First CSA Goodie Bag and a Tribute to Hayden Trost

I picked up my first CSA goodie bag this past Tuesday! They’re fun because you have no idea what you will be getting- it’s like a mystery every time. Don’t know what a CSA is? Read about it here.

So, I opened my bag and saw (starting clockwise)- a whole chicken, pork stew, country ribs and a brisket.

Thank you Tara Firma Farms for delivering such good looking chunks of pastured meat!

To be honest, the only thing I’ve ever cooked out of this bunch was a whole chicken so I decided to start with something I’ve never tried- brisket. I looked up brisket to see the best way it was prepared and saw I could cook it in the crock pot.

Bingo! I love crock pot meals! They’re easy, produce little to no dirty dishes, quick, and require barely any physical labor- Just put all the stuff in and let the crock pot cook it for you. Ahh… If only every meal could be that easy.. I know, I know, wishful thinking.

Anyway, this worked out perfectly because I wouldn’t be home in time for dinner Friday night because I had to go to a funeral and wanted to make sure my husband and little booger had a good dinner waiting for them (with no hassle- applause to momma). When I got home, I couldn’t wait to dig in and oh my gosh…. it was so good!!! Probably one of my best dinners yet! I tried making a stew a few weeks ago and the meat was as dry as the desert. It was so dry that if you were stranded in the desert with no food and all you had was the stew meat I cooked… well you’d be screwed. If you took a bite you’d be more dehydrated than you were in the first place! Haha, I know it’s an extreme exaggeration but it was kind of extremely dry. Yikes- I don’t know what I did wrong. But this brisket, oh this brisket… It was moist and soft and melted it your mouth. Yum! One of the best parts is there was tons of left overs so now I don’t have to cook tonight either! 🙂

Tribute to Hayden Trost

My very good friend Claudia lost her brother Hayden and friend Brian Wheeler in tragic car accident. Although I didn’t know Hayden, Claudia and her mom Lynn have (and always will have) a very special place in my heart and it saddened my heart so deeply to know how much pain they were in. You never wish that on anyone especially someone so close to you.

The ceremony was beautiful and it was a full house- there were even people standing on the sides and standing in the back of the church. Lynn, Claudia and the family were very set on making it a celebration of his life and they did such a good job of it. Despite the fact that every one was mourning the loss of Hayden, the tone of the night was set by laughter and celebration as family members and friends stood and spoke about Hayden. Every single person who spoke, spoke from their heart and described him as sweet, a rock, a gentleman, caring, good-hearted. It was undeniable that he touched every single person’s heart in that church Friday night- including mine although I only spoke to him briefly a few times. Sitting there, soaking in the emotion of the night, I couldn’t help but wish to have known him better. Rest in peace Hayden Trost (and Brian Wheeler) and just like everyone said last night, this is not goodbye, it is see you later.

Experiencing the loss of Hayden is another reminder of how we need to live each and every day in the moment. Be present and be aware. We have to remember to slow our busy lives down and savor every little thing around us- especially our loved ones. Although all of us are thrown many unfair obstacles in life and can be very upset because of it, we have to remember to be grateful to be alive because life is beautiful. Take at least 5 minutes of your day to breathe in a deep breath of fresh air-that very fresh air that is giving you life-and remind yourself of what you have to be grateful for. Tomorrow is never promised and you don’t want to live your life in anything but the moment.

My love and heart goes out to Hayden’s family. I love you guys so much and I hope the pain you are feeling gets lifted soon.

Until next time,
Loriel - Healthy Roots, Happy Soul