Sunday, March 21, 2010

Winter's Gone!

Ah, yes, spring is bursting forth even as our week of unseasonably warm weather goes back to normal temperatures for this time of year (highs in the 40's). I am sure we'll get more snow (we always do) but here is a pix of my usual winter gear that I can start to think about getting packed away for next year.


(Photo: Please note - this is NOT a fashion statement - or maybe it is about my lack thereof - ha ha! Winter gear left to right consists of old 1970's down coat, wool scarf from New Zealand, warm gloves with long cuffs to cover my wrists, tissues for a cold drippy nose, hat that covers the ears and stays tied on, tall to the knees gaiters to keep the snow out of my boots and keep my legs warm and dry, ice-grippy things for my boots so I can still walk even when there is ice, warm and waterproof boots, heaters for my gloves and shoes and pants pockets when I come back inside, wrists bands that are just great for one more barrier against the cold to stay warm outside, not pictured - my silk long-underwear. I think that's it! Getting ready to walk the dog is a wee bit time consuming, must to the consternation of Kaya!)

Our farmers' market yesterday was the busiest of the year. It was downright hopping at 9 am! Here is what I purchased:


(Photo: Ann Arbor Farmers' Market purchase 3.21.10, starting in the upper left and going clock-wise: bok choi, bibb lettuce, fresh spinach, fresh kale, eggs, pea shoots, shitake mushrooms, roasted red pepper mustard (a Gold Medal winner at the Napa Valley Mustard Festival this month!), and potatoes. Purchases came from Our Family Farm, Brines Farm, GardenWorks, Goetz Farm, Sansonetti Mustards and Sauces, and Michigan Mushrooms. I like to know my farmers, a phrase actually coined by Shannon Brines of Brines Farm before the USDA began using it last year.)

All these greens were grown in local hoop houses, which are 4 season green houses that use passive solar energy. Our big news this week is that our application to the USDA for a grant to build one at our new farm was APPROVED - WOO HOO!

Last thing that was big news this week - arghhhhh..........with only a few minutes of unsupervised time, Kaya found her way into a cupboard that had chocolate chips in it. Sigh.......mucho dollars later, she is resting comfortably back at home, with her pink bandage on the IV site, and unable to connect the dots between the recent hustle/bustle/worry and overnight stay at the animal hospital with her morning sneaky indulgence. It was difficult to determine just how much she ate, so we did wait a few hours to triage, by which time her heart-rate was over 200 and her back legs had no strength at all.

(Photo: Kaya perhaps looking a tiny bit guilty but showing off her IV bandage. Not pictured is the humiliating "collar", which we had to purchase also because, of course, she would not just leave that IV site alone!)

Happy Spring to you, wherever you live. Much more to come here in the upper Midwest. - :-)

"Cultivate your life - you are what you grow - inch by inch, row by row"

Diana Dyer, MS, RD

5 comments:

Jen said...

It was definitely a lovely day at the market yesterday!

We got pasta from pasta e pasta, eggs from John (Our Family Farm), bread from Harvest Kitchen, goodies from Locavorious and blue trumpet mushrooms from Michigan Mushrooms and apples from the Nemeths. YUM!

Kim R. said...

Congratulations on the successful hoop house application Diana!! Kim

Diana Dyer said...

I missed seeing pasta e pasta - I'll be sure to look for them next week. I'm afraid we just won't be taking the time to make our own pasta until after we get moved and well settled at our farm. I'm picturing and looking forward to wonderful leisurely evenings next January and February!

Cheryl said...

Those ice-grippy things for your boots are called crampons. I had a pair when I tried all-weather hiking, but gave them away when hiking and dangerous were used in the same sentence. I give you a lot of credit for using them. Hope the dog learned her lesson, but her eyes say otherwise. Cheryl

Unknown said...

I believe those ice-grippy things could be referred to as YakTrax. They give you the footing of a yak!

Was Kaya wearing a satellite dish as a collar?