Farm to Table Week 1

Today's content has nothing to do with fiber arts, but it does have to do with my life and some of the other things that are really important to me. I've been wanting to make an effort to blog more regularly and I think if I give myself permission to blog about my life in general, instead of trying to only post fiber arts content, it will be a more engaging process for me and hopefully for my readers as well. I don't function in a fiber arts bubble and so readers will be getting a more complete look into my head & life.

Food is something I am very passionate about and I truly believe that a good, wholesome, ethically balanced meal eaten together at the dinner table is what holds people together. Understanding where our food comes from and how it gets to our table, eating consciously in other words, is vital for instilling in us the gratitude which shapes our attitudes towards this planet and everything we share it with.

My girlfriend Rachel and I signed up for a CSA this year at our local organic food store. The program (called Farm to Table) runs through November and has weekly food pickups. The food comes from a variety of local farmers and almost all of it is grown organically (apples are the exception to the rule).

Rach and I eat as much organic, local and whole foods as we can (and as little processed, refined and packaged foods as possible), so we are very excited to participate in the program this year. Today we picked up our first installment of food. Asparagus, kale, strawberries, rhubarb and a quart of Grade A dark maple syrup.

The strawberries and rhubarb will probably become a compote. The syrup will grace our buckwheat and flax pancakes. The asparagus will be steamed and eaten with lemon. The kale might become kale chips, or it might just get steamed too. We can't wait to see what we get next week!

Just to sneak a bit of fiber arts content in at the end, I am currently winding skeins of all of my yarn bases and new handpainted yarns should be up in the shop soon!