I didn’t intend for this to become a product blog. I just wanted an outlet. I’ve been writing my whole life, in the form of diaries, journals, short stories, poetry, song lyrics, articles, essays, and the like, and I just wanted to create something simple and genuine—straight from the heart (or the sweet-tooth, rather).
And yes, it seems that every entry thus far has been about some product or another and how I’ve managed to use it to make my sweet-loving soul smile. After all, it’s the simple things that matter in life, right?
I have no intention to stop this silliness, but my daily detailing of pre-packaged goods (albeit organic ones) has forced me to confront the fact that I have been steadily slipping away from eating a fresh-foods-focused diet, something I've grown to place a great deal of value on over the past few years. I’m even back in school right now working toward a master’s degree in whole foods nutrition, so I am fully aware of the potential dangers of going overboard with the sugary indulgences.
But as I said, I will continue with this crazy compiling of packaged goodies of the food-allergy-friendly sort. Mostly because it makes me smile to do so. I will, however, be sharing my various from-scratch baking ventures along the way, too. And as we get into the warmer weather, I hope to incorporate much talk about sweet treats that grow naturally, in nature, the ones with just the right touch of sweetness because they’re popping fresh out of the earth or being plucked off a bush or a tree somewhere. I’m talking strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, plums—you name it. I’ve always adored them, but this year, I want to make an extra special effort to eat as many as possible, as locally and organic as possible.
http://www.fantastic-flavour.com (raspberry, blackberries, plums)
http://www.fma.alabama.gov/Recipes (strawberries)
In order to facilitate this, I’ve managed to choose two Rochester area farms to reach out to over the upcoming summer months: Mud Creek Farm in Victor, NY, and East Hill Farm in Middlesex, NY. I’ll actually be participating in a work-study weekend at East Hill Farm from June 25th to the 27th, about which I am super excited. I wanted to spend the entire summer volunteering on organic farms via the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) network, but alas, the unavoidable need for a steady source of income has prevented me from doing so.
This one weekend should make up for my botched farm-girl plans on some level, though. I’ll be partaking in a free (for me, because of the work-study thing) three-day workshop on biodynamic agriculture, taught by Nathaniel Thompson, a graduate of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. I may just walk away from the experience ready to grow some fruits and veggies of my own—something I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time now.
For now, I'll leave you with some lovely springtime photos, as my walk the other day in Rochester's Highland Park was oh so... sweet.
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