Let's Try This Again: CSA

Do you remember last summer when I told you I joined a CSA then went totally crickets and never mentioned it again?

Right. Here's what happened:

I was all fired up to subscribe for the fall, which begins the first week of August. 

But then I remembered we were moving and the last thing you want to move is tons of produce. In fact I prefer to have completely clean cabinets for a move.

So I missed the August option, but figured I jump in to the next session, ten weeks later. 

But then we got rats. And you definitely don't want to bring precious local produce into a house with rats. We didn't want any food in our house at all, to be exact.

And then we moved again. 

And again.

And that CSA sure slipped my mind.

Excuses, excuses. I know. 

But here I am, one year later, to report that yesterday, I really joined the Riverview Farms CSA. Wahoo! I signed up, paid and have my official pickup location for next Wednesday. I'm so excited to eat local Georgia veggies for the next ten weeks. 

I'm hoping:

1. I get more experimental with my meals, instead of buying the same 10 items and eating the same three meals every week. 

2. I go to the grocery store less often.

3. I try new veggies I've never had - or maybe even heard of!

I will, of course, keep you posted. 

And this time, I promise to do it.

thank you // edible schoolyard

Before we get down to business today, I want to extend a HUGE and ginormous thank you to everyone who repinned, reddit and shared my bucket list. My blog saw a big jump in activity and I'm so grateful to everyone who passed it on! It is so much fun to watch people enjoy and participate in something I created. I'm really just speechless by it! So thank you :)

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In other ATL news, last week I had the pleasure of attending an Edible Schoolyard event hosted by SPARK, a local elementary school. If you're unfamiliar, the Edible Schoolyard started in California a while back, and has spread across the U.S. It allows kids to spend time at school gardening, then they use the vegetables grown on the local level (get the full story). 

SPARK spent all fall growing kale and spinach and then harvested it last Monday morning. Monday night, the kiddos donated all of the produce to Murphy's (yum!), who used it in their salads, then donated a percentage of the sales back to the school.

Everybody wins! 

I had so much fun being there, especially while watching how excited the kids were to try kale for the first time, learn about healthy eating and enjoy the fruits of their labor. 

I'm going to start volunteering at events more - and maybe even help in the garden if my schedule permits. I'm so excited about the new opportunity, considering it combines a lot of my favorites things (healthy eating, being outside, children, the Highlands...).

If it's your jam, you should find one in your neighborhood and do it, too! And then tell me about it. :) I really can't encourage it enough! It was so refreshing, and I only wanted to steal like 10 of the kids.

Just kidding.

Kind of.

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atlanta bucket list, here we go...

Atlanta is a city of transplants, natives being a rare breed. It leads to a widespread attitude of: I might leave Atlanta tomorrow. Or I might stay forever.

Which is exactly how I feel. Some days, I am in love with this city, and can imagine myself raising my family here, sweet little y’all saying babes. And other times, I think: what’s next? Where will my next adventure take me?

Regardless of how long I will be here, it’s high-time I put my bucket list into writing. So here we go. Every ATL must-do, for your partaking pleasure. I've already checked off a few long-standing bucket listers. But there are still quite a few to go.

Let's do this...

