CSA!! Week One or Seventeen or whatever (haha!)

So, Mark and Kris were kind enough to let me keep the CSA produce they got on Sunday (not Saturday, mind you!!) when they were out of town. They get a weekly basket of produce from Eaton Farms, somewhere near Madison, IN, I guess. Eaton Farms has a booth at the Hyde Park Farmers Market (in the US Bank parking lot, just off the square).

As you can see above, there were a variety of items we received. Yellow squash, beets, green onions, some long cabbage-like thing in the lower center (endive?), new potatoes, 6 eggs, a small green bell pepper and a bag of Spring Mix lettuce. I can tell you that the potatoes and beets (both the root and the greens) were delicious. We cooked them that night, along with a big steak, all on the grill, with a side of multi-color pasta (Grace's fave). That meal rocked, let me tell you. Jess and I are starting to really "shine" on the grilling. Chicken, pork, steak, you name it. And it keeps the heat out of the kitchen/house! This was also, as far as I can remember, the first time I ever remember eating a beet, though when I tasted it, it seemed familiar, so maybe I had them growing up, but didn't prefer it and never ate it again. It kept growing on me, so I think I can say....I like beets! Those greens were seriously tasty though! The potatoes were thrown in a foil sack with some salt, pepper and chopped rosemary and olive oil. Killin'!

Jess has been eating the Spring Mix lettuce, as she's gone ga-ga for salads recently. (Caused by pregnancy? Who knows!) The yellow squash may be on the table for tonight. Three of the eggs were eaten by Grace and I this morning...very tasty...and surprisingly so. Truly fresh eggs! I'm hoping to find out what the heck that lettuce/cabbage type thing is, so we can cook it appropriately (or not, as the case may be!).

Now, I'd like to tell you about the sweat and work that went INTO getting these dang veggies. First off, I got an FB message from Kris on Thursday or something asking to pick it up for them. Done, no problems, she got me the info. Most Farmers Markets I'm aware of are on both Saturday AND Sunday. The Hyde Park Farmers Market is NOT! I thought, it's a beautiful Saturday morning, not hot (yet!) and I'd like a bike ride. (I'm trying to ride my bike for most errands and to work, when I can.) So I got my bike fixed up with my new fenders (see several posts ago...yeah, those!) and attached my Burley ride-behind carriage type thing, built for a child, but can be used to carry whatever. It's not a long ride, but it's up hill most of the way to Hyde Park from Mariemont. Maybe 2 miles or so. By the time I got my fenders finished and hit the road it was maybe 10 or 11 in the morning, but got hot...quick! I handle the busy for a Saturday traffic in HP Square and turn into the lot. Um....where is everyone? No booths, no nothing! I call Mark and Kris, no answer...I call Jess and she says, maybe it's on Sunday. I research the info on the FB message. No day, just directions. Tell Jess I'm heading home and hit the road.

The next day I plan on doing the same thing, even though it's hot already that morning. I get there, much less traffic this time, it IS Sunday, after all. I arrive and...there's a TON of people there, not much parking, even for a bike (with trailer)! I find a place to lean the bike/trailer against a wall and hope no one takes off with it. I get the produce, they asked if it's a "half or whole". NO idea. Um, I just repeat the name it's under. She says, "I'll look it up". I say, "Good, because I have no idea". She disappears into the truck and comes back with the basket filled with produce. "It's a half. Here ya go". Thanks, etc. I notice no 'maters are in there, so I go looking for some and some cucumbers. No cucumbers...but someone's got some tomotoes. I pick a few up and head back to the bike.

Just before I get to Paxton, so just out of the square, my fender start rubbing on the tire. Something must have came loose and it's making a rubbing sound. Not cool, but I can get home. I keep pedaling, but it's getting worse...then it's actually keeping me from rolling with ease. I stop and try to adjust and find that one of my bolts is very loose. I have no tools, since I did this yesterday with no problems and everything seemed tight before I left. I try to finger-tighten the bolt...ain't working. I try some other tricks and it works for a few yards and then it's done. I can't keep going w/o ruining my new fenders. I call Jess...not at home. They are at Target. "Can you go home and get my tool kit? The bike and carriage won't fit in your or my car?" Jess leaves Target and gets my tools...many minutes later, after keeping myself occupied taking the tire off to access the fender easier and playing with my iPhone, checking FB posts, etc. Jess and Grace show up with the tools. I fix the loosened bolt, tighten a few other things and put the wheel back on. Now the fender has bent in another direction and I have to pull the wheel back off again! I do so, loosen, retighten, pray, throw salt over my shoulder, wipe some sweat off my face and hope for the best. It works ok...enough to get me home. I tell Jess and Grace to meet me at home...we're getting a Father's Day lunch as soon as I get home and clean up a bit!

We ate at the Dilly Deli, where I had a fantastic Seared Ahi Tuna Sandwich. It was a nice Father's Day...after that.

Thanks Mark and Kris for the...um, adventure and wonderful produce!