my tax return money, I will use it to enroll in a teacher training program.
I just want to continue to incorporate yoga into every aspect of my life...

Day 31 (2 days later)

I know, I am so behind on the posting of the FINAL day of the 31-Day Yoga Challenge. Saturday marked the finale and I went to a one hour class at my gym. The coolest part was that a sub was in and she put on a yoga relaxation cd that I own and listen to quite frequently, so I felt right at home

Stay tuned for an overview of the past month and how I'm feeling...

Day 30!!

One more day of the challenge!! I cannot believe how quickly the month just flew by! It's been a busy whirlwind for me, but I loved it.

This afternoon Mirza treated me to a late lunch at the Red Mesa Cantina. That was around 4pm and it is now 11:30pm. Let's just say I am still full. I wish I would have taken advantage of the setting and gotten something more unique, but unfortunately, the unhealthy food was calling me! I ended up getting the blackened chicken. ugh, it was a lot. However, the yucca fries were awesome! I've never had them before. Still, I should have ordered something more...mexican or something, you know? Oh well.









Best part of the night? Mirza and I did yoga!! Yes!
I downloaded an Intro to Yoga podcast for us (since he is new) and it was nice. About 28 minutes. Afterwards, he was dead and I was just kind of bored since it was the bare minimum. I then downloaded an advanced power yoga podcast. It was 23 minutes, but I could only do about 12. All that damn food in my body, blaaaaaa. I just want to eat vegetables and fruits forever when I eat something like that. What the hell was I thinking!!? hahahah



We spent the rest of the night inside watching movies.

I love Bill Maher. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-maher/new-rule-you-cant-complai_b_291852.html

CCIP Graduation

Today I "graduated" from CCIP!

I got a cool pin:






And a certificate that needs framing.






And also a goody-bag full of hospital logo things, like a calculator, note pads, pens, etc. and candy.


does this mean I can "officially" call myself a Critical Care RN and not feel like a poser?;)

Day 29: yoga, sleep, bake

Day 29, can anyone else believe it? The end has been the most difficult for me. Not because I don't want to do yoga, but because of my schedule. I am exhausted after work; it's ridiculous! Yesterday I ended up doing a 15 minute podcast.
This afternoon I completed a 25 minute podcast.
Someone asked me what my favorite podcasts are for yoga, and I honestly do not have any yet since I just bought my new MacBook Pro last week! My previous computer was a piece of crap and I couldn't download anything! Argh!!
I am enjoying 20 minute yoga download, though. I really prefer videos, so if someone has any suggestions for yoga download VIDEOS then hit me up.


After yoga, I had every intention of going food shopping, but sleep overcame me! I ended up napping for 3.5 hours. um, oops?
Right now my egg-free and dairy-free banana bread is baking away (-free because I didn't make it to the store). I hope it turns out good. I'm not too worried. I also grated in 1/2 of a honeycrisp apple (am enjoying the other half as I write this).

Lately, I'm been enjoying a lot of vegetarian and vegan meals. Sometimes I just cannot eat any meat or animal products; I feel like crap after...toxic-like? I do not like to label myself as vegetarian or vegan, but I'd say right now my diet is 85% vegetarian. Still love my cow's milk yogurt and cheese, but I did venture out the other night and try one of Amy's frozen pizzas that had no dairy. Pizza with no cheese! And I was pleasantly surprise!

It will be interesting to see how my diet changes over the next few months to accommodate to my CSA. And even more importantly, how it changes when I start to work nights--PS: terrified. If anyone has any tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially eating when working three 12 hour night shifts, hit me up. Right now, I am tentatively beginning November 16th. My manager is well-aware that I am not wanting to work nights and says, "it won't be for long." I think she might know something, but cannot say for sure. I'm all for working nights at the moment though, since I need to pay off this lovely laptop. I'll be making about an extra $400 per paycheck. Sweet! I'm trying to look on the bright side.

Here are some pictures from last weekend. We went to International Mall to get Mirza's MacBook fixed and ended up at a delicious restaurant, which I have no idea the name!! aah. It was something "bistro." Inside was quite aesthetically pleasing. They had a variety of options and it was not expensive at all.




I had the vegetable wrap with house salad:



Mirza had the coconut curry shrimp with jasmine rice and "vegetables."


Dessert was a Creme Brule cheesecake. Sorry, no picture:(

Tomorrow is my CCIP graduation!! I will post pictures of my pin and certificate.

day 28

I'm so tired. 3 days in a row is too much for me even if the 3rd is only an 8 hour day. I'm gonna go sit in the bath and put on a guided meditation and perhaps do a podcast...or not. Hope I don't fall asleep in the tub!

Day 27

I am tiiiiired. I don't know if I can do yoga today:( I might do a guided meditation before bed and YES, I do consider that as part of the challenge. I am actually going into work for 8 hours tomorrow. I never work 3 days in a row, so I am pooped.
I just want to go to bed and cry from exhaustion. is that bad?
I need motivation!!!!!!!