Red and Golden Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

I love the concept of the CSA box. Pay your local farmer for a share of their harvest, and get fresh fruits and veggies throughout the year.

There aren't many in my area, and my local farmers market is so full of items that I haven't gotten one yet. Besides, I have my own CSA.

It's my Dad CSA.

My dad "farms" the entire backyard and side of my parent's house. My dad's family were farmers in the Imperial Valley and central California before they were sent to internment camps in Jerome, Arkansas and Gila River, Arizona during WWII. After the war, the family settled in Los Angeles and my grandfather was a gardener. There were lots of Japanese American gardeners back in the day, see this book: Green Makers: JA Gardeners in Southern California. Anyway, even though my dad became a mechanic, he always grew veggies in the backyard.

This season, he is growing lots of tomatoes, Japanese cucumbers, red beets, golden beets, string beans, lettuce, mustard greens, and shishito peppers.

My dad usually grows red beets, but I love the golden beet. I think they are sweeter and they don't stain your fingers!! So...I just happened to give my dad some golden beet seeds for his birthday! :) Thus, my own Dad CSA box of freshness!

I steamed the beets for 30 minutes, let cool completely and peeled. I stick my hand in a plastic baggie when peeling the red beets. I drizzled some olive oil and red wine vinegar on top along with goat cheese and pepita seeds. The beets are so sweet!

Thanks Dad!

Phil's Garden in Los Angeles

Today, I went to Dave & Phil's house and explored Phil's front and backyard garden. It should have its own garden tour! Phil's garden is amazing!


Grapes! Grapes! in the middle of Los Angeles!

When I first passed the backyard deck, I saw the grapes and thought they were decor! Oh, how sweet, attaching very realistic plastic grapes to the roof... but THEY ARE REAL. These are red seedless and they are also growing some green seedless.