1. Dahlonega to hike and wine taste
2. Dogwood Festival ✓ done
3. Grant Park Farmers’ Market ✓ done
4. Braves Game ✓ done. a lot.
5. Peachtree Road Race ✓ done, albeit a last minute decision and a bandit entry.
6. Triathlon at Lake Lanier ✓ done
7. Serenbe Farm for brunch and exploring ✓ done
8. BBQ at Fat Matt’s done
9. Breakfast at Ria's Bluebird ✓ done
10. NASCAR at Atlanta Motor Speedway
11. World of Coke Museum ✓ done
12. Live music at Eddie’s Attic ✓ done
13. Six Flags Over GA ✓ done
14. Pizza and gelato at Antico ✓ done
15. Go to the original Chik Fil A in Hapeville ✓ done - with this crazy broad - not even on purpose
16. Fernbank ✓ done
17. Night out at MJQ and El Bar ✓ done
18. Gladys Knight Chicken and Waffles
19. 420 Fest ✓ done
20. Live music at Northside Tavern (must be there for band's entrance) ✓ done
21. Dinner&bocce at Empire State South ✓ done
22. Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
23. Explore the BeltLine ✓ done
24. Bottomless wine night at Barcelona
25. Atlanta Botanical Garden ✓ done
26. Taste of Atlanta
27. Atlanta Hawks game ✓ done
28. Free Beer Friday at Diesel at 5:37
29. Concert at Chastain ✓ done
30. Concert at Aaron’s Amphitheater ✓ done (Jimmy Buffett, Toby Keith and Def Lepperd. Kind of an assortment...)
31. Burgers at Ann’s Snack Bar
32. Prohibition
33. Drive in movie at Starlight
34. Johnny’s Hideaway ✓done. but not until this weekend. how did i go that long without it?
35. Blast 900 ✓done and was so sore.
36. Go to a political debate at Manuel’s Tavern
37. Atlanta Falcons game ✓ done
38. Georgia Aquarium ✓ done
39. Dad’s Garage
40. Oyster Fest ✓ done!
41. Volunteer at CHOA ✓ done
42. Monster Truck Rally at the Georgia Dome ✓ done
43. Sweetwater on a Friday afternoon ✓done
44. When it Rains We Pour at Park Tavern ✓ done
45. Explore ethnic restaurants on Buford Highway ✓ done
46. Holeman + Finch burger ✓ done. good burger. not so good date.
47. Karaoke on Buford Highway ✓ done
48. The Goat Farm ✓ done
49. Hike Stone Mountain ✓ done
50. Shuffleboard at Twain’s ✓ done
51. Tuesday nights at Star Bar
52. Martinis & IMAX
53. Picnic in Historic 4th Ward Park
54. Eat at Vortex (Little Five Points) ✓ done
55. Drinks at the Sun Dial ✓ done
56. Rocky Horror Picture Show (in costume)
57. Kayak the Chattahoochee at sunrise ✓ done
58. Brunch at West Egg ✓ done and a major addiction
59. Shoot the Hooch ✓ done. many times. (and will do many more times)
60. Ride the Silver Comet Trail ✓done, while tri training
61. Eat at Waffle House ✓ done, but only had chocolate milk. so did it count?
62. W rooftop pool ✓ done
63. Feed to duckies at Piedmont Park ✓ done
64. Tailgate for Tech ✓ done
65. Tailgate for UGA (I know. It’s a blog divided) ✓ done
66. Brunch at Sun in my Belly ✓ done
67. Decatur Farmers' Market ✓ done
68. Ice skate at Park Tavern ✓ done
69. Summerfest in the Highlands ✓ done
70. Lunch at Mary Mac’s Tea Room ✓ done
71. Go to Flip Burger, Farm Burger and Yeah! Burger (but not in one night) ✓ done, done and done
72. Buy something at Paris on Ponce ✓ done
73. Scott’s Antique Show ✓ done
74. CNN Center
75. Falafel King in Emory Village
76. Zoo Atlanta ✓ done
77. FlyWheel Atlanta ✓ done
78. Coffee at Octane in Grant Park ✓ done
79. Tour Oakland Cemetery
80. Lucky Fest ✓ done
81. Dinner at TOP FLR
82. Jewelry making class at Brina Beads
83. Drive and sip coffee down Tuxedo Road
84. Games at Ormsby's ✓ done
85. Helen, GA Oktoberfest ✓ done
86. Hot&fresh doughnuts at Krispy Kreme
87. Eat at One Midtown Kitchen and Two Urban Licks ✓ done and done
88. Hummus plate at Cafe Agora ✓ done
89. Pumpkin Carving Contest at P’cheen
90. Screen on the Green 
91. Thrashers game ✓ done
92. Food Truck Park ✓ done
93. King of Pops ✓done
94. Fireworks at Lenox ✓ done
95. Eat at the Varsity ✓ done
96. Callaway Gardens
97. Music Midtown
98. Milkshakes at Woody's ✓ done 
99. Yum Yum cupcake Truck ✓ done
100. Souper Jenny ✓ done
101. Piedmont Park Arts Fest ✓ done
102. Café Jonah ✓ done
103. Yacht Rock ✓ done and done
104. PureBarre ✓ done
105. Grocery shop at Your Dekalb Farmers' Market ✓ done
106. Stone Mountain Laser Show
107. Carryout from Little Bangkok ✓ done
108. Governor's Mansion at Christmas
109. A show at the Fox done
110. Brew at the Zoo
111. Atlanta History Center ✓done
112. Hike Sweetwater Creek State Park
113. Apple picking in north Georgia
114. Christmas tree lighting at Lenox
115. Fox Bro's BBQ ✓ done
116. Tasting at Red Brick Brewery (formerly ABC) ✓done
117. HIGH Museum
118. Improv at Village Theatre
119. The Glen Hotel Rooftop Bar
120. Green Market at Piedmont Park ✓done
121. Dinner at Watershed ✓done
122. Juice the town: Arden's Garden, Juicy Jenny and Kale Me Crazy ✓ done
123. High tea at Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party ✓ done
124. Chomp & Stomp ✓ done
125. Run in Lullwater Preserve ✓ done
126. Drinks at Wrecking bar ✓ done
127. Downtown Ferris Wheel ✓ done
128. Dinner at an Underground Supper Club ✓ done, but really want to try PushStart, too. 
129. Brunch at Murphy's ✓ done
130. Spin the rock at the corner of 10th and Piedmont ✓ done
131. Breakfast at Highland Bakery in Old Fourth Ward (must have sweet potato biscuit) ✓ done
132. Chattahoochee Coffee Company ✓ done
133. Explore the Bellwood Quarry ✓ done
134. JCT Sunday Supper ✓ done
135. Doughnuts at Sublime (strawberry shortcake for me!)
136. Bottomless wine & cheese plate at Parish ✓ done
137. Victory Sandwiches (+spiked slushies) ✓ done
138. Games & Moscow Mule slushies at the Painted Pin ✓ done
139. Grab a glass of wine and see a movie at Midtown Arts Cinema ✓ done
140. Westside Provisions District crawl: dinner at JCT, dessert at Jeni's ice cream, games at Ormsby's and music at Northside Tavern ✓done
141. Rooftop dinner at Six Feet Under 
142. Dinner at Bartaco ✓ done
143. Brunch at Buttermilk Kitchen ✓ done
144. African food at 10 Degrees South
145. Music at Blind Willie's ✓ done

