Outstanding in the Field, again

Last Sunday (which just happened to be Mike's birthday), we went to another Outstanding in the Field event. If you recall, we went to one in Minnesota on July 31. This one was held at Jolie Vue Farm, which is where we get our monthly meat delivery from. This truck is part of the the Grass Fed Express, but I doubt that it actually makes 60+ mile trek into town.

It was HOT outside, so you can see why everyone was trying to huddle in the shade while Jim Denevan gave his talk.

This is the herd of cows whose off-spring make their way into our freezer.

After eight months with their mothers, these guys have it made in the shade while they fatten themselves up native grasses.

And here is where the pigs live, out in the forested areas.

One of the two heritage breeds, Berkshires and Durocs, that are raised here.


Some of the prep work being done to serve dinner to 150 out in the middle of the farm field.




The menu...

Roasted pig noses (they tasted better than they looked!)


Chilled cushaw squash soup with arugula pesto & purple hull pea crostini


Goat tamales in banana leaves


Grilled Gulf whole snapper with chile glaze, squash, radishes & field peas


Crispy roasted pork belly, apples & red cabbage


Toasted, herbed cornmeal poundcake, goat cheese mousse, blueberry compote and butternut squash, spicy walnut & sage macaroons.


Quite a different menu from the event in Minnesota, but that's what locavorism is all about! The food was all great, even the pig noses and tails, but hopefully next year they will hold this event in late October instead of September, when the chance of cooler weather is more likely.

Les Petites Images: Better than Christmas: A Give Away

I know how much everyone loves give-aways, so thought I would post a link to one. This is my daughter's blog and she is giving away some great stuff from Marx Foods!

Les Petites Images: Better than Christmas: A Give Away

Finally, some pictures!

I still only have the binding machine-sewn on this quilt, but thought it would look prettier photographed on a bed than on the clothesline. Now to begin the blind stitching...



As I mentioned earlier, Marjorie and I hit 9 of the 14 shops in the North Texas Shop Hop. At each shop we got a free fat quarter...these are mine. A couple of the shops let you choose any one in the shop, but most had a limited selection to choose from.


I bought these at Cabbage Rose to make a table runner, figgy pudding by basicgrey from Moda.

This was the last they had of this Tulip Nouveau by Ro Gregg for Northcott at Quilt Among Friends but it was so pretty I had to take it. They had shown a black skirt and jacket trimmed in it. Maybe I will get the urge to take up garment making again.


And at Common Threads they had a bin of "scraps" that you could fill a bag with for $2, and fill it I did!


Can you believe all this was in there? I especially love the orange and brown vintage cowboy print.

In total, I don't think I spent more than $30 (excluding gas :-), but we sure had fun!

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...I was just in Fort Worth

Mike and I went up to Mansfield for Labor Day. We spent the weekend at my mom's and got to visit with my brother and his kids and our kid (who lives in Plano). Mike flew home on Monday afternoon (so he could fly to SFO on Thursday) and I stayed the rest of the week. My BFF Marjorie was in the metroplex for a company meeting and we got to spend the weekend together. Her timing was perfect, because it was the North Texas Shop Hop. In a day and a half we managed to hit nine of the fourteen shops, which was especially impressive because it was pouring rain all weekend (including a good portion of my drive back to Houston Sunday morning.) We saw LOTS of pretty things, got some great ideas, a free fat quarter at each shop and did buy a bit of fabric and a few patterns. When I finish the laundry, maybe I will get around to taking a few pictures. I also got my last quilt back from the quilter and have the binding machine-sewn on. Now for the blind stitching...