Green Prizes, Fancy Vehicles, and Borsch.

Hi.  It's me.  If you can guess what I have in my hands, I'll give you $10.

Well, maybe not; how about 10 heads of broccoli?

Here's a hint.

It's sweet, but it's a vegetable.

 First though, I have some pertinent information for you, 

so hear me out

(please).

Did you know you should shop at your local farmer's markets,

or local farm stands,

or local produce auctions?

  Do you know how little farmers make for all the hard work they do?

  Really?  Do you?

Support your local small farmers.

  I know.

  We sell beef, and I know how little we actually make when we calculate the time and money we put into them:
- purchase of the calf (around $100 each);
- calf milk replacer ($60 per bag per calf);
- calf feed ($15 per bag per calf for starters);
- medicines;
- electricity to keep the fence hot and run the well to water the cows ($15 per month),
- tractor maintenance (that quote, my friend, is endless!);
- gas for tractors (yes, we feel it when gas prices go up);
- time and money to make hay and to get it wrapped is extra;
- barn upkeep;
- time, gas and money for grain or extra feed;
- fencing and the maintenance of it (weed-wacking to keep it from shorting out and gas for that),
- and then there's the butcher fee.  It costs about $400 to get a cow butchered.

  Ad that up (and I'm probably forgetting something)

and, really, for at least 2 years of daily labor per cow,

we make pittance.

  But we LOVE what we do

and we know what we put into our cows

and we know we are growing good meat.

  Healthy meat.  Tasty meat.  

Quite frankly, I don't know what vegetable and fruit farmers make, but I know it's not alot.

I don't see too many farmers driving around in Cadillacs

or Lexus

or Lamborghinis. 

Do you?

(okay, that's about all I know for expensive cars, so there's even more proof.)

Next time you're out and you drive by a farm,

take a gander at what's parked in the driveway

(and even that is probably not a driveway but a pot-hole ridden dirt yard).

Yah, trucks,

that's what we have...

 

all three vehicles.

My husband's long-haul to work truck,

our beat-up, about to die, around the farm work truck,

and our "stylin'" going to church and town truck.

Farmers really live it up.

So quit buying at the grocery store when you can.  Buy AMERICAN!  

But more than that: BUY LOCAL!

Please.

 I was not going to blog tonight.

Really.

 I mean, we all need a break sometime, right.

And I thought you might like a break from my endless ramblings.

But I just couldn't help it

because I'm too excited.

I'm sorry.

Food makes me want to blog.

Food at a good deal grown locally that is healthy makes me want to jump up and down.

But how do I express jumping up and down in writing?

                                                I                        and                           see

                                                   am          up           down!       you           me?!

                                                      jumping                        Can

Here's why: $35...

 for this.

I went to the Amish produce auction today.

 5 Cases of green peppers for $1.75 each case(my mom took one)

12 super big heads of green cabbage for $.90 each

(Also, a man at the auction bought a big box of zucchini and was just giving away what he didn't need from the box, so I took these from him and gave him a cabbage in return.

Auctions are great that way!

Or maybe I should say that people at auctions are great that way.)

 40 heads of broccoli for $.20 each.

Yes, I said 20 cents each.

And they are a nice size.

Yes, 40, because you have to buy them by the cases they have in that row

and there were 2 cases of 20 heads in that row.

 Want some?  Anybody?

Sweet potatos,

ginormous sweet potatos.

$1.60 per box.

Onions: $7 per box

And, well, these were from a friend at church, so these were free

and given with love,

so they'll make extra nice pumkin pie,

let's hope.

It's funny and amazing how God supplies.  I was just thinking how I wanted to make some Borsch;

it's a necessary thing when fall weather blows in.  My bachelor uncle loves it, and I always think of making it when his birthday comes around,

but we didn't plant any fall cabbages.

Borsch isn't Borsch without cabbage.

So after home-schoolers meeting today we went to the auction with my mom,

(it's wonderful with three kids to take a helpful mom along;

more fun, too!)

 I got great deals,

I helped support local farmers,

and I'm very thankful...

and will be busy for the next 4 days blanching, making borsch, saurkraut, and maybe even some pumkin cookies.

By the way, if you guessed "Sweet Potato", I'll leave your broccoli out on the porch.