Milky Way Farm Crop Share Program

For any of you Chester County, PA readers, here's some information on the Milky Way Crop Share program. I participated last year (splitting with a friend) and cannot wait to start back up again in June! It's not only fun going to get the produce and fruit, but you can visit the animals at the farm, let the kids run around, and try new veges you might not eitherwise eat.

So here's the info:

Farmers Market Vegetable and Fruit Co-op

Fresh farm produce grown in our local community.

The Co-op brings together a range in local farm produced products grown in our local area.

Produce is available for 22 weeks from 9th of June to 5th of November.

Weekly pick-up times.

Members will pick-up their freshly harvested produce once a week from our Farmers Market building.

Two pick-up options are available:
Wednesday, 3:00pm-8:00pm
Friday, 3:00pm-8:00pm

Co-op Produce Includes:

Brussel Sprouts
Broccoli
Beans
Beets
Cabbage
Cantaloupes
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Eggplants
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Peppers
Potatoes
Radish
Spinach
Summer Squash
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Swiss Chard
Tomatoes
Turnips
Water Melon
Zucchini

When new varieties of produce become available notice will be sent via email and posted on our community notice board inside our Farmers Market building.

Additional items may be purchased separately during different stages of the harvest season. Items include Eggs, Ice cream, Honey, Meat (Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Pheasant, Pork, Rabbit and Turkey)

Memberships accepted through to 5th June.

Turn your membership form in to Chester Springs Creamery, or mail it to:

MWF Markets
521 E. Uwchlan Ave
Chester Springs PA 19425

If you have any questions, please send an email to localco-op@live.com

It's not too early for sunscreen.

Here in Philly the weather has been hot the last few days so we have been hitting the zoo and parks. One might think that since it's only April, you do not sunscreen....but you are wrong. Take it from me, I just learned I have melanoma.

So about four years ago I started to get a light freckle on my forehead. It really wasn't that noticable so I did not think much of it. I usually wear sunsreen being that I am fair skinned, blonde, and moley. Over time the freckle seemed to get darker and darker. About a year ago my family doctor recommended that I start seeing a dermatologist once a year to do a skin check.

So I did the routine check and at my first visit the Dr. wanted to scrape a mole on my stomache. It came back as an atypical (dysplastic) mole. Basically it means you are at risk for melanoma but it is not cancerous. The doctor also took a picture of the mole on my forehead so we could keep an eye on it, with me returning every few months.

A few weeks ago I went for my follow-up visit and we both decided it was time to take the mole off. I was sent to a plastic surgeon and the biopsy was performed down at Penn...It came back as malignant melanoma. Fortunately we caught it early as it is only .52 mm thick and in stage 1. To make sure the cancer did not spread, the doctors did want me to go in for surgery again, down at Penn this time, to have more skin removed...ensure clear margins.

So that brings me to today...I am bruised and looking silly but very glad I took the mole out when I did. Let this be a lesson to all of you :-)

(And hopefully next week I will get back to my recipes from BJ's) So stay tuned.

Light it Up Blue

Tonight, April 1, prominent buildings across North America and the world including the Empire State Building in New York City and the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada will be lit up blue to raise awareness for autism and to commemorate World Autism Awareness Day on Friday, April 2.

Join me to raise awareness. Here are some things I am doing to "Light It Up Blue":

•I will be sporting my novelty Chesapeake Ribbons' Autism Awareness products throughout the month of April.

•I will update my Facebook profile picture to the Light It Up Blue logo and tag my friends.

•On April 2 I will dress myself and the kids in blue clothing to show our support and hopefully open some dialogue with those that might not be as knowledgeable about World Autism Day.

Here are some things you can do to Light It Up Blue:

•Wear your Autism Speaks puzzle piece pin every day throughout the month of April, and tell people about autism if they ask about it. (Wear your Chesapeake Ribbons' product or purchase an Autism Awareness key fob).

•Change your Facebook profile picture to the Light It Up Blue logo and tag at least 10 of your friends.

•Post on your blog about how you are “lighting it up blue” to raise autism awareness.

•Add the Light It Up Blue logo to your e-mail signature … and type your e-mails in blue!

•On April 2 wear blue clothing and ask your co-workers, schools and friends to wear blue too. Take pictures and add them to our Flickr gallery.

•Bake puzzle piece shaped cookies and frost them with blue icing, then bring them to your school, work or place of worship to raise autism awareness.