Archive for ‘September, 2017’

Last CSA Box – a double!

Milestone Day: the last CSA pickup.

In this double box: Red kuri squash, Pumpkin, Acorn Squash, Winter Squash, carrots, the biggest garlic I’ve ever seen, rainbow Chard, cilantro, red beets, lettuce mix, the biggest shallots I’ve ever seen, onions!

The garlic, shallots and onions have been cured for long storage.

This week was a double. Because there was so much Fall long storage vegetables, Jay and Mandy (Lower Valley Farms) decided to combine week 20 and 21 into a double box. I say “YAY!!”. I love going to the farm and kibitzing, but there were some weeks when I’d loved to have been able to “transport” the vegetables right into my house versus the drive. A bittersweet thing of being glad that I am not required to make the drive, but sad that I will not see the farm and all of the folks.

BUT!! For an hour of the CSA pickup window, Mandy has been manning a “farm stand” selling extra items as well as items that there were not enough of for CSA distribution. I purchased some extras there as well as at Saturday Farmer’s market. Both the farm stand and Farmer’s Market will continue through October 21 pending there being produce. So, I may have another 3-4 weeks for local vegetables before *gasp* having to rely on grocery produce.

It has been a wonderful CSA experience with Lower Valley Farm, Jay and Mandy, their family and their farm crew.

Cheers to local and seasonal!

A shopping trip

With the exception of food, I do most of my shopping online. I don’t particularly enjoy going to stores and am very fussy about my grocery stores as well!

During the heat of the summer, I shopped early morning at my favorite grocery which also has morning shade parking AND a spot to get Bear in and out of the Jeep without taking the ramp.

One of the challenges this past summer, was that I cannot leave Bear home alone. He occasionally gets “stuck” and cannot get up without help. He is fine in the Jeep, LOVES to go in the Jeep and the only difficulty is when it is too hot to leave him in the Jeep which was most of the summer after 8:30-9:00 a.m.

We managed fine. And I don’t know if I’d done anything differently if on my own as it was tiring to go out and about in heat and smoke.

But now – we are free :) !!! With the very cool temperatures we were able to do several things Saturday morning without worry for either of us. And I even went to places not in my plan. AND, I was not in a race against the clock/sun/heat. It was rather nice.

I dropped off a leather bag that needed repair.

I made a quick stop at the grocery with a very short list, but I browsed the aisles to check any sales and just look.

I came home with pumpkin and squash from Lower Valley Farm as well as some fall cabbage from a different farm at the market. I walked the market and dawdled a bit looking at things and enjoying watching and listening to other shoppers.

I was on a hunt for some wine glasses having broken my last. After a fruitless stop at a department store, I hit an antique/consignment shop…

Ha… 4 etched crystal wine glasses for $28.00 – that is $28.00 for all 4!!! And everyone in the shop was pleasant and happy and it was a wonderful wrap up to the most relaxed outing Bear and I have had since Spring.

Another “YEA” for Fall.

T.G.I.F. – Thank Goodness It’s Fall

It’s also Friday but on this Friday, I am mostly thankful that it is Fall … as of 2:02 p.m. MDT – the Autumnal Equinox – official Fall (Autumn).

Hoo … I say HOO-RAH!!!

When last we left our story, the air was clearer and it was cooler. It did not get HOT again but on the day before the forecast “PATTERN CHANGE”, the smoke came down with a vengeance. It was the absolute worst in a summer of really bad smoke. If the cold front and subsequent rain had not been in the forecast I might have been tempted to curl up in a ball and weep. As it was, I just kept saying “Tomorrow will be better”.

And it was.

The front came through with rain and snow and cool.

We had a bit of smoke in the days following, but nothing like the extreme conditions of late August/early September.

That first day…

I put away the air conditioners … all THREE! My two new ones came with handy covers complete with pouches for the remotes. I followed the manual instructions: drained, cleaned filters and ran fan only to dry out their insides. Then covers and into closets. I will pretend that they do not exist and will never be needed again. BUT, as noted previously, I am so grateful that I was able to get them and that they kept Bear, Auggie and me comfortable.

And while I’m being grateful …

Vegetables from Lower Valley Farm continue to be wonderful, varied and a pleasure to have and enjoy.

Week 18: radishes, lettuce mix, kohlrabi, carrots, cucumber, onion, shallots, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, patty pan and parsley.

And so, we went from hot and smoky to cool and…

Graupel. Actually a Graupel Thunderstorm. It thundered, it lightning-ed, it graupel-ed. It POURED graupel!

And while it was doing that, UPS delivered my new little freezer:

That’s it under the table… the table that was to be the craft table that became the cat eating table that is now sort of an extension of the kitchen as it is home to the ice cream maker, the coffee pot (drip option for when a button push is preferred to a pour over) and the microwave.

The little freezer.

I’d filled my regular freezer and also the motorhome freezer with things from my CSA boxes and Farmer’s Market. It is the time of year when I start stocking up frig/freezer/pantry so that if driving is bad I do not NEED to go out and about for food. Enter this little freezer which fits under the table and gives me a bit of extra.

For extras like:

Week 19 of 21: Fingerling potatoes, tomatoes, baby arugula, garlic, red onions, cucumber, basil, zucchini, eggplant, delicata squash, red beets!

I continue to freeze or ferment anything I don’t eat during the week.

And on the way to pick up week 19:

It was a perfect Fall day and the barn was the perfect thing to set off the sky, the snow topped mountains and the clear air.

And now we are to today.

As Fall officially arrived…

Auggie started using the shelf above the dryer as his preferred napping spot.

