Spring is almost here

Well, not exactly. We still have over a foot of snow. However, here in O-HI-O it's time to start thinking spring. For me this means garden. Today I checked out the winter farmer's market in Peninsula. I love Peninsula, but I couldn't live there. It's lovely, seems idyllic, but it's too far away from everything else I do. Anyway, there were several farms there offering CSA membership for this coming season. Now, in a perfect world, I'd grow all my own produce. In the real world, I have very little space so it just isn't possible. This year, I'm seriously considering supplementing my usual garden with the CSA.

Why would I do this when it costs more and it's a bit inconvenient. Well, for starters, it supports the local food system of which I'm a big fan. It encourages sustainable farming practices which will save our soil and us!! It encourages me(and my family) to eat veggies that I wouldn't normally consider. Things like kale, mustard greens and chard that we aren't huge fans of, but are very healthy. AND I'm hoping it will allow me to grow enough to store for the winter. I'd like to buy as little out of season produce as possible in the coming year.

I'm also going to work on season extenders this year. Produce like lettuce, kale, cabbages, and sprouts can grow covered well past the frosts here.

I'm working on eating "real" food. Trying to eliminate processed, white and sugars from our diet. I have to be sneaky though otherwise "they" will catch on. I really didn't think I had many fake foods in my pantry, but upon closer inspection discovered cans of frosting(purchased super cheap with coupons), ditto for the cake mixes, pasta sauce, BBQ with HFCS!!just to name a few. I love to bake so eliminating sugar and white flour is going to be H-A-R-D, HARD!!! I'm dreading it. I know that there is a fresh ground whole wheat flour guy at one of the farmers markets, but I'd really love a grain mill!! Not currently in the budget though. Anyway, by the end of the year, I'd love to only have real food basics in the pantry, with the exception of yucky, GMO filled boxed cereal for darling husband, because he won't let it go.

I think I finally found someone I can buy raw milk from though!! This is huge because here in OH, it's illegal to purchase and sell raw milk. The only way to obtain it is through "Herd Sharing". Basically, because you own a "share" of a cow, you can drink the milk if you like. Yeah!! This is also good for cheese making, if I were so inclined, which I'm not...yet.