What am I missing?

PS: A HUGE thank you to everyone who added to this list via comments and emails. I love that it is a work in progress and a compilation of the ideas of so many amazing people! Let me know what you try :)

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eating meat? // local eats

Going vegan hasn't exactly produced the results I'd hoped for. And for weeks, I've been "about to quit". Though I can't bring myself to give up on the dream just yet.

However, when I do get back on the meat, cheese and eggs bandwagon, I am undoubtedly going to be using Real Time Farms. It allows you to track everything you're eating - whether in a restaurant or at your house - back to a farm. Guaranteeing you're finding antibiotic-free meat and produce.

Through crowd sourcing, it generates a mapped food guide. It just launched this summer, so there are still quite a few gaps. You should submit your favorite restaurants. I obviously submitted a few million.

This means I can finally get an answer to my question as to how one local restaurant can't stock avocado because it's not grown anywhere nearby, and another local restaurant, just up the road, has a surplus. Who's defining local, here? And can't we just all agree on avocados for all?

Happy Friday farming to ya!

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::weekend snaps::

Coffee breaking with Dukie Friday afternoon. 

Farm Burger with Duke and Ryan. Just missing one Sam Harrison. 

We see you cow. And we won't eat you. #atleastnottoday

A bridal shower at Sun in My Belly for sweet Liz.

It also must be said that a wonderful, wonderful friend, Christina, announced she was pregnant at her cookout this weekend. I only wish I had the photo capturing our joy on this one. Congratulations Xtina!

peak season eatin

Last week, a lot of people had questions about the CSA. And while I couldn't answer most of them (soon, I hope!), I did recently find this Peak-Season Map.

Since last fall, I have been trying to eat only in-season fruits and veggies, which hasn't been too hard, minus the apples. Always.want.apples.

This map allows you to pick your state + month and then generates peak fruits and veggies. Summer ones seemed pretty obvious, but I had no idea Brussels sprouts were in season in December. Cha-ching!

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aaaand I joined a CSA.

This is my dad. AKA Skippy.

He has this lifelong dream of one day buying tons (&tons) of land, where all of my siblings and I can build our houses. And it's not weird, because there would be enough land that we wouldn't feel like we were up in each other's biz. It's also not weird because if you know me or my family at all, nothing about this should be surprising.

The second part of the plan is where Skippy gets a little hippie, and also starts to lose some people (AKA my mom. She's less on board, starting now:) because he wants us to grow our own food on the land, so we are self-sufficient (possibly even eating that fish he caught). He's debatably either one step ahead of the CSA movement or taking us back in time; it's too soon to tell.

Regardless, after months and months of debating, I've decided to take one small step in this direction, as I joined the Riverview Farms CSA. I've been wanting to do it for a while now, but had so many hesitations: Would I end up spending more money? Would these veggies go to waste? What happens if I get a box of just cilantro, sweet potatoes, kale and garlic?

But, I will never know the answers to these questions if I don't try. Also, since my diet is so largely plant-based now, it wouldn't hurt to branch out more. And, it makes me feel happy to support local farmers and have a clearer idea of where the things going into my body are coming from: my backyard(ish)!

My membership starts August 1 and lasts 10 weeks. I will be sure to let you know how it goes. If you're interested in joining me, you can find a local CSA here. Be sure to let me know if you're doing one! Or if you have any advice :)

veggie image via

Atlanta Fresh!

I'm not opposed to making blanket statements, and certainly wouldn't dare to call myself a skeptic. But as a seasoned Greek yogurt connoisseur, when I heard that Atlanta Fresh Greek yogurt was life changing, I knew I needed to investigate.

Still abstaining from sugar, I could only try the plain version, which was kind of a bummer because of their enticing flavors (Chocolate Rocket! Peach and Ginger!). But, it worked out since I typically eat plain anyway; it made it easier to benchmark.

While I didn't love the price, it had an undeniable smoothness that made it taste more decadent than other Greek yogurts. I also love that it's local because even though I don't technically know the owners, it still kind of makes me feel like I'm supporting my friends.

Next time, I'm thinking I'll mix it with my Reginald's and just really be blissing.

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