Good morning everyone! Around here we only have one week of school left, and it’s been crazy with all sorts of end of year activities. I’m looking forward to lots of summer fun with the kids, and not packing lunches or stressing about getting through homework every night. (Now if I could just figure out how to stop the kids from bickering, I’d be all set. Yes, I know it’s all about the right threats, but I’m not very creative…)
Look where I went on Friday!
Saturday I helped throw another shower (that’s three this year, I love it!), so I knew I couldn’t be here for the first Rockford farm market of the season. Instead I buzzed into Grand Rapids to hit the Fulton St. market for the first time this year. I got spinach and broccoli to stir fry (not at the same time), some greens that I’ll throw into this Caprese salad, and some yummy asparagus that we’ll have for dinner tonight. I love fresh, local food!!!
Did you go to the farm market or harvest anything good from your garden this weekend?!
- Be sure to sign up for free email blog updates or RSS blog updates, because this week I'll be having TWO Kitchen Kop giveaways! 🙂
- Also, later this week I'll be sending out another Kitchen Kop newsletter (I only send them out once in a while), and I'll be answering questions on weight loss, water filters, ovarian cysts, and cleaning fresh produce. Be sure to sign up at that link if you haven't yet so you don't miss anything!
- Another thank you goes out to Irene, who brought the Senomyx issue to my attention. No matter where you stand on this controversial topic, I’m fairly certain that this will disgust you. However, after reading the article, I was actually very impressed with Campbell Soup, believe it or not! Now if they could just listen to consumers and also get rid of the trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and other nasty food additives, then I’d be positively blown away!
Barb @ A Life in Balance says
I hear you about the kids! We’ve all been nursing a slight cold, and it’s year-end assessments at school so everyone is a bit crabby.
Thanks for the heads up on Senomyx (sp?). I had no idea; it’s absolutely chilling! The video was equally good, and so frustrating to watch the trend. However, I’m re-inspired to work on my menus this summer and try more veggie dishes. I know we eat a lot of whole grains and all of our BMIs are good, except for my dh, but it never hurts to do better.
Lorna says
Our Farmer’s Market have started here in Iowa. We have spinach, lettuce, chard, radishes, rhubarb and asparagus. One vendor with a hoop structure even had strawberries. A first and unusual for our normal growing season.
I like the idea about spreading the word about REAL food. Could be a good slogan at our table this summer!
Kelsey says
I went to our farmer’s market down the street last weekend, but they’re mostly just still selling starts, no actual veggies (I’m in AK – we’re still planting up here! 🙂 ). I did get some raw honey, though, and some herb starts. But hopefully soon there will be some yummy veggies to buy!
Katie says
We’ve not yet gotten anything substantial from our garden, but we’ve definitely hit the end of our asparagus and I need to get the rhubarb before it goes away, too. Mostly we’re still getting some of the tarragon and sage that wintered over, somehow. And strawberry picking tomorrow!
That is such a depressing video (and the song certainly doesn’t hurt when it comes to setting the mood for it). When you see the statistics changing visually, it’s difficult to ignore the reality of the situation.
Tierney says
I harvested the first cantaloupe from my garden yesterday! (I’m in Texas… early growing season.) It was delicious. Last year I had planted some but the day I went out to pick them, they had disappeared overnight… some little critter had a good meal I guess!
Erin says
Thank you for that video. As difficult as it is to watch, it does give me some encouragement that the extra time and effort I put into feeding my family is worth it.
A few of my homeschooling friends have been getting together weekly and one of the four said it was like rest of us were speaking a foreign language. She had never heard of “grass fed dairy” before and was so confused when we said that we don’t eat cereal any more. She will be coming here for a “lesson” on real food soon.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Erin,
That’s how I first heard about all this stuff years ago, just from chatting with friends. I love how we each do our part to spread the word about Real Food!
Meagan says
I just watched the video. I wonder what the obesity distributions would be for other countries of the world. That would be interesting for us to see.
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says
By the way, I shared the video on my Facebook!
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says
A lot of the farmer’s markets open in May here. 🙂 I went to one the first week in May, and bought some honey and maple syrup. I went to a NEW one that opened up practically across the street from me on Thursday and picked up some eggs. Soon I’ll be buying lettuce and other things as they come out. We went strawberry picking twice in the last week and got over 40 lbs. to freeze! I’ve been out in my garden a lot too this year.
I read the USDA guidelines and it has a page about degenerative disease in the U.S. Almost half of people have diabetes or pre-diabetes. Half will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. About half also have heart disease and hypertension. HALF!! At what point do we wake up and say “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!” ??
Ayrielle says
Thank you for this site. You have opened my eyes to things I have never even thought about. This weekend my youngest and I went to the Farmers Market. In order for us to go it is 1 hr each way, but SO worth it. We got milk, eggs, chickens, bacon, hamburger, ribs, porkchops, and asparagus.
I had a discussion with the farmer who we get our milk from and they just told Land O Lakes to “go away” because Land O Lakes wanted to buy them out and pay them $2 LESS per gallon of milk than what it costs to produce the milk. Now our creamery is totally relying on its customers to support them, and I told them we won’t go back to regular store milk…granted we can’t get raw milk in MD, but we can get pastured, non-homogenized whole milk which my kids LOVE and they won’t touch “regular” milk anymore.
During this discussion I also found out that they can’t produce butter because the state of MD has not approved the use of smaller cream separators in the state, they are a small creamery and need a small one and the state only approves ones for like 10,000lbs of milk, I guess this is just another way for them to control the food we eat.
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says
That is very sad. 🙁 You might ask if they’d be willing to just sell you a little extra milk or cream on the side…I have done this and made my own butter to freeze. I hate these stupid laws.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
I’m speechless, that is just CRAP.
Peggy says
Summer is our busy time! I love the peace of getting back to homeschooling in the fall. During summer, all the teens are working and all the pre-teens are volunteering. I’m a taxi driver and cooking (at all!) becomes very challenging! The garden has finished its strawberries and the lettuces have all bolted. But I have one tiny green Roma tomato, and blooms on all the other tomato plants, the cucumbers and bell peppers are up, and we should be dining on green beans in about a week! Oh, and LOTS of potato hilling going on!
Also, this month I’m running a Real Food Emergency Prep blog carnival (my first carnival EVER!) and I’m super excited about that. If I am still breathing on July 4, I’ll take a day off and let someone grill me some corn!
JMR says
I had not heard of Senomyx before. I am sickened and horrified. Thank you for sharing this information.
Julie says
Hi Kelly,
This is not food related, but I sure enjoyed the video made by the good people of Grand Rapids, MI ! I know you have seen it–maybe some out there in your audience have not! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPjjZCO67WI
It’s not food related, but brings a smile to the face which is good for health.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
I know, this is awesome, I’m linking to it soon! 🙂
Musings of a Housewife says
Girl I hear ya on the bickering. The rest of it, though, I am ready for the hazy lazy days of summer!! 🙂