As is often the case, I was struggling to come up with what to write about this month and was scrolling through my camera to see what in fact we did in July, and it seemed there were a significant number of activities centered around food.
Perhaps that’s always the case, as I’m a known sucker for wild game dishes, garden goodies, coffee stops and adding treats to any meeting.
Or maybe it’s simply a symptom of a toddler who has grown a reputation for a voracious appetite.
But the thing that stood out is how much of it was locally sourced.
And as a seemingly perfect validation, I happened upon a social media post from a North Dakota farmer and fellow food connoisseur of a delicious meal who said, “If you’re not eating local at the end of July in North Dakota, you’re not tryin’!!”
In July we started making it a weekly tradition to attend our local Tuesday night farmer’s market.
Every week we buy eggs (because Fischer eats three eggs every morning, no exceptions or substitutions), a lemonade for us all to share, and occasionally partake in a baked or canned good, too.
It’s been a great way to support small businesses and spend a hot summer evening.
However, someone is now very aware of what a cup and straw could have to offer.
As I’ve mentioned, fishing with a toddler has proven to be more difficult than with an infant, but we’ve still given it a go and in July we made some time to each fish ourselves without Fischer in tow.
Just a few trips apiece and the freezer has been adequately restocked with walleye fillets and allowed for a few lake-to-plate fish meals, too.
We also got to road trip to the Anderson ranch in celebration of 50 episodes of the NDO Podcast where we were generously welcomed with free u-pick juneberries and tart cherries, freshly butchered goat gyros and Juneberry kuchen for dessert.
The evening ended with a tour of their three gardens, where Fischer astoundingly found even more room in his notoriously large belly for some fresh peas.
And our own garden at home started to produce a few vegetables, but I can’t say I’m proud of the attention it’s gotten this year.
I think the raised beds could have used some fertilizer this season and the most prosperous plant in the garden is Kentucky bluegrass, but it nonetheless has endured a daily visit from Fisch, and sometimes Fins, to munch on green beans and pick green tomatoes against my attempts to discourage it.
Amongst the food we have gone to the beach, spent almost every waking minute outside and made several trips to Minnesota lake country.
As we trek home on I-94 making several more stops than we once did, I sometimes feel somber about how far we live from family and a part of Minnesota I hold so dear.
Both sides of the interstate are flat and treeless.
But there’s just something about North Dakota and how directly connected to the land one can live.
It’s a state, landscape and lifestyle that’s easy to overlook but so special when you take the time to savor it, literally.
