CSA - community support agriculture. Basically like a community farm, people pay you to grow produce for them. You can do 5 members or 100. It's got some advantages over doing farmer's markets, but that's also debateable. Basically, you grow the produce and the deliver boxes of it to subscribers (or they come pick them up). Most subscribers pay in the beginning of the season which really helps because when farming, that's when cash flow is needed the most. Good point about the water. I think my concern was, since I've never actually done the lasagna beds before, is that if I don't water the layers quite well then wouldn't the weeds underneath the cardboard on the bottom have an easier time surviving? I thought it was the combination of the wet & thickness of it (plus the weight of the mulch on top) that killed off the grass beneath. Am I incorrect in my thinking? I was only thinking about doing the watering initially when establishing the beds, but I wouldn't worry about it after that, as I add more mulch over the years. And another good point about the trees. Those will definitely be going in ASAP as $$ allows. My husband and I are both students and so cash flow is tight but plan on getting quite a few fruit/nut trees by the end of the summer for sure. If I have to start them from seed, I'll get it done.

Guess I am with you Khandi. My son is used to having home cooked meals. He actually doesn't care to eat out. And college meal plans are rather expensive. He is trying to get by without any college debt. Yes, he has learned to cook and shop for himself. But, I know he'll be busy with tough classes, working and having some fun in college clubs (running, hiking, climbing, etc). I am planning to put together some simple recipes in a book. I will also be going up once in a while (3 hours away) and when I do, I'll be throwing together a few freezer meals for him to dump in a crock pot. I don't think there is any shame in that. It means you love your child and want them to eat healthy meals. I have always cooked at home, he has always seen me cook and I know he's learned the value in that to carry on for himself. Home cooking teaches them the value of a dollar and a healthy lifestyle. Good luck to your daughter and I'm so glad there are caring parents out there :)

Oh, right, the 22nd is a Sunday...the big prep day. Should be a relax day, lol. But no, it is a multi-task day. Not sure of your family favorite recipe, but my winter lasagna is much more dense and rich compared to my late summer veggie lasagna.... When i do the winter version i make a crockpot chili at the same time as they use similar ingredients except for the spices and final additions... For the lasagna i do all the prep, the sauce, caramelized onions and mushrooms, etc. , and 'build it' and bake just 1/2 hour short, chill, and top with cheese and fridge, covered. I can finish the baking the next day or two days later... Three days is a stretch, but if chilled in the coldest part of your fridge it should be fine. Or prep all the 'layers' and keep them cold and in the fridge and do a final quick assembly the night before?. Three-four days for left-overs is not a problem...my limit is three, DH will go four, lol. You don't want to serve left-overs, so if you bake it 2/3ds and get it cold fast in the coldest part of your fridge and do the final bake Christmas day, it will taste fresh. The only trouble is if your fridge get so much action and is full and not holding a good cold temp...from opening often by family members off school and work, things will spoil faster, so crank it colder for x-mas week and all your foods will be fine. If you have snow like we do, bake it and chill it in a snow pack under the casserole dish to chill quick. Extending a dish for later serving is really all about how well you get it cold fast, then keeping it chilled...

lizbeth, here's the recipe...very tweakable. I sometimes use Trader Joe's 'Organic Marinara Sauce' as a sub for the tomato sauce and canned tomatoes. It's a good base and not overly sweet. You can use whatever sauce ingredients you like best for lasagna, but I recommend trying the filling. Lasagna Imbottite Sauce (Note: Best made a day or 2 ahead): 2 T. olive 1 small onion, chopped 2 large cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 tsp. dried oregano 1/2 tsp. dried basil 1 lb. ground beef 1/2 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage 1 28-oz. can tomato sauce 1 14 1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained 1/3 to 1/2 cup red wine (optional) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley Salt and pepper, to taste Heat the oil in a large sauce pan. Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, oregano and basil; saute for another minute. Add the meat and cook until browned, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Add both cans of tomatoes, rinsing out with the wine, if using). Add the parsley and bring to a low boil. Cover, reduce heat to very low, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning adding more salt/pepper, if needed. Remove from heat and cool to room temp. Cover and put in fridge if making in advance. Filling: 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup butter 1 pint ricotta cheese 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry (a potato ricer works great for squeezing out liquid) Salt and pepper, to taste Pinch of nutmeg 1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Lasagna noodles of choice Fry the mushrooms in the butter; season with salt and pepper. Mix mushrooms and their juices with the ricotta. Mix in spinach, Parmesan, salt and nutmeg. Taste for seasoning, and mix in eggs. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 X 13 pan and cover with about 1/2 cup sauce. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread lasagna with a thin layer of filling, top with a layer of mozzarella followed by Parmesan. Repeat until the lasagna is gone, ending with layer of sauce and a heavy sprinkling of Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, for about 50 minutes, or until bubbling. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.