Independence Days #36

With Local Roots scheduled to reopen tomorrow as a store, I've been busy this week with getting back into my baking groove. Whew!

But for a quick interruption of that activity, here's this week's Independence Days update:

1. Plant something: Seeds for broccoli sprouts.

2. Harvest something: Broccoli sprouts.

3. Preserve something: My sanity (it was a close call for a while there yesterday).

4. Reduce waste (Waste not): Found that the hard red winter wheat flour I'd milled had gone off, so added it to the compost pile; learned about using coffee grounds as mulch for new carrot plantings so as to confuse the carrot fly (must remember that later this spring!).

5. Preparation and storage (Want not): Made a run to a local bulk food store on Monday to stock up on 10-lb bags of unbleached flour (vital for some of the items I bake to sell) and other ingredients; picked up a bag of seed-starting mix on the way home; packed up a bag of newspapers (saved for sheet mulching) and tossed it into the back end of the truck for minor ballast.


6. Build local food systems: Shared the bulk food store run with The Photographer; pitched in to help clean up at the market before re-opening day; met with representatives from a few local agencies to find out how Local Roots can connect with them to make food more accessible to those in need; shared a cherry pie, some biscotti, and a loaf of bread with The Photographer; received and paid for my cover crop and other seeds ordered by the Sheep Lady; baked for market; cleaned up around home for a visit from Emily of Eat Close to Home.


7. Eat the food: Buckwheat pancakes (one scrambled); cheese grits; broccoli pizza; spaghetti with homemade sauce; chickpea-corn fritters topped with yogurt and fresh sprouts.

And now.... time to get some sleep to be ready for market tomorrow!