Going as local as possible.

This month I was thinking hard about how I wanted to feed my family this summer. We're self employed, and while my husbands business is doing well we're on a pretty strict budget. We eat at home 99% of the time, going out maybe once a month.

I know I want to support my local agriculture and farming community and I've got a good start. I signed up for my local CSA. This is the first time I'm participating in a CSA. While I lived in Eugene for four years I got exposed to the idea as a few of my friends were doing it. We moved back to the Tri-Cities however and I was sure we didn't have anything like that. I was wrong Schreiber & Sons provides a wonderful CSA service for my area.

I received my first box last Thursday and was extremely happy and very excited to put it to use. They are even able to work with those of us with allergies/intolerances and will make sure (to the best of their ability) your box doesn't include those. I can't wait to blog throughout the summer sharing the foods I make with my farm fresh fruits and veggies.

I've also purchased a side of grass fed beef from a local rancher (also had to buy a freezer, :-) Thanks to a gluten free friend for the contact. I'm very excited to have done this, my family used to raise our own pasture fed beef for food, however my parents have gotten a little older, the fence is in need of repair and I don't think they have the energy nor funds to do it themselves anymore. The next best thing was for me to find somebody else local to purchase from. The freezer is now full of meat and we've have a steak from our grass fed cow. Very very tasty. Thank you Andrew Miller of Morning Star Farms in Pasco.

The last thing I'm excited to do is visit our local farmer's market. I go to the Pasco Farmer's Market. My mother used to take us there and I always loved the feel of it, and going now brings back fond memories for me. That is where I will continue to go with my family. I hope to get at the Farmer's Market those things that I don't get in my CSA box weekly.

While this is my plan, there are still some things I will have to go to the supermarket for. There is nothing wrong with that, it's simply a fact of life. I do shop at WinCo Foods, and our local healthfood store Highland Health Foods where I can buy my gluten free flours in bulk and other assorted gluten free items. Occasionally I will shop at Yoke's or Fred Meyer...

It'll be a fun summer and I plan on enjoying my weekly box of CSA goodies, and local produce from the farmers market to go with my grass fed beef. What are you doing to support your local market? I'm curious to know what avenues I may not have looked at.

Excited about this.

A quick visit.

On the weekend of the 24th I drove up to Skagit County. I had a quick planning meeting for leadership on the 25th (9-5) so I decided to drive up the day before and stay with my sister and her family. I don't get to see them nearly as often as I like so this was the perfect opportunity to do just that.

My nephew Landy turns 16 this July, my how the time flies. He LOVES sports and happens to be pretty darn good at them. I was fortunate enough to watch him play on the 24th, a double header. I got to see him bat, play outfield and pitch. I might have made a fool of myself while I screamed for his team, as I don't really watch sports so didn't know what to yell, especially for baseball, but I had a really good time.

Landy on the pitchers mound.

Landy up to bat.

I just happened to arrive at the same time as the tulips started to bloom. They are a little late this year due to the weather but beautiful and not quite in full swing yet. I took a few pictures, mostly from my moving car (I'm practically a local and have seen the tulips many many times, traffic is horrendous during the tulip festival.)

I had a good weekend with my family and can't wait to get up there again. Maybe next time I'll get pictures of the twins playing some sports.