It's Worth It!

Methinks I doth complain too much!

I feel a little silly complaining about my finger when there are so many people suffering from far greater challenges. I guess I'm not as evolved as I would like to think for I am still very much attached -- to my body parts. All of them. Even the tips of my fingers. The first words from my husband after, "Well, I guess I'm going to have to take you to the hospital. But first, we've got to finish unhooking this Arenavator from the tractor," was "It's a good thing you like being a farmer because you're never going to be a hand model!"

And then I was looking forward to some good narcotics -- vicodin. I told the doctor I have a very low theshold for pain (he didn't really believe me knowing that I'm still farming) but gave me a prescription for 10. I enjoyed two of them (they helped me sleep the first day while icing my arm). But when I went to get one the next night before going to bed (it's amazing how those little blood vessels can throb), they had disappeared only to find out my son, after researching the side effects of vicodin on the internet, flushed the rest down the toilet. I think Nancy Reagan meant "just say no" for yourself, but I could be wrong about that. And being the good mother that I am, I didn't smash his finger with a hammer but merely jumped up and down requesting loudly, "Why, on earth, did you throw them away?"

But it was probably a good thing. It gave me yet another opportunity to make lemonade --"Wow, my son is such a thoughtful, caring young man!"

And it was time to finish getting ready for the Open House. Which was very well attended (thank you to everyone who was able to stop by). There were 14 different culinary artisans who work out of the kitchens next door displaying, sampling and selling their products. John of Homespun Chili debuted his newest chili "Cock-a-Doodle Bleu" (Buffalo Chicken Chili with Blue Cheese -- delicious!) and the newest processor Greenfield Ice Cream sampled three of their flavors -- Caramel, Earl Grey and Peanut Butter. OMG -- it's the best ice cream I've ever tasted. Lighter than Haagen Dazs with subtle, complex flavors.

We had several people stop by the Open House just to get information on buying grass-fed (and finished. Did you know there is a difference?) meat. Meat can be labeled "grass-fed" even though cows are also given grains. Which is still probably better than 70 percent of the "pink slime" hamburger that is sold in grocery stores and burger joints. But in one of the most inspiring pieces of news this week, the company that makes "pink slime" has declared bankruptcy. (Do you think they'll be suing Jamie Oliver?) So many people are waking up to the sad reality of the industrial food supply and SAD (Standard American Diet) and are actively choosing to find local sources of pure food -- vegetables, fruit, beef, chicken, pork, eggs, honey, dairy products and great desserts!

And it's really great to be participating in this revolution. Because I think, when all is said and done, we are in the midst of a revolution. And food, good food, real food, is one of our most fundamental needs and rights. Hippocrates wasn't kidding around 2400 years ago when he said, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food."

I like to say that "It's all about the food." So, I want to thank everyone who has joined the CSA for this season. I'm very much looking forward to this season and I have a lot that I would like to share with the members -- both the nuts and bolts of getting the vegetables from a seed to your table and also the bigger picture of small-scale agriculture versus the industrial giants from my personal experience. And, of course, the vegetables!