Bear has become like his younger self, shedding the lethargy of the hot, smoky summer.

Peek-a-boo snow on the mountains to the East as we took our evening walk.

Sunset through the woods to our West.

T.G.I.F. Thank Goodness It’s Fall!

Oh happy day: clear (er) air

Clear air, Auggie!!

Happy Dance!

Happy Happy Dance for a clear, cool morning after a long run of hot and smoky.

The morning walk was a huge pleasure for all of us, after Bear and I just endured being out this past week.

There is still some smoky haze, but the mountains are visible.

The sun is at that angle that creates a beautiful light and says Fall is on its way.

Home sweet home with a bit of sunshine and blue sky!

A good walk.

Oh happy day!

Still smokin’

The Road Home … smoky version.

By all accounts, including my own 23 years in this area, this is the worst wildfire smoke ever. Even short exposure dries the throat and lips, starts a headache and generally makes a person feel uneasy and unwell. Mr. Bear licks his lips, sneezes and occasionally includes a hacky cough. We go out only as absolutely necessary. Auggie is confined to quarters and not very happy about it!

The crew of Lower Valley Farm, my CSA source, is working in masks as are many who must work outdoors. The local dragon boat race and festival was cancelled. School sports cancelled and all recess activities are happening inside.

BUT.

NOAA says, with some confidence, that things will be a bit better tomorrow afternoon and Sunday. AND THEN … Thursday into Friday they forecast a significant “pattern change” and a hopefully “last gasp” of smoke. I hope they are correct. At any rate, it is wonderful to have some hope of an end to this after forecasts that continued with the same “hot and smoky” line.

Meanwhile…

The recipe: Breadtopia’s Zucchini Sourdough .

This is the BEST sandwich bread I’ve made to date. I had a good one in Quinoa Sandwich Bread , but this is better, although I have a thought to combine the two because quinoa!

The zucchini sourdough bread is soft in crumb and crust but does not come apart even with a gooey-ish filling. And unlike the typical zucchini baked goods, this recipe uses all the moisture from the zucchini. I absolutely love it.

I am headed to Farmer’s Market in the morning to stock up on zucchini which I will shred and freeze so I can make this bread through the Winter.

And this week’s CSA box:

Eggplant, green bell pepper, potatoes, cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, golden beets with greens, red leaf lettuce, long red onion and basil!

A new recipe planned for this week: stuffed eggplant kind of a moussaka-light.

And so…

Still smokin’ but with an end in sight!

***Edit at 7:29 p.m. From the NOAA Forecast discussion for my area:

A significant Fall pattern change will take place Wednesday
evening through Thursday night. It`s finally happening.
Anticipate widespread precipitation during this time, with
temperatures and snow levels (yes, snow levels) decreasing during
this time. Snow levels down to 6000 feet appear plausible by
Thursday night. This system is likely to put a significant dent in
the wildfire season, which has gone on longer than most already.

Cool and showery weather will continue across the Northern Rockies
Friday through the weekend. Fall is here; Fall is here!

I just love our local NOAA writers. They write friendly and locally with good weather info and a minimum of “jargon”. I think most of the writers must be outdoors people as they seem enthusiastic about conditions for outdoor activities. I laughed out loud to see the “Fall is here; Fall is here!”

*** Bonus *** From “Great Big Story”. Leif Haugen – I met Leif briefly years ago when he delivered a cup of coffee to his wife Heidi on the way to delivering May Day baskets. Heidi worked in a book store that I frequented and also is the potter that made my sage green dishes with words (circa 1999!). I follow Heidi on Instagram ( Heidi Haugen Pottery Instagram ) and she often includes photos Leif takes from the Thoma Fire Lookout.

Labor Day weekend: gateway to Fall ???

Labor Day weekend in Northwest Montana is usually a beautiful gateway to Fall. Whenever anyone asks me about visiting Montana, I always suggest September if they don’t have school age children to consider. September weather is typically warm but not hot with cool, crisp nights and all of the July crowd is long gone.

But, this year – YIKES!

The beginning of September is darn ugly! However, when I’m tempted to complain too much I remember that unlike southeast Texas, my pain will be over in 10-14 days … hopefully.

Still, it has been a hot, dry, smoky summer through most of July and August and now into September. I usually am able to put the A/C units away on my birthday in mid-August. Maybe by mid-September this year.

There is good news about the heat.

The vegetables! Above is week 16’s box: fingerling potatoes, long red onions, baby romaine, baby kale, basil, sweet corn, red beets and greens, braising greens, cucumber, zucchini, patty pan, bell pepper and TOMATOES! I get a box of an heirloom mixed with cherry tomatoes. Both were gone the first night – sliced and eaten plain.

So … off to Farmer’s Market on Saturday. Bear and I left early, snagged a shady parking spot and I was at Lower Valley Farm’s spot for the opening bell.

I added more patty pan, cucumbers, rainbow chard, golden beets and greens, fresh flowers and a box of mini-slicer tomatoes to my week’s vegetable store. I’ve been blanching and freezing some of the beet greens, basil, chard and braising greens to have for Fall and Winter cooking but everything else I eat during the week.

The partial share (half share) with some occasional additions from the market has been working very well for me this summer. The variety of vegetables from Lower Valley Farm, courtesy of Jay and Mandy’s extensive research, is much better than my prior CSA experience which makes it easier to prepare a variety of things and not get tired of many, many greens as I did last round.

This week’s CSA newsletter says that the fall squash are doing very well so I am already planning on where I will store as much extra as I have room for.

Meanwhile…

Another smoky sunrise.

I’m ready for a Montana Fall and/or Winter!!!