This weekend is brought to you by the letter F for FOOD… FAMILY and FUN!

Or B for BEER, depending on your viewpoint :)

Well, summer classes have officially started, and I made it through week 1! Overall I think I’m really going to enjoy the content of the courses. My children’s literature course is like a blast from the past. We started with nursery rhymes this week and it was so fun to relive childhood memories about the books that sparked our passion for reading. I’m so happy to FINALLY be a proud library card carrier. I can’t believe it took me 2 years to actually pull the trigger. The classes are going to be fast and furious, but I know I’ll make it through ok – even WITH a wedding to plan :)

I’m so excited for this weekend I can hardly handle it. My parents are currently en route to Milwaukee – yay! We have a busy weekend ahead of us – addressing wedding invites that are fresh off the presses of Moglea, hitting up the West Allis farmer’s market and making the most of Milwaukee Downtown Dining Week. We have reservations this evening for a Riverwalk Boat Tour. Neither J or I have ever done one since we’ve lived here, so we’re really excited to see the city from the river. The menu doesn’t look too shabby either!

I’ll update you on our weekend on Sunday – until then, I’m going to be soaking up some sun, enjoying a glass of wine (or two) and making the most of time with my family :)

I’ll leave you with the latest pictures of our garden out back – love all the color!

flower garden june 8

 

Carrots, apples and lettuce straight from the winter market! 

Carrots, apples and lettuce straight from the winter market!

A couple of weeks ago J and I made a new, lasting commitment… to a farm.

A couple of weeks ago J and I made a new, lasting commitment…

…to a farm. Yep, here’s the story:

A woman in a class of mine mentioned on the first day of class that she worked for a local farm. A few weeks later I saw her tweet about the farm and clicked through to the website. About half and hour and 20 pages later, I was completely convinced that this was something J and I needed to take part in.

The JenEhr Farm in Sun Prairie, WI grows organic vegetables and sells them at local farmer’s markets year round. They also have CSA (community supported agriculture) options that allow individuals and families to reserve allotments of produce during different times of the year. This was a new concept to me, but I immediately liked the idea for various reasons. J and I have been on a journey of healthy living and this seemed like the answer to our struggle with finding fresh, high quality produce.

I mentioned joining the CSA to J in passing. He liked the idea, but we didn’t talk about it again for a few more weeks. Then as luck would have it, my college was having a health fair that JenEhr was participating in. J and I talked over our options in more detail, I met with one of the farmers at the fair, and the rest is history. I signed on the dotted line, and our share starts in June.

Here are the fast facts:

  • From June – November J and I will receive a box of produce every other week at our neighborhood farmer’s market
  • The box is “as is.” No requests. No preferences. You get what you get.
  • In November J and I will get a large supply of produce known as the Fall Storage Share - perfect for hosting Thanksgiving and freezing for use throughout the winter ahead.
  • As CSA members, we will be invited to strawberry picking events out at the farm and are allotted a share :)

We are thrilled at this “by chance” meeting and are so excited for our share to start in June. Receiving a box of random veggies seems a little daunting, but I can’t wait to try new foods and experiment with recipes all summer. The pick-up couldn’t be easier – close to home and convenient timing. And strawberry picking?! It’s like they can see through to my soul! Mmmm… strawberries :)

A quick note of importance: Many companies have programs to reimburse employees for making healthy decisions such as joining a CSA. If this is a route you’re looking to try, I would highly recommend contacting your HR rep and asking about any options available. Who knows? You could be happily surprised, we were!