CSA's
 

Do you have a CSA (community supported agriculture) program near you?

Basically, you pay a certain fee (usually about $30 a week or every other week) to have a box of fresh, organic produce delivered to you or brought to a pickup site near you. The farm then sends you whatever they have in season by picking it (usually the day before) and putting in a box or basket for you. The produce is fresh, tastes incredible, and is usually organic. Many CSAs have additional programs - one can send eggs with your weekly order, another sends the "fresh herb of the month". Most also include newsletters with ideas about how to cook the things they send. This week, my CSA box had:

Strawberries
Beets
Sweet Potatoes
Green Garlic
Lemon Verbena
Sugar Snap Peas
Fava Beans
Spinach
Lettuce

Mmmmm. Seriously yummy. And its a win-win situation - you get great, local, organic produce and usually pay less than you would have at the store. (I pay 92 dollars to get four of these boxes a month (23 dollars a week), and I was spending WAY more on fruits and veggies at the store than that...now I usually just have to supplement with a little bit of fruit from the farmers market). In addition, you get to try veggies and fruits you've never tried before, because you don't get a ton of choice about what comes in the boxes (although they do let you call and substitute something else if your box contains something you are allergic and/or vehemently opposed to). You learn how to cook new things while supporting organic, sustainable farming practices.

Check out Local Harvest to see if you have a CSA nearby that will deliver to you. I know they aren't just available in agricultural communities...my sister gets one delivered in Washington DC!

http://www.localharvest.org

Thank you so much for the information and link! What a GREAT idea! I had no idea that we had a CSA in our area that delivers!

Wow - what a great link! Thanks for posting that.

Thanks from me also. There's someone in my area as well. What a great idea!

Ooooh, I'm so excited about this weeks box:

Rainier Cherries
Strawberries
Savoy Cabbage
Sugar Snap Peas
Beets
Fava Beans
Lettuce
Fresh Thyme
Swiss Chard

Hello Rainier Cherries! I also get a free gift this week - half a dozen organic feed fed, pasture raised chicken eggs.

We have a similar program, though since we're further north it hasn't started yet. I did get a fresh cucumber at the Farmer's Market this afternoon though. It was the only veg available - though there were lots of plants both flowers and veg. The place that provides the subscription items is also open Fri evenings for walk-in folks like me who grow a lot of stuff and only want a few things that we don't grow ourselves. It's a great deal.

Boo Hoo--I got all excited but there are none in my area............