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October 28, 2008
Irving Eats Local(ish) and Other Feline Updates
Another short batch of Irving Eats Local(ish) is up on Flickr. I can't remember if I explained the series here, as it began while callalillie was on hiatus. We joined a CSA this year, which was probably one of the best culinary and lifestyle decisions that we made in 2008.* As Irving is the ambassador for all vegetarian felines, he was the perfect poster cat for CSA goods.
We'll have to join one closer to the house in 2009, as the hike from Cobble Hill to our new hood is a bit long. Despite the weekly trek, it's totally worth it. With the help of Mark Bittman's vegetarian cookbook, I've learned to create things with vegetables that I'd never considered before (like kolerabi). Plus, nothing beats food fresh from a farm.
In other cat news, the Littlest Feline, aka Olive, ventured down to the bottom of the stairs tonight- a real first. What is more, the Robettes did not try to chase her like a cat toy.
Note: Two weeks ago I had a meeting out in eastern Long Island that caused me to miss the CSA. On the way home, a colleague and I stopped at a random farm stand and it turned out to be the farm that provides our CSA with produce. Random and satifying.
* CSA = Community supported agriculture. You pay a lump sum in the spring and receive weekly shares of fresh produce through the following December. I highly recommend it.
Posted by callalillie at October 28, 2008 8:18 PM | Feline Musings
i love that flickr set. so great.
Posted by: rachelle at October 28, 2008 9:32 PM
I wish we had a CSA here. My sister use to drive 100 miles one way to pick up her produce. But, she's a serious organic freak too.
But, the vegetables I buy from local farmers is some of the best food I've ever eaten. Is it perception or truly superior, I don't know but my mouth and body is always grateful.
Posted by: Jenifer at October 28, 2008 9:59 PM
I love the Bittman book, I have it too and use it all the time.
Posted by: Janine at October 28, 2008 11:18 PM
I think local food does, for the most part, taste better, simply because it hasn't traveled for a long time to get to the table. And the Bittman book is great! I've used it a lot to simply identify certain vegetables that I didn't even know existed.
Posted by: corie at October 29, 2008 11:34 AM
this photo is awesome! i am eating csa veggies right now!
Posted by: amy at October 29, 2008 7:21 PM
why does Irving always look like he just got back from a fight?
Posted by: julee at November 2, 2008 6:28 PM
Yeah, and CSAs provide farmers with a credit mechanism which is independent of the banking crisis. Seasonal farmers tend to have to spend money to sow and are generally cash poor until harvest. By buying a farm share you are lending your farmers money, assuming a risk position, and then you are rewarded as the crops come in.
Our local farmers use CSAs and sell discounted notes redeemable in food. These are usually $350 to $360 for $400 worth of goodies. From the consumer point of view, this is a much better return than any bank CD you can get.
So, pat yourself on the back twice. Once for helping agriculture by buying locally, and once for helping our economy by providing local credit during these trying times.
Posted by: Kaleberg at November 3, 2008 1:12 PM
