Dark Days Challenge Week 2

Yesterday,  S and I made an impromptu visit to our local farmer's market, at the Sheridan School.  We were headed across town to the DC Armory, for the National Geographic Sale - and it was a HUGE sale and we bought lots of stuff.

Back to the farmer's market.  We drove past the sign and I quickly made a U-turn, thinking, hmm, let's see what is there.    It was fabulous. I don't know who runs the market, it's called the New Morning Farmer's market and it seemed to be one (or more) farms from PA.  There was the truck with turkeys, manned by the Amish or Mennonite men, lots of produce, lots of baked goods, goat cheese producer.

We shopped with the idea of what to make for the week 2 challenge.

Here is what we bought:

Fingerling potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms (PA is a large producer of shrooms), a leek and tuscan kale.

S with Tuscan kale

I was thinking of making a cream of cauliflower soup - using butter and milk from my dairy, leek, cauliflower and garlic from my garden.  Serve with popovers (butter, eggs, milk from my local dairy - flour I'm not counting!).

My son wants to make homemade pasta so the mushrooms can go into a sauce for that.

S went home with the kale.

That's ok since today I went to my own garden and pulled parsnips, mustard greens, lettuce and arugula.  The russian red kale was also ready but I decided to pick that later in the week.

Parsnips

Washed parsnips

 

Lettuce and Arugula

 

Mustard Greens

 

Flowers in the garden

There are still flowers in my front yard garden.  Don't they know the days are heading into winter?

Roses

 

Day Lily

 

Rosemary in bloom

My rain barrels are here

As I write, there is a very cute dude (why are environmentalists rugged and cute) installing my rain barrels.  Subsidized by the DC government and RiverSmart Homes.  Installed by DC Greenworks.

The barrel

Preparing the site.

Rain Barrel Technician

Is it going to fit?

Cutting the gutter

Barrel installed and ready for use

Composting toilets

How crazy is this thought?  Composting toilet.  I think my children would not look twice as they abandoned me in embarrassment. 

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Ask-Our-Experts/Green-Homes/Composting-Toilet-Benefits.aspx

Would this work in an urban home in the city?  There would be no problem using the compost, that's for sure.

I need to investigate further.  First, my project for the winter is to get that worm system set up.

Sadness over Tree

The house next door to me is a rental and has been ever since I've lived in this house.  It is owned by a brother and sister and I'm assuming it was their parents home.  There was a big old beautiful cherry tree in the front yard.  Now it is gone.  I just spent 30 min watching it being cut down.  My heart is broken.  There was absolutely nothing wrong with the tree.  The new renters told me the brother and sister had different opinions and that one wanted it gone (why?!) and the other didn't.  The renter also told me he was requesting that the tree not be cut down.  It is now gone.  The backyard of this house is filled with a dead apple tree, weedy trees like loctus and mulberries, every possible invasive vine from English ivy to honeysuckle to poison ivy.  Why in the world was it felt necessary to cut down the beautiful tree?  It was one of the last cherry tree varieties to bloom and housed many many birds who would then land on my bird bath.  My son was so upset he started to cry.  It's a crime.

Today's farmer's market

The Dupont Farmer's Market was hopping.  There were many vendors with produce, eggs, cheese and flowers.  There was poultry, pork, lamb and buffalo meat.  There was handmade soap that smelled wonderful.

We bought broccoli, filet beans, small potatoes, mozzarella and cucumber/melon soap.

The soap is from Harmony Creek Farm

The cheese comes from  Blue Ridge Dairy

I forgot to note  where the produce was from. Next time I will bring my camera.  At least I know I can get local meats (beside my heritage hog which should be delivered in Dec)

Dark Days Challenge Week 1

I just ate breakfast and realized the whole meal was created from local sources.  Today is the first day of the challenge that runs from Nov 15 to March 15.  The kids and I discussed it last night and decided to visit the farmer's market in Dupont Circle today

http://www.freshfarmmarkets.org/markets/dupont_circle.html

My DC friends will find this hard to believe, but I have never been to the Dupont market.  For the most part, I don't go to farmer's market since between my CSA and my own garden, there is little I need.  This year,  my employer started a farmer's market on Wed, on campus.  Every week I walk out of the library and visit the friendly people staffing the table for the Upper Crust Bakery.  I think I've tried every type of bread so far.

Back to my breakfast.

Bacon, the last slab from my Black Hog, raised by my CSA farmer, Allan.
Eggs and butter, delivered to my door from South Mountain Creamery
Bread - made this week by Brian (the ingredients weren't local but I'm not going to count basics like flour and yeast).

So I had 4 slices of heritage hog bacon, scrambled eggs and a piece of toast with butter.

I would have taken pictures but I ate it all before I could get the camera!