In case you're interested (and feeling flush) - TICKETS for Outstanding in the Field go on sale tomorrow. There are many Northern CA dates and all of them look amazing - great venues and wonderful chefs - and if you've got some pocket change (tix are over $200 per), this would be an amazing thing in which to participate. And if you do, please tell me all about it, so I can live vicariously through you! Tom already got us tickets for a farm dinner for Mother's Day, at Full Belly Farm, so I can't justify another one (though I'm willing to try, if you've got an excuse for me).
And speaking of farm-to-table, a little bit of it is going on right here at Poppy Corners tonight, with our first broccoli of the season.
I've never had any luck growing broccoli before, this is the first that has ever come to fruition on our property. I can't wait to eat it.
We're not the only ones eating well. I found this lady camped out above the porch light.
She is literally half the size of my palm. This orb weaver is an indication of how warm it's been here - they usually don't show up until summer. (And yes, if it's this warm already, I'm worried about July, God help us.)
Walking in a local public garden today, I found this interesting mushroom:
And yes, it really is a mushroom, not a piece of trash. I checked. Crazy, right?
The chickens have finally found the super-high roost in their run. It's fun to watch them get up there (verrrrry awkward) and then once they are finally perched, they act quite entitled and royal. When I get close to take a picture, they get freaked and start to fly down, so this picture is not the greatest.
Adam and I had an interesting day. As part of his special project to try to change the school lunch program, we visited Mt. Diablo High School, where they have a garden and a cooking program. It was neat, and the leader of the program was incredibly knowledgable, but just like Edible Schoolyard, it is a program separate from lunch. We are having trouble finding any public school that actually cooks a real lunch. Cindy (the program director at MDHS and also chef and owner of Sunrise Bistro) was quite clear that it is not a school problem, but a government problem. Suddenly Adam's project became much bigger than we intended. We are trying to figure out the next step: Talk to our local representative?
We are a bit stumped about where to go from here. Why is it so hard to cook a simple, nutritious lunch for students? Why just heat up pre-made crap? I'm guessing it all leads to money, somehow. Though Adam made and sent out a survey, and 100% of the parents who answered it said they'd be willing to spend more for a better lunch. I guess that's not enough...
And speaking of farm-to-table, a little bit of it is going on right here at Poppy Corners tonight, with our first broccoli of the season.
I've never had any luck growing broccoli before, this is the first that has ever come to fruition on our property. I can't wait to eat it.
We're not the only ones eating well. I found this lady camped out above the porch light.
She is literally half the size of my palm. This orb weaver is an indication of how warm it's been here - they usually don't show up until summer. (And yes, if it's this warm already, I'm worried about July, God help us.)
Walking in a local public garden today, I found this interesting mushroom:
And yes, it really is a mushroom, not a piece of trash. I checked. Crazy, right?
The chickens have finally found the super-high roost in their run. It's fun to watch them get up there (verrrrry awkward) and then once they are finally perched, they act quite entitled and royal. When I get close to take a picture, they get freaked and start to fly down, so this picture is not the greatest.
Adam and I had an interesting day. As part of his special project to try to change the school lunch program, we visited Mt. Diablo High School, where they have a garden and a cooking program. It was neat, and the leader of the program was incredibly knowledgable, but just like Edible Schoolyard, it is a program separate from lunch. We are having trouble finding any public school that actually cooks a real lunch. Cindy (the program director at MDHS and also chef and owner of Sunrise Bistro) was quite clear that it is not a school problem, but a government problem. Suddenly Adam's project became much bigger than we intended. We are trying to figure out the next step: Talk to our local representative?
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| The kitchen classroom at MDHS |
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| Part of the one-acre garden at MDHS |
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| The latest cooking project at MDHS |
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| The new hydroponics system at MDHS |
We are a bit stumped about where to go from here. Why is it so hard to cook a simple, nutritious lunch for students? Why just heat up pre-made crap? I'm guessing it all leads to money, somehow. Though Adam made and sent out a survey, and 100% of the parents who answered it said they'd be willing to spend more for a better lunch. I guess that's not enough...
Ok, time to get that broccoli cooking. Can't wait to taste it. Hope you're enjoying your own farm-to-table experience tonight!