GIANT Pumpkins

The results of this year's Giant Pumpkin weigh-in are in, and the winner is:

Tyler Quiqley and his 1,500 pound pumpkin.

That is one big gourd. Interestingly enough, Tyler's neighbor, Matt McConkie, hold's the current state record for giant pumpkins, which is 1,600 pounds. Want gourds this big? The contest is held every year, and you can find details at the Utah Giant Pumpkin Grower's web site, and you can learn about growing your own giant pumpkin in Issue 5.

CSA Bounty

After a couple of weeks of being a slacker after vacation, I made it back to the garden to put in a few hours and pick up some of the most recent harvest. There was a selection:

I helped myself to one of these

I didn't take that huge one, but the one I ended up with is a lot bigger than what you generally find at the store. I also took one of these:

Zuccini (yes, I took the big one). And this too:

Giant Cucumber, which I did take. And check out those curly ones. You certainly don't see that at the store!

So, the CSA program to which I belong is obviously awesome. For $50 per year and with at least 25 hours worth of work, I'll be receiving fresh produce until well into November. And with summer veggies the likes of these, my grocery bill is already benefiting! If you haven't already, check out CSA Utah and find a CSA program in your area. Get out there and support local agriculture!

Buying Local on a Budget

Okay, so let's just go ahead and say it: eating healthy is not always the most financially viable option. It's no coincidence that the foods that are slowly killing us are the cheapest ones. Guess what. It's possible to get healthy, fresh, local food inexpensively. Example: I just got a whole growing season's share of food for $50 and 25 hours of work in any of 13 local gardens per year. Can't beat that deal with a stick. And that's the beauty of CSA. Consult this list from Serious Eats for more ideas about fitting local products into your budget.

Get involved, get healthy. That's what we're talking about.