Moral Conundrum -- The "Bartering Eggs For Coffee" WILL HAPPEN!

[dangerouschicken]

We can A LOT but we also dry, dehydrate, and FREEZE. I much prefer frozen berries and veggies. There is a friend of mine trading us some canned venison that she claims is out of this world. Not sure what she'll get in return

Glad you picked a CSA. We have a really good one in Hood River valley called Dancing Moon Farm . I hear nothing but good things about them. Does Salem have good farmers markets? Portland's are AMAZING! Last year, before we had as many crops (and gas wasn't so high), we'd drive out there and buy as much as possible to preserve for winter. I think we scored a giant bag of pickling cuccumbers and mammoth dill for like $6. We are still eating on those pickles

Canned tomatoes are HEAVENLY. This year we hope to have white, pink, orange, green, red, yellow, purple, brown, and black tomatoes to can and eat fresh. So far, all of the starts are over 2 feet tall and flowering

 

[carugoman]

the cost of living must be extremely expensive in the PNW if you think that $37 for a 50 lb sack of Hard red winter wheat berries (organic) is a bargain. Azure Farms also demands a minimum order of $550 PLUS shipping to Florida; I'm sorry DC that's so ridiculous I have to laugh...har-har-scug-scug!

Luckily for me, I can purchase the same with a $100 minimum and the freight rate for non-perishable foods up to 500 lbs is $46.55...a lot more affordable; the same wheat goes for $27.15.

 

[greyfields]

Cost of grains and feeds here in the PNW generally run 150-200% of what I see people posting in the midwest and south.

 

[coffeemama]

The cost of living is high in the PNW-guess it's cause it's so great here

I think the point of purchasing from Azure Standard was that it's very close to the OP-for some of us it's more important that we are reducing our impact on the planet in getting our food to us-it's funny how sometimes the closer food is, the more it costs the consumer!


DC-we do have a nice farmers market in Salem, and in my small town we have an even better one! The CSA we're doing is in it's pilot year, so we got 50% off the regular share price-could not pass that up(and it's only 10 miles away)! There is also a really well known established CSA really close to us, but their prices are a bit high for us.

 

[dangerouschicken]

Coffeegirl, yeah, the place is close to me, and I am not having it shipped, I am picking it up at will call. My car is very economical and I already have to make a trip out that way, so why not? Plus, I like that it is organic, the farm is local, and they seem to be responsible farmers.

So carugoman, you can laugh at me and my expensive organic wheat, and I will post this picture of me and my Prizehead lettuce, grown from seed, completely organically, that is no joke, dood:

The head of lettuce is as wide as my husband!

It's Laurganic!

Edited to add: Cool you got 50% off the share price! Lucky bums!!!

 

[greyfields]

That's gorgeous! I have some whacking great stuff in my cold frames, too. Also, nice freckles!

 

[dixygirl]

Quote:
I would love to see please post pictures.

 

[HorseFeathers]

I read a book called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle which is a true story of a family who decided to do just what you're thinking. Each family member was allowed 1 foriegn item (i.e. not grown within a mile of them) like coffee, dried fruit, etc. You should read that book; it really is very interesting!

 

[dangerouschicken]

Oh Envirogirl, good for you reading that book

I am in the middle of it right now.

Some garden pics....


French Breakfast radishes

Here's part of the garden, before stuff grew big!

When the lettuce was teeny tiny (on right with Walla Walla onions)

I can post more later, when I can get back outside again. Greyfields, I love that you have a cold frame! That will be my fall project this year.....

 

[greyfields]

I've takent o eating our lettuce with malt vinegar and sea salt. I should look into making my own apple cider vinegar next year. My cider also works as rubbing alcohol.