What a busy, long, beautiful fun day!!!
Things started early this morning when I met a friend from Davidson for coffee. I showered after breakfast and hopped on my bike to ride the 2.5 miles over to Cville Coffee.
Coffee with steamed milk please!
We talked and talked and talked (she’s writing a book and wanted some blog tips!) and I realized I was going to be late! I raced back on home and threw together a quick lunch.
Apple + Cheddar Hot Sandwich
And a mixed greens salad with leftover veggies, balsamic, and a few mixed nuts
And then we raced off – biking downtown for the second time that day!
Our event was the Charlottesville Community Garden Bike Tour put on by the Charlottesville Open Garden Project. It was essentially a fun event to get to know Cville’s community garden initiatives while traveling on a bike for $10 a person. It was lots of fun to bike in a caravan! We covered about 8 miles in total.
We biked down Main Street and started at the UVA Community Garden. It’s a public veggie garden maintained by student volunteers.
Next stop was also on the UVA Grounds: Hereford College Mini-Farm. Here a smaller group of students from Hereford College (a personalized smaller branch of UVA) maintain this garden. It was QUITE impressive, and I sniffed many fun herbs and came away with a handful of dill!
Already a few hours past lunch, I was excited to be served a few apple slices! They tasted so good after biking up and down a bunch of hills
We heard talks from each of the gardens’ managers or head gardeners about their goals and foundations.
A few miles later, we arrived at the Buford Schoolyard Garden Project. A super impressive grant-funded middle school garden
At almost all of the gardens, we were welcome to try cherry tomatoes
Gomph! Gomph!
More miles, more hours, we arrived at PATCH Garden (a project of the Haven). They had bees and compost!
And a great view!
However, since each stop was taking about 45 minutes, I was getting a bit worn out at this point.
A short trek further, and we ended with QCC Farms! Garden of Goodness
We got to relax a bit while we waited for the gardener to arrive.
Pure peace.
This garden is huge and established and feeds many who might not otherwise be able to afford fresh organic produce
Once we returned to our starting point (4 hours later) I was very hungry and very thirsty. Luckily, there was SOUP and BREAD!! Sponsored by Slow Food Albemarle Piedmont. Clearly the feast at the end was my favorite part of the day 
These were seriously the best array of soups I’ve ever tasted
I started with some AMAZING Butternut Squash Bisque and flatbread
Followed by a taste of Potato + Ham and split the Red Pepper (AMAZING!) with Matt
And downed a good amount of this amazing wood-fired doughy, eggy bread.
HUNGER IS THE BEST SAUCE!
A granola bar cookie to end!
Matt and I both won door prizes!?! Saving these for a special occasion
We had such a great time and are totally wiped out now. I feel wind burn and cold – sounds like a good time to [clean the bathtub] and then take a bath! Then, reading in my cozy bed
{ 65 comments… read them below or add one }
What a fun day!
What a great adventure!!
Now I’m hungry for soup and cheesy flatbread. Time for a 2nd dinner perhaps?
Looks like a fun day!
Such a fun day!! I’m craving bread now…your blog always seems to have the best-looking carbs around
What an ideal day to be cycling around town! Looks beautiful!
What an awesome day! I would love to spend an afternoon exploring community gardens! I’d also like to have my own…
What a fun thing to do!
What an exciting day! It was the perfect weather too!
I would love to do something like this – I love the idea of Community Gardening and the impact it can make on a community. Love local food and anything that celebrates it.
Looks like you had a gorgeous day – you must be pooped from all the bike riding!
I love soup….that is the best thing about cool weather.
Hello! First of all, my sincere apologies for writing this in your comments section and not emailing this to you. For some reason, I’m unable to find your email! Anyway, I’ve been a very longtime follower (and terrible commenter) and just saw the MC article mentioning you and the other five gals who attended the blogger event in Chicago awhile ago. I can’t help but feel frustration with this article because I (and all of your other followers) know how incredible and healthy you are! How dare they meticulously pick apart these bloggers who work so hard to have such successful blogs showcasing healthy lifestyles? Please know that we all know how fantastic you are and we stand behind your blog 100%. Rock on, Kerf
Freck, what article? I’m so curious now.
http://wearingmascara.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/marie-claire-article-the-hunger-diaries1.pdf
I’m going to write to Marie Claire to complain
Thanks so much for your support Freck
I have to say that as a reader (I am not a blogger), I am incredibly insulted by the Marie Claire article. Basically the author is assuming that I have no mind of my own, no opinions, and no idea what is best for me and my body! I love Kath’s blog (and all of the other’s mentioned) and I use them to get meal ideas, inspiration, tips, etc. I DO NOT live my life by them! Quite frankly anyone who does read the blogs and try to mirror the author is an idiot. Every is different! We all have different needs, likes, dislikes, habits, patterns, etc. If one is trying to live life exactly like Kath (or Jenna, or Tina, etc) then, quite frankly, she has some issues . . .
