CSA: Week 1 - May 29th

This was the first time we have ever done a CSA. For those who don't know what a CSA is it stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Farms will offer "shares" that you usually pay for at at once at the beginning, monthly, or weekly. The one we chose you pay it all up front and they offered full and half shares. The shares run for 22 weeks and the full share is $500, and the half share is $300. We chose the half share. It's only the two of us. Pick up is every thursday.

This week we got: a head of Green Lettuce, a bunch of Kale, Chard, Arugula, Rhubarb, and a half dozen eggs.

What we made with our share this week:

Gemelli with Sausage and Swiss Chard

We substituted the ground sausage for baked Kielbasa. And we did not use pine nuts.

Mashed Potato and Kale Cakes

We didn't have bacon or leeks so we didn't add that. We also only have red potatoes instead of russets.

Rhubarb Crumb Bars

I used half what was called for Rhubarb and added Strawberries.

We also used the lettuce, arugula, and some kale for salads. 

Learning to farm

Neither Larry or I grew up on a farm.  So we need to start with square one, and teach ourselves. In 2011 we had a few chickens at Larry's parents house for 2 years. We lived down the street in an apartment, it was a pain walking down every morning and night to open and close the chicken door, and get them clean water. But we loved having chickens so it was totally worth it. Then we moved to the next town over...driving back and forth was not worth it. So we had to get rid of them. We attempted a garden also, but moving away we had to stop taking care of it.

So to get us prepared for the farming life, and so we can start as soon as we (hopefully)move to our new land/home, I bought some books. Most are for small scale farming and a book for farming in winter. Living in Vermont there is a lot of winter.

Click on the books to learn more*


I do like The Joy of Series, the chicken and root cellar ones were written by a local farm in Royalton, Vermont, a couple towns over from me now. And the goat and farm animal ones were written by a woman in Canada, near Vermont. So I know these authors go through about the same weather as me.  *the images/links are my amazon affiliate links I will receive profit it you click/buy from these links 

Boot cuff/Boot candy Knitting Pattern

Needles: set of US 8 dpns
Yarn: worsted weight
Other: tapestry needle, stitch marker, row counter
Skill: intermediate 

Definitions:
K2tog: knit two together
K3tog: knit three together
Yo: yarn over
Round 11 how to video: HERE

Pattern:
Using long tail cast on CO 48 sts, 12 sts on each needle.
Join.
Rnd 1-10: k2, p2 repeat around. May want to use stitch marker at beginning
Rnd 11: k1, (k3tog((keep those 3 sts on the left needle)), yo, k3tog in same st) repeat around.
Rnd 12: knit
Rnd 13-25: repeat rnd 11-12
Rnd 26-27: k2, p2 repeat around
Rnd 28: k2tog, p2 repeat around
Rnd 29-30: k1, p2 repeat around
Bind off: k2, pull first st over second st and off needle. k1 pull old st over new st and off needle. Repeat until you have one st left. Cut yarn and pull though last st.
Weave in ends
Now make another for the other leg!

I hope you enjoyed this pattern! It can be tricky, I hope to start doing youtube videos on how to do knit and crochet patterns. Do you prefer how to videos?

Enjoy! xo