This Week's Trip to the Farm

We are very blessed to live within a brief car rides distance to a couple of farmer's markets.  But, our very favorite place to go is Homestead Farms.  Mommy gets her fresh veggie fix and the kids run around and look at chickens and bunnies.  My little girl seems to think she has the special power to communicate with the chickens.  The Chicken Whisperer. 


They also have this painted sign with the heads cut out so you can plop your little ones behind it and it looks like they are milking a cow.  I don't know why the boy insists on getting his picture taken behind this thing every stinkin' time.  In the spring they have a very nice Earth Day celebration and in the fall it is a great place to go for pumpkins, gourds, and all things "harvest-y".  This kids love to climb the bails of hay and have their pictures taken with scarecrows.  Good times.


I love that I can introduce the kids to different kinds of produce.  We are city folk, don't get me wrong.  But, I hazard a guess that my young-uns know more about produce than the average kid. They also know more about cheese.  I will never forget the look on this older man's face standing next to us at the grocery store when my daughter, who was not even two years old, said, "Mommy, can we get Havarti cheese today?"  My little cheese snobs. 

Anyway, I have found that just having different fruits and veggies around and available has made them slightly more interested in them than the average kid.  I hear there are studies that you have to expose a kid to a new food several times before they are interested in trying it sometimes.  That seems to be the case for us.  The rule in our house is that you have to have two bites of everything that is served (with few exceptions) and after that you don't have to eat it.  If you want seconds of anything you have to eat all your veggies first.  This method may not be perfect, but I have found this works for us.  Many times one of the kids will pitch a big ol' fit about "I don't like that. I don't want it" only to take a bite and decide they have changed their mind.  Little man absolutely detested stewed tomatoes for YEARS.  One day he had carefully picked out all the little tomatoes in a goulash dish and placed them on the side of the plate.  I reminded him that he had to eat two bites.  "I am never going to like it.  Why do I have to keep trying?"  Boy, was he surprised when he discovered that all of a sudden he LOVED them. He couldn't get enough of them. Ha!  Boy = 0 Mommy = 1.

Today this is what looked good to us:

Produce

Zucchini, Onions, yellow squash, sweet tators, patty pan squash (I think this is the name of it). I have never made the patty pan squash, but the nice lady at the farm gave me a few tips.  That is one of the nice things about buying produce from the people who grow it.  They can usually tell you a good way to cook it.  I think I will look online and see if I can scope out a kid-friendly way to make this. I just thought it was so pretty I had to bring it home.

Meat/Eggs

We have been slowly making modifications to our diet and at some point I would really like to move toward consuming mostly grass-fed beef and chicken.  It is too cost prohibited right now to do it 100%.  This was a little bit of a splurge today:  chuck roast, whole fryer chicken, brisket and fresh eggs (not pictured).

Other Stuff 

Cranberry/Walnut Mix - Yummy trail-mix type snack with walnuts, cranberries, sunflower seeds, golden raisins, black raisins, and almonds.  I keep these at work for that 3pm I-have-to-snack-on-something fix.  This keeps me away from the vending machine.

Spiced Dry Rub - I think I am going to use this on the brisket tomorrow.  Yum!

I think it is going to be a very tasty week!