After returning from my morning rounds today, I cranked the oven to full blast, threw a big pot of water on the stove, and set about making this roasted carrot and beet salad. While I washed and peeled and chopped, I watched the birds (now out in force and doing their bird thing with no mind for the human world) and went over my to-do list, the top of which is getting signed up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Last year, we moved here right at the tail end of sign-ups, and just let it slip. But as the growing season progressed, Brian and I realized we’d made a huge mistake. Not only do CSAs do much to support local farmers as they begin their seasons by providing financial security no matter what the summer brings, CSAs benefit members too. [Read more…]
community supported agriculture
In late August Hurricane Irene hit the Northeast hard, and then, a week later, Tropical Depression Lee dumped even more rain. We went on the have a thoroughly soggy September. And the harvest? Wiped out. Whether underwater, or just drowned, farmers across the region lost almost all of their crops just as they were preparing to harvest. Many farmers have lost an entire season’s worth of investment and work. [Read more…]
queens county farm museum
People don’t usually associate Queens with idyllic rural landscapes. Honestly, for us, a trip to Queens usually means we’re going to the airport. Also, once we went to the Target on Queens Boulevard (never again!). Queens is a great place for Chinese and Indian food and cuisines from countries you’re only vaguely aware of–what do they eat in Tajikistan, anyway? Most parts are hard to get to by subway, so we usually stick to Brooklyn. But a few weekends ago, we discovered a new reason to make the drive out to Queens–the Queens County Farm Museum. [Read more…]