June 4 meat share

I picked up my first meat share on Wednesday in Arlington, MA. I had no idea what to expect, thinking that my 10-pound share would probably include four pieces of meat that I'd have to divvy up. It wasn't like that at all! There were lots of little packages, almost like it was designed for one or two people. It included:
- 2 packages that each had two hamburger patties.
- 2 packages of ground meat.
- 3 breakfast sausage.
- 3 lamb sausage.
- 1 large ham steak.
- 1 London broil steak.
- 2 beef rib Delmonico steaks.

I was surprised that there wasn't any chicken in the share, but I know that this is the start of chicken season so we might not get any for a month or two. I committed to six months, and the ten pounds cost $70. I also bought two dozen eggs at $4 per dozen. Kim, the farmer, said that you can leave the eggs out on the counter for up to 10 days and they taste better. She also said that the USDA might disagree with that method, and that eggs last up to a month in the refrigerator.

I put the London broil into my meat and parsnip crockpot. Elena took hers out at 6am and said it was wonderful, but when I took my serving out at 8am the steak was too tough. Organic, grain-fed meat is much leaner than conventional meat, so you should take about 30% off of cooking time. I told Kim that I am Irish and can't cook meat, and she said, "Don't boil it!" And look what I go and do.