Me and the Tortoise: We're like this.

*crosses fingers*

I am quickly learning that a local summer doesn't just mean supporting the random local farmers in my area, but can also mean the building of a supportive community. When I got into composting about a year ago, I was reading books written in the 70's. Not the most up to date literature, but be far more exciting to read. (I especially liked it when one book mentioned that you could get a mulching blade for you mower for about five bucks!) These reads were supplemented with more modern excerpts, but the science behind them stays relatively the same. Unfortunately, most authors discussed getting together with neighbors and having a community plot or garden (where composting could be used or materials gathered from) which isn't so common anymore, but was something of which I was completely jealous.

I mean how many of us actually know our neighbors well enough that you could walk over and say, "You know, I was thinking we could plant some tomatoes right here on the property line. Any other vegetables you want to put there?"..."Great! You go get the garden hose and I'll bring the shovel."

Not me. I actually pray for the day when we get enough money to build a privacy fence between us so that I don't have to stare at the LOGGING TRUCK THEY PARK IN THE FRIGGIN' EASEMENT!!! But that's an issue for another day...

Our dinners aren't over the top, nor are they even all that "from the farm," but they are shared between friends and family. What I mean is that the produce M and I are eating is brought to work by coworkers and split up among friends. The spoils of our home gardens are shared with no additional mileage or work between us that doesn't already exists. This really excites me!
Slow and steady wins the race people.

Brunswick stew (from a can-our favorite). Home grown and canned green beans from the In-laws. One can down 23 to go...Home grown okra fried by moi. Also from the In-laws. Both with zero mileage, as we got them as a surprise when we were down for a visit and to pick up an item they had been storing for us, which required a truck. However, if you want to get technical they live over an hour from us, so that's about 160 miles round trip. Still, considering we were going anyway-zero miles. (Actually, I didn't go just the Hubby went. I had to work that day. YUCK!)

Speaking of the spoils of the home garden. Laurie, you think you have huge produce--Check out this cuke!

*We lovingly refer to this cuke as 'the billy club.'

One day I just looked down and there was this gianormous produce there, hidden under one of the leaves of the cuke plant. No, I seriously didn't see it under the leaves. Yes, that means the leaves are insanely huge. We've covered this before.

We've eaten cucumber salads. I've taken them to work. We pickled 5 pints of cukes WITHOUT the aforementioned billy club. My one remaining cucumber plant has grown so large and produced so many cukes I'm running out of ideas. Anyone know what to do with a crap ton of cucumbers? Anyone? Bueller? Really is a cuke this large necessary? (Get your mind out of the gutter before you think of any ideas for it.) Just what in the world do you do with it other than knit it a sweater and give it a name?

Enough is enough! Moving on, I do have some more gardening photos I'd like to share and I haven't completely given up on knitting just yet. (I have a FO coming your way soon!) But it's my bedtime and I'll be cranky if I don't get some sleep. Good Night!

*Please ignore the fact that I look retarded in this photo. It's for the sake of humor alright? Normally, I am much more appealing. Okay. Not really, but normally I don't have devil red eyes.