Week 4

Tuesday's pick up day was sweltering, which made the red barn feel like the inside of a Bikram yoga studio. Lauren, Ted and I bagged our veggies quickly while young Will supervised. Two new items of the week included broccoli and a choice of dill or cilantro. Lauren was disappointed that her peas weren't there. And I wanted spinach for an Egg's Florentine dish we're testing for Sunday brunch. The surprise of what might be available each week is always a treat, but after a few visits, we've begun to look forward to certain veggies. There's never a shortage of red radishes and thankfully, Lauren forgot about the peas and put herself in charge of carrying a bunch to the car. Lauren and I also chose flowers for our first bouquet of the season. Only some flowers are available to half-shares for cutting. Others are set aside for the full-share folks. Still, the Cosmos and Clarkia made a beautiful bouquet. The next time we're at the farm I'll try to take more pictures of the fields.

I hoped to ask Justin for advice on our own tiny herb garden, but he was tied up in conversation. I planted basil a week ago, and something has eaten it down to the stem. I'm thinking it could be slugs, which can be combated with a host of homemade remedies, but it may be too late. I've always wished for large, beautifully lush basil plants, but I've never had any luck. Maybe basil will be a part of our share in the near future.

On a recipe note, the spicy slaw from the Coastal Living Cookbook was bland on its own. It served better as a topping for a sandwich or as a side to Lebanese Chicken. In the mean time, Ted and I are going to test a few coleslaw recipes with all the cabbage and radishes we're getting.