You know your doctor, but you might only visit him/her once a year. You eat every day. Do you know your farmer?
Knowing your farmer is just one of the many benefits of CSA. The Wild Things CSA website has a great summary of the benefits for both farmers and consumers:
Advantages for farmers:
- Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
- Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm’s cash flow
- Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow
Advantages for consumers:
- Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
- Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
- Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season
- Find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm – even veggies they’ve never been known to eat
- Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown
I hope to meet all of the Stone’s Throw Farm members in person at some point during the season. All members will be welcome to visit the farm, and I’ll probably see many of you at the drop-off site(s) on the day you pick up your share. We might host some events for members at the farm, too — it will depend on the amount of interest from farm members.
Yesterday I sauteed these veggies for Vegetable Chowder, a Moosewood Cookbook recipe. Everything was fresh from the Food Farm root cellar or frozen last summer by yours truly!
Will you really be “exposed to new vegetables?” Many of the vegetables I plan to grow at Stone’s Throw Farm will be very familiar to you: carrots, potatoes, brocolli, beans, peas, tomatoes, squash, etc. But there may be a few you haven’t used before, such as celeriac, collards, fennel, parsnips … sound familiar? If not, don’t worry! I’ve collected dozens of great recipes, and I’ll share many of those recipes with Stone’s Throw Farm members throughout the season. I’ll invite members to submit their favorite recipes as well.
What about new ways of cooking? Besides trying new recipes, you might find yourself planning your meals a little differently after joining a CSA — I know I did when I started working at a farm. Instead of deciding what you want to cook and then shopping for the ingredients, what seems to work well for many people is to wait and see what’s in your share box that week, then plan your meals around those items. If you decide you don’t like something or can’t use it all, there’s no shame in composting. I might even figure out a way for you to send your compost to the farm!
CSA isn’t for everyone, but if you eat a lot of vegetables (or want to eat a lot!), are concerned about how your food is grown, and want very fresh produce without having to do the gardening yourself, consider signing up for a CSA share.
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Normally, my parents would be helping me get ready for the Fest, but my mom is recovering from a recent surgery, so they’re at home in western Iowa. I’m happy to report that she’s doing great.
Stone's Throw Farm 