We were half way through eating dinner the other night when I realised the meal was almost entirely local, without conscious planning.
I had picked green beans earlier, after rejigging my homemade trellis which was leaning dangerously under the weight of the pole beans. I discovered actual beans on it quite by accident while fingers twisted twine, master gardener that I am... snort. This veggie growing gig still amazes me.* I have been so intent on the box and soil and planting that the vegetables seem more like a happy bonus, than the actual purpose of the whole enterprise.
A roast was in the oven, natural grass fed beef from a local
farm, with potatoes from my garden as well.**
Carrots were requested and the fridge bin came up empty so I went and pulled a few of those.
Littlest wanted Yorkshire pudding, the only part of a roast dinner she likes, with lots of gravy.
So fresh eggs, purchased roadside, were put to use and I buy organic flour from Hockley Valley (which has no website and I threw away the bag, dang it). Also in my neck of the woods.
And there you have it. I can say 'neck of the woods' now and really mean woods. Small things amuse... well, you know.
Also local and still a wonder that I have these things in my backyard, the heron (pictured above) has come to the pond several times this week, no doubt eyeing the rainbow trout that is stocked therein.
The Husband took this photo while lying on the grass from the other side of the pond with the telephoto lens, obviously.
I had a bigger treat later when I came out of the house to call the kids in. Unaware that the heron was perched on the roof of the house at the time, my shouting startled him into flight and the view of the massive wing span as he flew over my head was amazing. Much larger than you'd think.
* I do not feel so bad when things like this happen:
A friend came to stay for the weekend and he was very keen on a garden tour. He was most impressed with the squash/pumpkin patch. He pointed to a small green orb on a stem. "What is this?" he asked.
"A pumpkin."
" Wow. I've never seen one so small!" He exclaimed.
"Well, they've got to start somewhere" said the dh, with a chuckle.
** The potatoes were not planned as part of this growing experiment.
But due to an unfortunate and mysterious problem with tomato plants and wildlife in that spot, I picked up some seed potatoes and nilly-willy, pushed them into the soil.
The potato plants were getting very large, very fast and I worried they were going to crowd out the other plants. And when are they ready? And how do you know, what with them hidden underground?
I consulted my one and only gardening book which stated that the early varieties could be harvested when the plants flowered and the later ones, well, much later, like September.
Well, crap on a stick, which kind did I buy?
The plants were flowering so I gave one the heave ho. They were mostly small, but a few were, you know, grocery store-size (go ahead, laugh) and they were delicious. So I still really don't know what kind I bought.
So you see, even those who don't know what the heck they are doing can manage to grow veg and eat well.
Still can't quite get caught up on the ABC Along but I do have 'Z' planned.
Z is for Zucchini! Can someone save me from the zucchini?