The last part of our CSA year...

Back in June I posted about our CSA experience so far here.  We enjoyed so many yummy meals as a result of our participation with the Firsthand Farmers Cooperative.  Thank you so much to all the farmers and farms who were involved!

Here are the photos from the rest of the season (not every week, I didn't always remember and/or we away).

June 30, 2011.  Clockwise from bottom:  Carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, beans, kale, basil, potatoes

July 7, 2011 Clockwise from bottom left:  garlic, fennel, leek, rosemary, carrots, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes, raspberries.

August 11, 2011 Clockwise from left: zucchini, green pepper, eggplant, mini tomatoes, garlic, basil, large tomatoes, okra, summer squash (yellow zucchini)

August 18, 2011 Clockwise from bottom:  tomatoes, butter, eggs, baby turnips, lettuce, summer squash, potatoes, green peppers, onions, hot peppers

August 25, 2011 Clockwise from bottom:  Tomatoes, butter, lettuce, eggs, jalapeno peppers, carrots, green/red peppers, eggplant, onions, summer squash,

August 29, 2011  Clockwise from bottom:  summer squash, eggs, plain yogurt, carrots, onions, red peppers, lettuce, tomatoes.

September 5, 2011 Clockwise from bottom:  lettuce, serrano peppers, jalapeno peppers, eggplant, basil, moogurt, eggs, watermelon, zucchini, onions.

September 12, 2011.  Clockwise from bottom:  zucchini, eggs, moogurt, parsley, green beans, delicata squash, jalapeno peppers, potatoes, garlic & green peppers.

September 26, 2011.  Clockwise from bottom:  Butternut Squash, garlic, scarlet turnip, radishes, collard greens, parsley

October 3, 2011.  Clockwise from bottom:  Sweet Dumpling Winter Squash, eggs, moogurt, sweet potatoes, turnips, lettuce, salad mix, green & yellow beans.

October 13, 2011.  Clockwise from bottom:  Bok Choi, eggs, green peppers, radishes, moogurt, lettuce, arugula.

October 17, 2011.  Clockwise from bottom:  Broccoli, eggs, raspberries, butter, cooking greens, salad greens, winter squash, green peppers.

October 24, 2011.  Clockwise from bottom:  garlic, green peppers, sweet potatoes, eggs, mixed salad greens, butter, carrots

November 14, 2011. Clockwise from bottom:  Jerusalem artichokes, butter, eggs, sweet potato, beets, lettuce, turnips

November 21, 2011.  Clockwise from bottom: fresh ginger, daikon radishes, carrots, butter, eggs, luttuce, turnips

December 5, 2011.  Clockwise from bottom:  beets, Jerusalem artichokes, carrots & cooking greens.  The 1/2 bushel of apples was an additional purchase.

A big week of letters!

So, my last post was a Mail Call Monday post, 2 weeks ago.  While happy to receive a book, I hadn't received any letters from my sponsor children.  That was January 9th and I posted before I checked the mail.  That week I got letters on Monday (Allan), Friday (Tania, Andres) and Saturday (Allan again).  It was a deluge, a downpour of letter blessings!   4 in one week!  That has never happened before!  I was so excited!
Here are some photos of their letters:

Allan & Tania are both from Ecuador and this is their "Reciprocal Letter" paper.  Andres' is different; he's from Guatemala.

Allan's letter.  Pardon my "white out", it is to protect both Allan and my family :-)

The back of Andres' letter, with the translation.  Check out his great Christmas drawings!

Allan's drawings!

Tania always incorporates Bible verses into her drawings:  God is love (center of flower),  He is my strength and my help (left circle), I can do everything in Christ (right circle),  quietness, confidence (left leaves), peace, reason (right leaves).

What a blessing these letters have been to me.  I love these kids!!!

Mail Call Monday - No letters but a book!

I checked the mailbox with high hopes every day last week but there were no letters from our sponsor children.  However, on Friday when I went to the mailbox there was a "larger than letter" package from Compassion.

My copy of Chris Seay's book A Place at the Table: 40 Days of Solidarity with the Poor.   I'm excited to read this and do the 40 days and the perfect time seems the upcoming lenten season.

Speaking of letters...  The Compassion Blog had a great post today about how much our letters mean to our sponsor children:  10 Motivating Reasons to Write Your Child.  Check it out! 

Mail Call Monday... erm Tuesday - Katherine!

We received a letter from Katherine on Tuesday, December 27th (there being no mail on the 26th), so I have high hopes for my trip to the mailbox today after yesterday's postal holiday.

Katherine, who lives in Nicaragua, wrote us a short and sweet letter.  She celebrated her 10th birthday in October and this letter was a combined Christmas letter and Thank You letter.  Sadly, no photo but lovely words.

Hi dear Sponsor,
 
God bless you!  My grandma and I are happy and thankful because of the gift.  We pray for God bless you always.  I am so happy because I bought so many things:  a skirt, 2 blouses, sandals, slippers, underwear, toys for my sister and socks.  Thank you for your help.  Christmas is coming.  What are you going to do on Christmas?  All the families here get together to have dinner; I think that you do the same.  I hope that you receive many presents.  I ask you to pray for my Mom, for my grandma, for my sister and for me.  Love and farewell,

Katherine 


Planning to send off a round of letters today via Compassion's online writing tool.  Have been meaning to write to the children about our trip to the animal safari and my now infamous camel bite!

Have a blessed day!