Earlier this summer, Ben and I were taking a walk around our neighborhood and discovered a basket filled with cucumbers and a hand-lettered sign reading "Free Garden Vegetables." It was sitting on the fence, behind which lies a beatifully restored old farmhouse with a large and productive garden. Never one to pass up free food, and especially not homegrown veggies, Ben and I happily loaded up our arms and brought home three delicious cukes. Ben was very sure that there was one for each person in our family. Ever since then, I've checked outside each day to see if the basket is out and Ben and I often take walks to check and see if there are any cucumbers waiting for us.According to a neighbor, the cute old couple who lives in the farmhouse carries on this tradition each summer, sharing their surplus produce with the people in our neighborhood. I don't know if anyone else takes advantage of it, but I've found it quite charming and something I look forward to very much. It's the little things like this that increase the quality of life and make a place feel like home.
I feel like in a tiny way we're becoming "locavores," the hip term for people who eat locally grown food so as to cut down on the resources used to ship food so we can have fresh fruits and vegetables year-round. So really, the whole thing is mutually beneficial: Their food doesn't get wasted, we save money on groceries, and no one has to buy gas to produce or harvest the food. If this is how I have to sacrifice to help the environment, count me in any day.
This house is currently for sale and I'll be sad if the new owners let the garden go to waste.
Today's bounty from the basket: I can't wait to make pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes and chicken and a big green salad. 
9 comments:
The house is for sale? A restored farmhouse with a big garden within walking distance to you? It's my dream house!!!
i think YOU should move into that house, nollie! then that amazing garden will be YOURS to keep what you want... and share a little too maybe! i bet that house is sweet too!
I would if I had a cool $567,000, which is the current asking price. Although it does have the most amazing yard, I think it's just a bit overpriced, seeing as how the owners bought it for something like $250,000. We looked on the county auditor's website. :)
I love your pesto recipe!
Oh man... that's awesome. Free veggies? That's the best.
I have to admit you mentioning becoming a "locavore" makes me feel slightly guilty since I am- seemingly- the ONLY non-locavore in Cambridge. It's gotten to the point where I look both ways after I go to Costco or Market Basket, then run the groceries in hoping no one sees that I don't go to Trader Joe's (and that I'm using plastic instead of the cloth bags everyone else owns). Sigh. ONe of these days when I don't have to buy a gazillion diapers and 3 dozen eggs at a time, I'll go local :).
When we move someday..I am so going to miss our farmer's market. It's only a few blocks from our house, every week. By no means are we "locavores" but ain't the garden stuff great? I also love the garden house.
I want your pesto recipe! My tomatoes are just coming on and I don't have a fresh recipe. If you get a chance, will you post it or send it my way? Sounds yummy!
What a great idea. Didn't Barbara Kingsolver write a book about her families experience being locavores? The name escapes me though.
Yep, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is the name of Kingsolver's book. It's good, but not as good as The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, on a similar topic.
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