CSA

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How many belong to one? Pros, cons... things to watch for? There are a few small farms in our area that offer shares and we are considering it. Thanks! :smile:

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  • Lauramh31
    Lauramh31 Posts: 95 Member
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    I just signed up for one!! This will be my first year doing it and I'm really excited. There are websites that have reviews. Local Harvest is one, so you could see if the farms you are considering are on there. Also they hvae tips on the website of things to consider and things to ask the farms you're considering such as how long they've been doing it, what they planted this year, etc. You should make sure they plant things you like or woudl like to try. Also you should understand that you will still need to supplement from the groccery, especially for fruits, but also for out of season veggies like tomatoes in winter or onions in spring, etc.
    I personally chose a farm that uses organic practices. They aren't certified because it is expensive and they are an amish farm, but they don't use any chemicals, pesticides, etc. and they also have options for things you can add like a weekly share of eggs from pastured chickens. I also liked the things they planted and noticed that they have revised the things they plant based on what customers in the past few years tend to favor - I like that they work with the people instead of just planting what is easies or cheapest.
    Something I considered doing is getting a half share from two different farms to increase variety and also to be able to compare since this is my first year. Still not sure if I'll do the second one, but maybe.
  • rljohnsufl
    rljohnsufl Posts: 48
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    I've been a member of a CSA a few times and I've signed up for one this year. You will get a LOT of produce, and it won't always be cleaned and prepared like at the grocery store , i.e. root veggies may still have some dirt, carrots will have tops, etc. Set aside some time when you get home to do some basic processing and to store it correctly in the fridge.

    If my experience is any indication, the freshness and flavor of the produce will really surprise you. You'll learn how to prepare things you've never heard of... like kohlrabi, garlic scapes, and parsnips. You also have to be aggressive about eating it all up. I would often still have most of my CSA pickup still in the fridge when I had to go get the next one. Toward the end of last season, I started juicing what I couldn't use.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    I belong to a sorta CSA thing - I get a big box of veggies once a week. The hard part for me is using it all during the week. I need to get better at cooking more during the week. Another con is my box arrives Tuesday - I prefer to do my food prep on the weekend because I'm so busy at night.

    The pro is that I get to try all kinds of new things. Mine tells me a few days in advance what will be in my box so if it's something new I go online and research recipes to have on hand when my box arrives on Tuesday.

    Overall I'm very satisfied.
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
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    I love my CSA, but they all vary depending on the farmer/owner. You have to be interested in trying new things and getting whatever is in season. Since the one I belong to is all organic, the produce can go bad much quicker so you need to use it fairly quickly.