Botticello Farms

I can not believe it is already Labor Day weekend, and WHAT A SHOCK….it is raining(again). I was going to weed the garden-oh darn, guess I will just have to finish that book I am reading….

Actually I dont mind a rainy day off now and then because I get to stay inside and loaf around without the guilty feelings that I should really be doing some activity outdoors.  Sometimes a body just needs a little down time, know what I mean? 

At the farm bell peppers are coming in by the truckload.  These are terrific when roasted. We have always roasted peppers, on the grill, at the farm.  There is nothing like the scent of fresh roasted peppers on a crisp autumn day.  Grab a loaf of fresh baked Italian bread from the bakery, put your (still warm) roasted peppers on a slab of bread and enjoy the best snack ever!

Oops, made myself hungry.  Guess I wont be finishing that book today after all.   

And the summer doesnt even feel like it has started yet.

At the farm we are just starting to pick truckloads of tomatoes, this is about 2 weeks later than we normally are picking.  We are just beginning to pick some peppers (finally). Summer squash and zucchini have been producing quite nicely, however with this cold weather snap I am not sure if the plants will slow down their production. The corn is delicious! I am going to enjoy every single day left of this years production while it lasts-the season may be short this year. 

There is really nothing better tasting, or more nutritious, than fresh, local produce. We are currently enjoying fresh picked corn, tomatoes, pickles, cucumbers, peppers, squash, beans, blueberries, blackberries, nectarines, peaches, pears, early apples and new potatoes. If you need some recipes to get you started follow this link: http://www.botticellofarms.net/vegetable%20recipes.html

Dont wait until summer is over,  stop by today while produce is at the peak of this season… See you at the farm!

Today I had to bring my cat to the vet. This past week she has been squinting in one eye.  I finally saw a huge scratch across her eye this morning & needed to bring her to get the eye looked at before she lost her vision. 

I really don’t like going to the vet on Saturdays because the wait is alway sooo… long. Today was no exception.  They told me they had an opening at 9:45 & I was there.  

 The room was full, and I mean full-standing room only. All dogs. One cat, mine. Now, I don’t know if you have ever observed the pets in a Vets’ waiting room, but I have to tell you that if you have an extra hour on a Saturday morning it is really something to see.  One little snauzzer hiding under the bench, obviously believing that if no one saw him he would be safe.  Another, a huge newfoundland, trying to climb in his “moms” lap. Then when the vet called him in-he laid down on the floor and refused to walk into the examining area, he actually had to be dragged in.  These guys (our pets) know what is going on, and no way are they going along with it.  It is amazing how you finally realize how much like us they truly are. Well, after only an hour wait the vet called me in. He found the scratch treated it-gave me a perscription & sent me out to pay my bill.  The good news was she didn’t scratch the cornea-only the lens, which is bad enough but at least it will heal with no lasting repercussions. After about a 20 minute wait I got to pay my bill-which was a reasonable amount.

It was when I was walking back to my car that I cried.  There was a whole family in the parking lot who had just had to put down their beloved dog.  I don’t know if he had suffered trauma from a car accident, or if he was old and suffering-luckily I had escaped viewing that part of this sad tragedy.  The pets whole family was there and they were sobbing & hugging each other.  Witnessing the tremendous pain they were experiencing moved me beyond words.  I immediatly shared the pain they were feeling. I expressed my sorrow at their loss & got in my car and hugged my cat. Thankful that she is ok and will be with me many more years. But I cried all the way home because, even though I didn’t know this family, I too have felt the enormous pain of losing a beloved friend and pet. It feels as if someone reached their hand into your chest and ripped your heart out, leaving only a gaping bleeding hole that actually hurts-physically. It can take quite a long time before you can learn to live with that pain.  I don’t believe you “get over” loss, instead I believe you learn to live with the pain.  And, every now & then it washes over you again bringing you back to your fresh grief.

Pets bring out the human-ness in us.  They give us unconditional love and acceptance. They bring us together as people.  Think about it-when you want to strike up a conversation with most people if you mention your pet you gain an immediate response. Either a sharing of pet stories, or a display of repulsion…,”you have a cat(dog, hamster, fish…), I HATE cats(dogs, hamsters, fish…)!” And the discussion goes on from there.

Many people try to downplay a pets death. They feel they are “stupid” to be grieving so hard-or they don’t discuss their loss for fear of being looked at strangly. They are afraid that others will say ”Imagine so totally devestated by a pets loss, what a nutcase.” Well, I for one grieve hard and long when I lose a family member and whether they are standing on two legs or four doesn’t diminish my loss at all.  Acknowledging someones loss with a sympathy card or just a simple, “I am sorry about your loss” means so much to the people experiencing the trauma of grief. And it brings us closer together, reminding us that we all eventually live, love and die.

To the family who returned their beloved pet to God and his angels this weekend, “I am so sorry for your loss-I too have been there and share your pain-hopefully by knowing others grieve with you eases your burden, somehow. 

I love the 4th of July festivities!  It is a great picnic day that ends with a wonderful fireworks display.  What better way to welcome summer? I am hoping that July 1st (this Saturday) brings tons of sunshine and the evening is clear for the river festivities and the Manchester fireworks display. 

In Manchester there is the chicken bar-be-que at the band shell and later the fireworks, shown from the same location.  We have great seats from the farm parking lot, and every year the show seems to get better. Towns across Connecticut hold their July 4th festivities on different days over the holiday weekend-if you plan accordingly you can see a few shows in different towns. Lebanon is holding their Independence Day festivities July 8th, on the Green.

Let’s hope the weekend rainstorms are over for the summer & we can begin to enjoy outdoor activities once more. See you at the farm. 

We have some of our own hot house tomatoes, and they are delicious.  The tomatoes we grow in our greenhouse taste as close to garden fresh as you can get, without going out to your own garden to pick one.

We are picking baskets and baskets of zucchini and summer squash.  If you want some great recipes follow this link: http://www.botticellofarms.net/yellow%20squash%20recipes.htm

Strawberries will be coming in for at least another week. Yes, it is a (too) short season, so better eat them while they are available….try a couple of these recipes: http://www.botticellofarms.net/fruit%20recipes.htm

In less than a week we will be changing from greenhouse sales to produce sales. (this means we will move over from standing in the 120 degree greenhouse to selling from our stand…

Please stop down today and get some farm fresh produce – it is a short season in Connecticut. Get it while you can. 

See you at the farm…..

Fathers Day is truly a special day for anyone who has helped a child grow.