This morning I just got back from the market, usually I head there to grab some side dishes for lunch. But not today.
Today I had one mission: hunt down some fresh water spinach. And it’s not even for me
It’s for the 3 long-eared bosses waiting at home
The air around my house is still cool and fresh, the streets are still quiet too, but if I leave even a little bit late? Oh no. All the factory workers start heading out and the road turns into a total traffic jam.
Green Feast from the Market
Look at this! So fresh, right? The price is only $1 for 3 bunches.
This green water spinach just came down from the farmers. The leaves still have dewdrops on them, and the stems are still crunchy.
I picked the youngest ones, because I already know... this isn’t just for lunch.
It’s also for my bunnies
Just from here I can already imagine it: the leafy tops for stir-fry, the middle stems for the rabbits, and the bottom stems for compost.
The Bunnies Waiting for Water Spinach
On my way home, I stopped by the cage first.
Here are "the bosses"
See the top of the cage? It's full of water spinach stems! That's the stock for the next few days.
The gray and white one is the naughtiest. As soon as he hears the sound of plastic, he immediately stands up and peeks out.
Like he's saying, "Where's my food?"
Be patient... I just got back from the market.
Sorting the Water Spinach Begins
Time to sort the water spinach!
I'm sitting beside the house separating it all out.
The leafy tops and young leaves go into the big green basin. This is for me. I'm going to stir-fry it with garlic and shrimp paste later. I can already taste how good it'll be
The middle parts go into the small green basket. This is the VIP portion for the rabbits. It's tender, full of leaves, and it's their favorite.
It feels like I'm dividing an inheritance. Fair and square, everyone gets a share.
The Most Anticipated Moment
And here it is... the highlight. 6 AM, it's breakfast time for the bunnies!
The second I hold out that bunch of middle stems, they go crazy for it.
The black one, the gray one, the white one... they're all fighting over it. Ears wiggling, mouths going crunch crunch.
Seeing them eat like this makes the trip to the market this morning totally worth it.
This is why I'm willing to wake up early. Not for me, but to see them happy. If I'm even a little late, the water spinach at the market is already wilted.
Oh, and besides water spinach, I also give my rabbits commercial pellets.
The Stems Have a Job To
So do we just throw the stems away? Oh no!
Here’s what I do. I chop them into small pieces and put them into an empty water jug. Later, this will be part of the compost mix for growing vegetables.
Water spinach stems are full of water and break down quickly. They’re perfect for enriching the soil in my vegetable garden out back.
So here’s how it goes: I eat the tops, the rabbits eat the middles, and the soil gets the stems.
Zero waste. Nothing goes to waste.
