CSA Weeks 10 & 11

Week 10: summer squash, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, snap beans, cantaloupe. 

Another week with no fruit share (le sigh), everyone got a cantaloupe or watermelon? Unsure, as our newsletter said we would be getting a watermelon and I got a cantaloupe. I don’t mind cantaloupe, but I much rather get a watermelon. The summer squash and eggplant was cut up and froze to make a soup later.

Never ate eggplant, don’t really want to try it in its own recipe. I am already having difficulties to sticking to healthy eating the past few weeks; I don’t want to make things harder. The cherry tomatoes were sinfully delicious, as I ate most of them right from the pint. I am starting to feel like perhaps a CSA is not for me. I’d rather not pay for so much squash and zucchini, as it is not my favorite. I am not quite sure I am seeing the value for the price and another week with no fruit share is not making me happy, especially since they seem to have enough to sell at their Farmer’s Market stand, but not to give to us who prepaid? Perhaps I am being over dramatic as it has been an emotionally draining week.

Week 11: summer squash (more!? Ugh), tomatoes (finally!!), a pepper, basil, a cucumber, a walla walla onion, corn, green/yellow beans, broccoli Fruit Share: Melons

Letter to the editor

Hello,

I saw your request for individuals who are participating in a CSA crop share. This is my first year participating in a CSA share. I signed up with Olden Produce back in March, after a couple of Twitter friends had mentioned how much they enjoyed it. I read their excited tweets all last summer and saw the pictures and blog posts about how wonderful it was and I was hooked. I signed up for the ½ farm share, fruit share and late season produce share. This cost me around $600, with the early bird pricing. Not including the late season produce share, I am spending roughly $27 a week on whatever they decide to give me.

The season started out wonderfully, the strawberries were like crack and having fresh produce pesticide-free was exciting; however, it has become quite daunting. Some weeks it feels like a chore, zucchini and summer squash again?? There has been 2-3 weeks, where I have received nothing in my fruit share, yet their Saturday morning Farmer’s Market booth in Oshkosh is full of melons and berries, yet I get nothing? They send out weekly newsletters, the past few weeks touting that I should buy a bushel of tomatoes for canning, yet, I received only 2 tomatoes one week and none the last (except for a small pint of cherry tomatoes)…instead I got MORE zucchini, MORE summer squash and an eggplant.

It is only my husband and I in the house and we both work full-time. I have been working hard on eating better/healthier, but constantly having the same items to cook (in which we were never a big fan of in the beginning) is difficult. I love the concept, I love buying local, I am willing to spend the extra dime (or $10 bill) on these things, but I hate wasting. Some weeks we are so busy with work, volunteering and other activities, that I don’t have time to cook, or if we are out of town, the produce just sits. Having a CSA forces to you to plan ahead and lots of freezing of items. I don’t anticipate getting a CSA again next year. Instead, I will shop at the Farmer’s market and get what I like, when I want it and how much of it.

Slacking

The last few weeks have quite busy with volunteer work, appointments and my brother-in-law visiting. The first week, I was doing well with still fitting in steps. Last week, my husband started on renovating the basement, so my treadmill was out of order. Plus with my BIL in the house, I just didn’t want to go out for a run and come back as a sweaty mess. I counted my calories and weighed in on Saturday with a 2.2 loss for a total of 38lbs since my highest weight last October.

Sunday morning it was SO nice out, so I did some outside chores. Picked up dog poo, mowed the lawn and pulled LOTS of weeds. My gluts are still sore and it is now Wednesday. Ridiculousness. The rest of this week has been less than spectacular with food choices, alcohol and lack of steps/movement. It is cool out at the moment, when I get home tonight, I hope it is still cool, so I will go for a run and maybe pull more weeds to get more glut exercise in to make up for horrible Sunday, Monday & Tuesday choices.

Happy Hour Victory

After this weekends disasterous drinking escapades, I made it a point to scale back at last night’s happy hour with a few co-workers. I knew only drinking club soda wouldn’t cut it, so I made it a point to be very conscious of what I was drinking.

