The basket on my counter is full of promise. The acorn squash ready to be cut in half and filled with corn bread and onions and sausage. The green tomato poised to be sliced, breaded and fried and added to complete the best BLT ever. The turnip that completes a beef stew, and the versatile butternut squash that can stand alone or be added to almost anything.

Not today though. Today, I have a date on a soccer field.