11/23/09 04:52 - 53ºF - ID#50368
Community-Supported Agriculture
So far I've just found:
and
Anyone have any dealings with either of these, or have any other recommendations?
Permalink: Community_Supported_Agriculture.html
Words: 136
Location: Buffalo, NY
11/05/09 04:56 - 38ºF - ID#50226
Just got this from Grandma
Permalink: Just_got_this_from_Grandma.html
Words: 6
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/31/09 09:17 - 48ºF - ID#50175
crafternation
I did NOT get a photo of his whole costume!!! I can't believe it. i brought my camera, and then, I just didn't take it out of the bag, and I just didn't feel like taking pictures. Ugh! I am so dumb.
Anyway. (e:zobar) mentioned that he was hoping I would explain what all the Craft Nite stuff was about. So I'll explain.
My friend L and I went to high school together. I was class of '97, she was class of '98. She has always been very enthusiastically subscribed to the Girly-Girl School of Awesome. She is a fan of unicorns. She is a fan of pink things. She is a fan of glitter. She is a fan of fairies.
She is also a totally badass mathematician.
So she beads, and sews, and knits, and generally crafts her ass off.
Rewinding again-- I went to college and was class of '02. (There's a year missing. I spent it being a lesbian in Europe. Long story. Also I got mono and Bill Clinton got impeached. Not all good times but we gloss that over in memory.)
So a classmate in the Class of '02 was Dave. Not that Dave that is (e:Zobar). No, another Dave. A previous Dave. I met Dave in 1999 on his 18th birthday. He was lying on the floor moaning. "Oh dear," I said, "you poor thing, how much have you had?" I assumed the frat boys whose suite we were in had fed him too much alcohol. I assumed correctly, but in their defense, his answer was true: "Two beers," he moaned.
He's just that clumsy.
Anyway. Dave turned out to be a great friend, all four years of college. Senior year, I lived off-campus, and rented him a room in the house I was renting. L came to visit me. She and Dave decided to start dating.
Eight years later, they still are. He is a doctor. She is a teacher. Together, they do science for fun. But mostly, they craft. He's actually sort if into sewing, except that he's terrible at it. But he likes it.
So we meet up now and then, and craft things. Mostly, Dave is too tired (being a doctor is exhausting), and sits around causing trouble with (e:Zobar). L. actually knits. I bop around hyperactively and get drunk. It's a good time.
Sometimes we have other people get involved too. That's OK too. More alcohol gets consumed. It's a good time.
I was going to upload pictures but it seems not to work in Safari either. Hm. Oh well. At least I can moblog.
Permalink: crafternation.html
Words: 454
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/31/09 08:25 - ID#50165
roy orbison in cling-film
Last time we had a conversation, (e:james) gave us a regrettable Google search term, so I suppose we'll just return the favor. but the really odd and shocking thing about this one is how totally not at all explicit or disturbing the stories generally are. And then there's Roy Orbison. In Clingfilm.
Yeah.
Anyway.
Z informs me that I owe y'all a better post about the Craft Nites, but I have to leave for work in five minutes and am waiting for my jeans to come out of the dryer, so I can't go into it just now.
Also I have a crushing sinus headache this morning, but no flu. Awesome.
Great party last night! I just wish I didn't have to work at 9 am!!
Jesus has not yet risen in this house and I think I won't wake him before I go.
Permalink: roy_orbison_in_cling_film.html
Words: 178
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/30/09 12:49 - 60ºF - ID#50150
i don't have flu after all
But I woke up this morning and I feel mostly OK. I mean, not fantastic, but OK. So I won't be calling into work and I won't be missing the party.
But I don't have a costume.
Oh well, I'll think of something. :( Not the awesome thing I'd thought of, but something easier. Boo.
Permalink: i_don_t_have_flu_after_all.html
Words: 101
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/29/09 09:34 - 51ºF - ID#50144
Liveblogging costume progress!
Permalink: Liveblogging_costume_progress_.html
Words: 5
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/29/09 09:01 - 51ºF - ID#50143
E:zobar's costume
HAHA I moblogged!!!
So can you guess what it is? It's a small part of the whole thing, but very labor-intensive. :)
Permalink: E_zobar_s_costume.html
Words: 27
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/29/09 04:11 - 51ºF - ID#50141
Hamthrax
Monday one of the clerks I work with (and indeed had spent Sunday's shift with) came in and was promptly dismissed as too sick to work. His girlfriend had spent the previous week miserable, probably with H1N1. He'd felt under the weather and had been obsessively using hand sanitizer for several days. I'd worked with him for most of those days.
