My organic farmer is coming today. My family is not happy. I expect whining from the kids and disgust from my husband.
Back in February, when things looked bleak and brown I could think of few things that would make me as happy as having fresh, organic vegetables delivered to my door weekly. I thought it would solve so many problems for me: seeking out organic produce myself, having something that would spark ideas for dinner menus, and keeping my family fed and healthy. All this and I would be supporting the local economy, be responsible for less fuel and effort being expended to bring food to my table and feel like I own a small piece of the land. It was going to be dreamy. I shelled out the money for my share and sat back in anticipation of my first delivery.
Fast forward to early September. Every time we look in the box we are disappointed to see the same onions, zucchini and green beans staring us back in the face. On occasion we get some free-range eggs (hooray!) or a ziploc baggie of wheat (whee! I think as I put it next to my 45 gallon buckets of grain). And we did get way too many jalapeno peppers once. And about a bazillion bell peppers for two weeks in a row. But mostly, I'm left scratching my head how I'm going to disguise the same old veggies from the discerning eyes and tastebuds of my family. The gazpacho went over well with about half of them. And the chocolate chip zucchini bread disappeared before they knew it was contaminated. But the zucchini enchiladas and steamed squash lingered dismally in the refrigerator for weeks like wilted wallflowers despairing of ever waltzing again. My kids have begged me to find a way out of this. Even Mr. Wimmer has told me, "Those are bad farmers. They can't keep doing this and expect to stay in business." But the southwestern thrifty pioneer Mormon in me balks at both the admission of defeat and dollars already spent that would go to waste.
So today I'll bring in the produce and try to slip it into dinner again. Maybe I'll serve it up with the tomatoes from my own garden that are actually growing and finally coming on like gangbusters. (I can't believe I have finally had enough success with tomatoes that I'm tired of harvesting them. We have so many I'm starting to give them away.) And they taste better than the ones those farmers bring anyway.
Zucchini enchiladas? Holy cow! You're MOM! What a crazy dilemma. You should just give it all to your visiting teachees. Every week.
ReplyDeleteJust think of those poor starving children in . . . . um. . . . is it still Ethiopia? When they get the same old onions and green beans they hold a beanie feast. And zuchinni? Boy oh boy. What they wouldn't do (and probably haven't done) for some of that delicacy. We all need to enjoy the veggies while we can. Doomsday might be tomorrow, you know.
ReplyDeleteLOVED every word. Have you tried mock apple pie...really peeled sliced zucchini with lots of apple pie spice and sugar. If you haven't, don't bother. You didn't like it when you were a kid. You weren't fooled for a minute. They served it in RS and everyone said their families couldn't tell the difference. When I told you about the tolerant other families, you simple declared that they were stupid. (Sigh.)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful to be successful growing some of your own food even if you get inundated with it! I would try drying the onions and maybe some of the other stuff if you do that kind of thing.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post so much I had to read it to Colter. He agreed you write very well. I've been frequently the farmer's market here. One day they had 20 ears of corn for $3. I just couldn't resist. But I think the fam was getting a little tired of corn on the cob every night, as wonderful as it is! I hear you. . .
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