Eco-Mama: Harvest Time

As summer winds its lazy warm way through these pleasant August days...it's suddenly harvest time on the family farm. Its a time of year where you try to squeeze in as many outdoor cook-outs and long evenings under the stars...a time to swim, a time to enjoy...and a time to frantically handle everything you planted coming on at once! There's nothing like peach trees snapping their branches they're so laden with fruit, corn that's passing into overripe by the half day and tomatoes plunking off the vines...so, we all set about to pick, cut and freeze many many bags of each, make peach cobbler, pie, jam, and tomato sauce to be frozen. Plans for this upcoming weekend include a lobster steam with cornbread, peach pie and tomato salad in celebration of my sister's birthday. What better way to end the last weekend of august??!!

Pictured above is about 1/16th of what is ripe for the picking, and quickly passing. I made pickled corn relish, tomato sauce and a peach cobbler instantly, and have to make and freeze even more peaches, and simmer some jam. Its all so delicious and makes me really feel like a hunter gatherer. Ahhh summer, organic gardening, and dirt in my toes.

For all the urban dwellers out there who don't have a garden or access to a share, shopping the farmer's markets for all your produce needs is just as important. It's the best way to eat fresh, local and seasonal. with the ever stronger push to re-kindle those instincts in us, the farmer's are also just as happy to provide. Make fresh tomato sauce, dry a few of your favorite herbs, [because those prices on one bunch of herbs in the dead of winter in NYC will make you wish you had spent $2.50 on some now]. Enjoy homemade pizza, cornbread and corn chowder...its easy and so delicious! Invite a friend or 2 over and call it an event with a tablecloth, bottle of wine, your "fanciest" tableware and don't forget to take some photos!

as always, take care and do something you call greening-it!
your Portland Eco-Mama,
~mariah

My reading this week is:
Living in The Family Room on the Martha Stewart blog.
In particular: The September issue of Living with a feature on MS Living decorating Editor Rebecca Robertson's NYC loft home, the amazing handmade chalkboard and color coordinated storage art wall and swing for her son. Amazing and such good blues!