Farm Fresh and Local Joining an Organic CSA

Farm Fresh and Local

Joining a Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA)

Fresh vegetables from my CSA carrots, bell pepper, heirloom tomatoes, garlic, and radishes

Fresh vegetables from my CSA

 

Over the years, I’ve become more and more selective with the quality of my food as it relates to health.  With all the concerns I have around GMO foods,  toxic pesticides, and less than healthy food manufacturing processes, eating healthfully takes a plan and a strong commitment in this day and age.  Eating clean is not only a challenge but from my perspective, a necessity and that is why I have been over the moon excited about joining my first CSA.

For those of you who might not know what a CSA is, it stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  I consider it one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  What’s not to love about getting a box of local, seasonal, fresh, organic produce every single week.  Not to mention access to delicious chicken and duck eggs from spoiled and happy birds.  I know that they were spoiled and happy because I got to see them running around the yard and eating bugs.  That is one of the biggest advantages of joining a CSA.  Not only are you supporting a local farm, business, and some really nice people in your community but you get to see exactly where your food is coming from.  How many people get to meet the chickens that lay the eggs for their omelet or get a hug and a jar of local honey from the farmers wife.

Getting a box of mystery fresh produce has also inspiring my culinary prowess as I find creative ways to cook up exotic vegetables  like Garlic Curls, Snap Peas and Heirloom tomatoes.

Starting in August, my first CSA baskets were flush with beautiful  Summer greens, cucumbers, garlic curls and spring onions as well as some fresh strawberries.  Moving through the summer, I received Rainbow chard, Kale, and radishes.  Moving into the late summer came the  root vegetables like new potatoes, beets and carrots.  I especially enjoyed an exotic array of purple vegetables too like cauliflower and eggplant.

My CSA was especially known and loved for their delicious Heirloom tomatoes and all summer long I enjoyed many fresh and healthy salads featuring these flavorful beauties.  On my first day picking up my produce, I was even given my own tomato plant to take home as a special gift.

As Fall approached and the end of my CSA season came, I received delicious melon, squash, string beans, apples, Asian pears, and the last of the Heirloom tomatoes.  It became such a weekly treat to pick up my organic produce that when the growing season (20 week)s finally ended, I felt a little sad as I brought home the last of the bounty.   I did my best for sure to preserve whatever I couldn’t use for later on this Fall and Winter and even gave some to my neighbor in a spirit of sharing the deliciousness and the fresh food.

At the end of the day, I can’t feel too bad that my CSA came to an end when I know that there is always an opportunity to join in next year.  I’ll have to remember to sign up early so as not to miss out.  When a CSA’s shares are gone, they’re gone.  I do miss that fresh Summer produce every week but now I can turn attention to the warming comfort foods of Fall.  Every season has its treasures.

To find a CSA farm program near you, check out Local Harvest.org

www.LocalHarvest.org

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One Response to Farm Fresh and Local Joining an Organic CSA

  1. WuAIwOShDsHlN October 4, 2020 at 8:22 PM #

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