Monday the boss went home at his normal quitting time, which is uncharacteristic. He normally stays at least an hour late, usually two.
Tuesday he came in and instructed everyone to keep their distance, as he certainly was suffering with the flu. He wound up staying several hours, and while he was careful to maintain distance from everyone and sanitize his hands frequently and not use the same telephone as anyone else, he still was there in a small room with everyone.
We expect to lose most of the rest of the store staff at some point, but hopefully not all at the same time. There are only five clerks, so there aren't a lot of people able to cover for one another.
I've just had 2 days off in a row, counting today. I have felt a little under the weather, intermittently, all autumn, but have been able to dismiss it as allergies. But now I really don't feel quite right-- my ability to regulate my body temperature is off, my chest is tight, my head is fuzzy, and my throat is sore. So I'm probably coming down with something.
Should we lay bets on whether it's the H1N1?
Permalink: Hamthrax.html
Words: 333
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/25/09 09:19 - 53ºF - ID#49851
p.s.
Permalink: p_s_.html
Words: 36
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/25/09 09:14 - 53ºF - ID#49850
we DID get robbed
What frosts my buttons, besides the fact that the dude just straight-up stole from us, is that the TWO customers who WITNESSED this happening SAID NOTHING. Both of them took their prints they'd been waiting for, walked out to their cars, drove home, and THEN AND ONLY THEN did they call the store to say "Hey that guy took something." When it was WAY too late to do ANYTHING about it.
Williamsvillites. Wouldn't it have been more useful to tap the shoulder of the clerk who was at the photo kiosk working on something (and thus not watching) and whisper discreetly to him, if you are so averse to confrontation?
Oy. I love the suburbs.
Permalink: we_DID_get_robbed.html
Words: 163
Location: Buffalo, NY
Author Info
Date Cloud
Category Cloud
More Entries
My Fav Posts
- This user has zero favorite blogs selected ;(
I never really considered that Five Points would actually sell some of their source ingredients for their baked goods. You should see the list of the places they source from - more than one CSA and a ton of local places. Man, now that I think of it I bet their honey is really good - I've been looking for good honey to put on my yogurt, hehe.
I am not sure that Thorpe's gives you even root vegetables in January. You get only potatoes (and oranges). NO gives out greens and root vegetables and things like brussel sprouts - they are, by far, the most diverse CSA around.
With a name like Five Points Bakery, one would expect bread and flour in their CSA, no? ;-) Organic coffee beans are a surprise - where do they say they get these from? South America?!
As for now, rice, bread and potatoes are banned from my kitchen.
With Thorpe's you have to drive to East Aurora, but one of the things I like about Thorpe's is that they also operate a real farmstand - if you don't participate in their CSA you can still go right to the farm and buy their stuff. I tend to like farmstands - one near Jamestown operated by Abers Acres is great... they are a certified organic farm and have a ton of products, including christmas trees, believe it or not. I think I'm going to stop by here when we go home for T-Day - I'm hoping they will be open.
As for the potato thing - no that is not true. Take a look at NO's winter share and you'll see a lot of root vegetables and perishables that are easily stored over the winter (apples, for example). While I'm sure the variety will not be as great in January as it is in August or September, I think the CSAs that do have winter shares make a fair attempt at making it worth peoples' while.
I do not have a CSA but that is not for a lack of trying - I've investigated this a fair amount over the past couple of years but still tend to return to either Porter or Native, since they have a drop a block away from me. I think that maybe some of these smaller upstarts are worth looking into. My problem, I suppose, is that I'm bad with commitment. You know what though? With Jay cooking more I suppose having a random bunch of food to cobble together into a meal should be some fun.
I like the CSAs that give you the most options - particularly those that offer dairy/poultry/beef/pork and the like as well. I'm an egg guy, gotta have my eggs - I'd love to get eggs from my CSA, rather than get them from the supermarket. Same with the occasional dairy product. I found a local farm that sells smoked bacon - if I EVER!! found a CSA that offered that I might be in for life, lol.
I just happen to like how they taste - that's all. :)
I really wish they had more emphasis on greens (as Native Offerings do) and not potatoes and baked goods!
When: It will start Dec. 19th, 2009 and go every two weeks, on Saturday, from 10 AM-until 2 PM. It will run for 16 weeks, until March 27th, 2009. There will actually only be 8 pick-ups because of it being every other Saturday.
Where: The Bakery, which is nice and warm and is behind the milk house, just down the driveway from the stand a little bit.