I had 2 club sodas, 1 7&club, 2 more club sodas, another 7&club and finished off the night with water and a couple of more club sodas… yes, happy hour lasted 4 hours. Whoops.

Also, we shared a plate of hummus & pita bread. I only had a 1/3 of it, so only ~300 calories worth. I felt full and happy and focused on the conversations. I even hopped on the treadmill when I got home to get my 10,000 steps!

Bike Problems

The ‘Pink Lady’, the ‘Pink Machine’… the’Pink Douchebag’.

My damn bike has been a huge of a pain in the ass. I originally got this bike to be a form of transportation as well as a way to get moving more. I have avoided using it mostly because of the 100-plus degree heat index, but also because it is a huge thorn in my side.

When I got the bike from Amazon, the front wheel spokes were messed up. I had to wait for a replacement. Of course, I missed out on glorious low-70 degree weather of Memorial Day weekend. Final assembly of the bike took me well over 5 hours. I should have paid a professional to put it together—jokes on me.

My first spin on the bike went without issues (voting, grocery store, meandering). When I went to go on my next trip, I found my front tire flat. I dragged the bike to the gas station and filled it up. Went for a short spin, all was well. However, later I found the tire completely flat. Once again, I dragged that thing back to the gas station and this time the tire wouldn’t hold air. I had to load the bike up in the car and take it to a bike shop to get the tube replaced.

I’ve took a couple of spins since, with no issues; however, last night I took a spin to my board meeting. The right pedal was acting a-fool, but was getting the job done. In the middle of our meal, the server knocked my bike over (as we were sitting on the patio) and well, effed-up my pedal. It came off. I am hoping the Nirve company will replace my bike’s pedal, as this seems ridiculous. But, who knows. I sure had fun walking my bike home the 2 miles. At least I got my 10,000 steps in and it was a cooler evening.

Catch Up

I am still around. Life gets in the way.

I am very much involved in my local Jaycees and we had our biggest event this past Saturday. On the 4th, we walked in a parade to get the word out about the event despite the 107 heat index. I was completely soaked through my bra, cami and shirt by the end of the walk. But I looked cute before hand with my House of Harlow sunglasses!

 
Hi Benny! (peaking in the background) 

That Thursday & Friday was more getting ready for the event. I even managed to get in my 10,000 steps those days too.

Saturday was the event... a BEER drinking event. Of course, this is Wisconsin. It was a long day of working the Farmers Market in the morning and then working the actual event and finally cleaning up that day. It was my first 15,000 step day!

I feel like I made good food choices with what was offered and what I could do with my limited amount of personal time. I weighed in on Sunday morning and I was down.




Well, Sunday... yeesh. I traveled down to Milwaukee to Summerfest. Summerfest is a music festival with tons of eating and drinking. It is quite a theme here in Wisconsin. #wisconsingirlproblems

I did both and WAY too much of eating and drinking. I am disappointed with myself. My concert.. HANSON,was not until 9:30pm. It totally rocked, but I didn't get home until 1:30am and I worked at 6am this morning for a couple of hours... of course today I have made some more horrible decisions. I blame it on lack of sleep.

To make things worse, I only got 9,000 steps on Sunday. :( I broke my streak. I am 7 of 8 days though, which isn't so bad.

But I am back on the wagon and don't expect too many future road blocks.

Flooding

Of course when I get a Fitbit and quit Weight Watchers they introduce the Active Link. Oh well, I love MyFitnessPal and their rocking database. 


 Day 2 of my 10,000 step/10 flights challenge in the bag despite flooding. 


We had some crazy storms with wind, downpour and hail. Went in the basement and the window well was leaking, water was all over the floor. I cleaned up the mess, plugged the hole with an ear plug, and hopped on the treadmill despite the fear of electrocution. 


#wisconsingirlproblems

Weather Problems

Note to self: Don’t take advantage of nice days.


I miss you breezy low 80 days. I miss you breezy cool evenings. I hate you sunny, humid 90 degree days.

This is Wisconsin folks. I am built for blizzards.