U-M Library Used Book Sale

A quick post so you don't miss out: The University of Michigan Library annual Used Book Sale will be this Monday, December 14.

Paperback books will be $0.50, while vinyl records, hardcover books, and DVDs will be only $1. Music lovers, rejoice: This year's sale features lots of vintage vinyl records!

The sale will take place 10 a.m.-10 p.m. in the Gallery (Room 100) of the Hatcher Graduate Library at 913 S. University Ave.

(Via MLive)

Tantre Farm Solstice CSA Share

It might be warm this week, but winter is coming. In the dead of winter, I usually end up craving exactly what I can't have...fresh, local produce. The local CSA (community-supported agriculture) season ended in October and the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market is no longer open Wednesday mornings, so options are slim this time of year.

Deb and Richard of Tantre Farm in Chelsea, MI, are offering a one-time Solstice Share for $85 for pickup on Saturday, December 19. The share will offer the best from their root cellar for roasting, slaws, and soups, including purple and orange carrots, beets, several kinds of potatoes, rutabaga, Daikon radishes, watermelon radishes, and turnips. Green cabbage, several kinds of winter squash, onions, and hopefully spinach will also be included. For this special CSA share, they are collaborating with local artisans and farmers to round out the share with a bag of tender pea shoots from Garden Works Organic Farm, a loaf of hearty bread from The Mother Loaf Breads, and a jar of tasty fermented vegetables from The Brinery. You can sign up for the Solstice Share here, if you'd like, by December 16.

My family joined Tantre Farm's CSA share this summer and we loved having fresh, local produce every week. It's a great way to eat the healthy food we love, save money, and support a local farm. The shares are bountiful. I saved many of our winter squash and root vegetables to use throughout the fall and winter. I prepped and froze greens (turnip, beet, kale, spinach, collard, etc.) to make amazing frittatas all winter. My freezer is also full of Tantre Farm's delicious corn so that I can make corn chowder and enjoy the sweet taste of summer in the middle of winter. 

If you join or renew in the spring, CSA members are also welcome to come to Tantre Farm to pick raspberries and flowers themselves most weeks in the summer. I took my baby almost every week. We loved eating raspberries as we picked them, visiting the pigs and chickens, and bringing home a beautiful bouquet of flowers. 

Let me know in the comments if you know of other farms in Ann Arbor or Metro Detroit offering one-time CSA shares this winter!

(Photos of us picking flowers at Tantre Farm)

Free Bike Lights for Ann Arborites

Many of us, my husband included, ride bikes to commute in Ann Arbor. If you need a bike light, the city of Ann Arbor has expanded their free bike light program to all residents, whether or not they work downtown.

The city is providing bike lights to increase cyclist visibility in response to recent cycling deaths. Cyclists in Michigan are required to use front and back lights between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise.

Downtown employees should pick up their bike lights at the Blake Transit Center. All other residents should email walkbikedrive@a2gov.org.

Stay safe!

(Via MLive)

Ice Skating in Ann Arbor

As a follow-up to my last post on swimming lessons, I thought it would be seasonally appropriate to share information about Ann Arbor's ice skating rinks.

Update: Reader Cheryl shared that University of Michigan's Yost ice arena on State St. offers $3 skate at noon Monday-Friday. Skate rental is only $2! "Arrive at 11:30 to park, pay for skating, and get skates on. Skate 12-12:50. Perfect if your kids are learning ([and you're] bending over the whole time to help them), or three hour skate is too long. Fun to skate the 'M' in the center, they usually play 1980's hits, not too crowded, beautiful architecture." She also writes to check first because they sometime cancel noon skate for other events. Find more information here.

Buhr Park has an outdoor ice skating arena and is open from October 31 to April 3, 2016. The public skating schedule is pretty accomodating: Sunday, 3:15-5:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 7:45-8:45 p.m. (half price and broom ball); Wednesday, 4:45-5:45 p.m. (half price and broom ball) and 7:15-8:45 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 7:15-8:45 p.m.; Saturday, 2:30-4:30 p.m. and 7:15-8:45 p.m. You can find more information and a list of special events here.

For days when you just cannot imagine staying outdoors, Veterans Park has an indoor ice arena. General skate hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, 1:20-2:45 p.m.; Thursday, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1:00-2:30 p.m. Adult skate hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 11:10 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. and Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You can find more information, including special events and skating and hockey lessons, here. (Kinderskate starts at age 3.5!)

Public skating fees are the same at both parks: $5 admission for residents, $6 for non-residents, and $3 skate rental.

Enjoy the season! If you know of other good ice skating rinks in the Metro Detroit area, please share in the comments!

Affordable Swim Classes

I've been on the hunt for affordable swim classes for kids since I moved to Ann Arbor. Classes within Ann Arbor were way out of my family's budget! Luckily, one of my friends mentioned the Saline Rec Center. Unlike other pools and rec centers, no membership is required to enroll in classes, and the classes themselves are much more budget-friendly. Six weeks of classes cost just $48-$66.

You can find more information, such as class descriptions and schedules, on pages 6-8 of the Saline Parks and Rec Program Brochure here.

Happy swimming! If you know of other budget-friendly swimming classes for tots, please share in the comments! Love, Sarah xo

First Steps Winter Registration Now Open

First Steps offers some of the most affordable classes for preschool-age children and babies. Winter registration began today and continues into January, but classes fill up fast! (Especially the Music Together class, from what I've heard! There's even a lottery to get into this class.) You can find the Winter 2016 class schedule here.

The cost is $145 for a 12-week class and $99 for a second class; Jump into Speech is $73. You can use the coupon code FSWIn16 to register online. Don't forget to apply for a scholarship with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed if your family is low income (more information here). Scholarship applications take a week or two to process and should be turned in at the Rec & Ed office at Pioneer High School.

If you and your child have taken a First Steps class and would like to recommend it, please share in the comments!

Best Sledding Hills for Littles in Ann Arbor

The first snowstorm of the season already hit before Thanksgiving this year! It seems to be warming up this week. While we enjoy these last mild days on the playgrounds with our little ones, I wanted to share a list of great sledding hills for toddlers and preschool-age children in Ann Arbor. What's cheaper than sledding? Nothing, my friends.

Magic Mountain at Burns Park is the townie favorite. Don't know what "Magic Mountain" is? You'll know it when you see it!

County Farm Park, my perennial favorite, has lots of small hills that are perfect for your little ones. You don't have to venture deep into the park to find good ones!

Huron Hills Golf Course has tall and small hills alike for daredevils of all sizes.

Buhr Park has a small hill at the end of the road. Bonus: leave your car nearby to warm up!

Barton Hills Country Club has a beautiful hill right next to the main club building.

Montibeller Park has a nice, big hill with nothing to run into.

Crest and Liberty also has a nice hill with nothing at the bottom (it's believed to be a soccer field, but who can remember in the winter?). 

Veterans Memorial Park is a great sledding location for all of you westsiders!

Hunt Park, Rolling Hills Park, and Leslie Science Center have steep hills, but may be more appropriate for bigger kids.

It's worth noting that sledding is forbidden in Nichols Arboretum, although a snowy winter walk there sounds lovely. :) 

Thank you to my Hike it Baby friends for sharing some of your favorite sledding spots! Readers, do you know of other great sledding hills for little kids? Please share in the comments! Love, Sarah xo