What: Your share will include, on each pick-up:
1 full case (approx. 40 lb.) of mixed oranges (variety varies) and Ruby Red grapefruit. What little is left of beets, garlic, carrots, red meat radishes, and leeks
4 Credit Units â€" to spend as you choose from the following list.
1 Credit Unit is Equivalent to:*
1 loaf of bread of your choice
1 plate of cookies (7)
1 plate of muffins (4)
1 bag potatoes (6lbs)
2 qts. apples from Dan Towers
1 bag of organic (4 lbs) â€" Soft wheat: great for pancakes, biscuits, muffins, scones, & cookies.
Spring hard spelt: for use in yeast breads.
Winter soft spelt: for use in muffins, pancakes, etc.
Ducold Rye: high quality grain for baking rye breads.
Corn: for corn bread mix.
Vinton Soybeans for making roasted soybeans, tofu, soy milk,
Dry Beans (3 lbs.) for baked beans, soups
Sunflower seeds (3 lbs.) possible later on when they are de-hulled
2 Credit Units is Equivalent to:
1 Pie
1 Specialty or Holiday Bake good
What else will be available to purchase at this time? There should be our organic eggs, beef, and pork, maple syrup, honey, organic sugar, Redmond salt, and baked goods. The fuzzy baby chicks have grown up and should start laying loads of eggs around Christmas time, giving you lots of eggs through the rest of the winter share season.
About the Citrus: We grow it all organically, using no chemicals and fertilize only with organic compost. Weed control is mowing, hand pulling around young trees, weed whacking, and running a chain saw to trim out larger invasive weed brush and prune the trees. We just enjoy growing things so much we can’t stop, so we appreciate you helping to support our “habitâ€! We will bring you back pictures.
Pink and red grapefruit are such a great source of vitamin “C†and the cancer-fighter, lycopene. Plus a University of Florida College of Medicine study found that adding grapefruit to the diet reduced levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol by 11 percent in six weeks. Studies have also shown that grapefruit lowers triglycerides and may lower the risk of lung cancer.From the Florida Dept. of Citrus
Price: Upon visiting our local Tops grocery store, I discovered if you were to pay their prices for conventional citrus, it would cost you at least $50/case. For organic citrus it would cost an
average of $85.00/case when you do the math.
Our price is $360 for the winter share, which when divided over 8 pickups (16 weeks) equals $45 per pick-up, when you not only get a case of citrus but also 4 credit units worth of baked goods or other produce.
There are no small or large shares, just “one size fits all.†If you wish to purchase extra citrus, you may at a discount if you have a share. It is possible for you to split the share with another family if you choose as there is nothing unlimited this season.
If you can’t eat grapefruit due to the medications you are on, let us know so we pick all oranges for you. *Actually, grapefruit makes prescription drugs more effective so in theory a person could take less medication and have fewer side effects, but not knowing what the ratio is could be
dangerous. We read that at some point the drug companies are going to be required to publish rates on this so that you could, for example eat 1 grapefruit per day and reduce your medication by a prescribed amount. Ask your doctor about this.
About the vegetables: We cannot promise much for beets, carrots, rutabagas, garlic, and red meat radishes, maybe only enough for your 1st or 2nd pick-ups. We are endeavoring, however, to plant some veggies in Florida (organically, of course) and will include them in your share. No guarantees but we will try for summer squash, greens, beets, carrots, and some other experiments and see how it goes. They will not be ready until February and March if they are successful, so January may not have any vegetables except potatoes.
If you regularly come to our farm on a different day (not Saturday) because you have a cow share, we will just save you your share for that day so you don’t have to reschedule your day. Just let us know what will work for you, however keep in mind that your bake goods would not be as fresh.
If you would like a winter share, please let us know as soon as possible so we can make appropriate plans. A winter share could make a great Christmas gift for a family you care about!
Please fill out the bottom and send with your check to:
Thorpe’s Family Organic Farm, 12866 Rt. 78, East Aurora, NY 14052
Payable to: Mike or Gayle Thorpe
I am sending my payment of $360.00 (Deadline to sign up is Nov. 30th.)
I am trying the CSA for the first time this winter and splitting it with 3 others from my office - and this is the email* I received from the lady who is actually going to get the share and split with us.
I am not really happy with the dearth of greens on there - but then I am not going to be paying a huge lot either - it will be around $90 for 16 weeks with 8 deliveries (every 2 weeks). I have a feeling I will be paying this much for only the oranges - but I am not sure I can back out now (Potatoes and breads are banned from my kitchen for now).