Community Supporfted Agriculture

beckys19

This year we are buying a share in a local CSA. For those unfamiliar with the term, people buy a share of the crops of a local farmer, who usually has a small scale farm that grows by natural methods and many are certified Natural and/or Organic. The share is picked up or dropped off weekly or every other week.

I was just wondering if others out there are members of CFAs, we are looking forward to trying some of the veggies they have that I've never eaten before, fresh from the farm. Though I am wondering if I should start picking some of them up now in the grocery, to experiment a little with them...

barefoot76

We also used a CSA and had a farm box delivered once a week for more than 2 years. It was very tricky to figure out what some of the stuff in that box was until they finally included a list AND recipes! ;-)

Eventually I reduced the box to once every other week, and then we cancelled it last fall because the of the drought (the box was a set price, but the produce was dwindling and in bad shape).

What I learned about using the box:

- If you can, use everything within 48 hours of receiving the box. Organic produce doesn't last as long as store-bought conventional because it isn't coated in preservative chemicals. I made big batches of soups and casseroles and then froze them in meal-sized portions for lunches and dinners for the rest of the week.

- The scraps make excellent compost or chicken feed, but I was surprised to learn I could use a lot of what I thought was scrap! Like turnip greens, for example!

- Eating seasonal is less restrictive than I thought and really got me in touch with food as an annual ritual. For example, we ate a lot of kale and bok choy in the early spring since that is the growing season here. I found that by fall I was really excited about getting those things in the spring, I missed them so much. When they came back, we were all so excited, you would think it was Christmas, LOL.

melsinct

- If you can, use everything within 48 hours of receiving the box. Organic produce doesn't last as long as store-bought conventional because it isn't coated in preservative chemicals.

I have never had this problem and usually eat the veg all week until my next CSA box comes. I still have winter squash and onions in my garage that I got from my CSA in November! Just like in the grocery store, some produce lasts longer than others, e.g. arugula will wilt within several days where a head of broccoli will be good for multiple weeks.

I have always liked most veg but having the CSA has made me a huge fan of sturdy greens, like collards and kale. Also, I am now a big beet fan.

beckys19

- The scraps make excellent compost or chicken feed, but I was surprised to learn I could use a lot of what I thought was scrap! Like turnip greens, for example!

lol.... ever since I watched "the big waste" on Food Network I have worked to get all I could out of the fruits and veggies I buy. I got some lettuce that had the leafy parts, so the leaves I plucked and added to salads. Bell peppers I chop up every bit that is not seed, membrane, or stem and freeze them to use later in chilis, sauces, pizzas, etc. I can't wait until we get a composter in the spring. We had one at our old house, but with a long-distance move we decided to just leave it for the new owner.