Kath, I love the blog and have been a follower since day one. I don’t usually comment but I wanted to about this to express my support for all that you do! Thanks!
That looks like a lot of fun! I wish we had things like that here!
http://wearingmascara.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/marie-claire-article-the-hunger-diaries1.pdf
What a horrible untrue article – I’m going to write to Marie Claire to complain.
oops this was supposed to be posted 1 up
Look at that bread!! It looks so artisan.
That tour looks like fun! Up here in Columbus they just kicked off a week promoting local foods with lots of events. I went on the Market to Market ride Saturday morning that was long (maybe 26 miles round trip?) but a lot of fun. Along the ride they had booths set up by local businesses that had information and a few freebies.
My goodness what a busy day! I love the public garden maintained by students…it gives a chance for them to give back to the community. Now I’m wondering if we have something like that around here.
what a great day and so nice that you have local activities like that
How fun to take a bike tour! I’ve gone on a flower garden tour — it was so interesting to see the beautiful gardens and listen to the owners! They were so proud and looked so happy to share their passion — it was wonderful!
What a gorgeous way to spend the day!!
What a busy day!!!! I loved this part “Gomph! Gomph!”
Wow you guys are really selling me on Charlottesville! Looks awesome!
I’ve never heard of anything like that before but how fun!
So Fun! I just moved to DC and am always trying to find fun things to do and experience REAL FOOD!
I bought I VitaMix today and thought of you. If you have any tips on the best things to make, I’d love to hear them!
Oh gosh this sounds amazing. I’d love to see if our area has something similar.. I’m afraid we may not though
I’m not trying to be mean but why do you where your shirts so tight?? It looks like you could use a size larger?
Seriously?
Because she’s a girl and not a guy.
Seriously?
First off, she has layers obviously, and secondly, she looks fabulous. god, the negativity sometimes…!
Ok that’s it Kath I moving to your town!! Find me a job now! lol Great pics
Oh boy, what a fun day! Looks like you two had a great time
What a fun unique event. Love all of the big gardens. Love the front of your shirt.
We went on a cheese bike tour yesterday and it was fantastic! Obviously we followed it by some beer tasting!
I think you should put those streamers in you hair
Then you’ll match all the beautiful fall colours!
What a fun event! That sounds like an exciting healthy way to spend the day!
i love soup buffets!
Oh boy, a soup tasting sounds really good about now!
What a great adventure! Your town sounds like a really nice place to live in
sounds like a nice day
All of those gardens are beautiful and serve a tremendously good purpose!!! Love the soup and brewed finish!
It looks like so much fun! And the perfect end to the day, a bath then reading in bed
Heidi xo
You must have tired legs…at least there were good treat at the end.
What a fun activity!
Wow! Your town looks so nice and friendly! People in my town just look at people then walk away! LOL
Apple and melted cheddar sandwiches are the best! I also love apple and brie.
That looks like the perfect day! The food, biking and weather all look amazing!
What a fun day!
that looks like so much fun! my college started a community garden the year before i graduated it was so amazing!
SO FUN!
I love that there are so many local activities in your town…all within biking distance. How nice is that?
That cheddar and apple sandwich looks amazing! As does the butternut squash bisque….I think I will try to make that sandwich asap
Great pics!
Wow!!! That looks like a great day!!!
looks fun!
The flat bread looks delicious! Jealous you have so many “healthy” adventures in your neighborhood!
What a great way to spend Sunday. Now I’m craving some apples and cheddar
That looks like it was so much fun! Beautiful pictures
You inspired me to make a nectarine and white cheese sandwich the other day because your fruit and cheese sandwiches always look to simple and delicious.
Your day looked so fun! How nice to spend a lovely Sunday outside biking and learning about fresh REAL food. What more could a healthy lifestyle food blogger want?
Such a fun day! I have an obsession with the Sensual Amber lotion and body wash from BBW!!! My husband bought it for me when it first came out and I buy a ton whenever there is a sale!
It’s my favorite!
What a fabulous way to spend a Sunday afternoon — celebrating bikes and local food — love it!
omg i used to love chedder and apple slices on ritz crackers– this totally brought me back!!!
happy monday dear
you guys rock! tho’ sidelined by some broken bones i’m definitely in for next time. rick (subrosa bakery) baked the bread in our brick hearth and it’s delish after a day in the saddle. kudos to the other restaurants who participated. we’re working on another community garden in belmont and soon will have a couple of community bike racks so you can tapas and leave your car at home. let’s keep expanding the good work you’ve already done cville!
I finally made myself an apple and cheddar sandwich. I have been dreaming about it since seeing it on your blog & it was as yummy as I had hoped! I used Ezekiel Bread and Honey Crisp Apple with the Cheddar Cheese. Thanks for the inspiration and such a great blog!