Joining a CSA, part 2

Being a part of a CSA has been a great experience for us in many ways.

In the six years we’ve been a part of community sponsored farms, I’ve learned so much!  I’ve learned about vegetables I never knew existed.  Our first two farms were very heavy on greens– their members were pretty die-hard vegetarians, so we learned what to do with collards, kale, mustard greens, bok choi, swiss chard… and these greens in large quantities. 

I learned to love cauliflower.  I learned I could chop onions in large quantities and freeze them.  I learned how to freeze pesto… and best of all, I’ve learned how to eat and cook seasonally.  To this end, I’d recommend Simply in Season, a World Community Cookbook.  (This is the More-with-Less if you want to cook without all the canned soups and in More with Less.)

Our eating habits have changed dramatically.  I’ve learned to incorporate so many more vegetables in my diet, because they show up in my box and have to be eaten.  Before we were in a CSA, at the end of a busy day at work, I’d resort to parta and some kind of jarred sauce– or some sort of frozen convenience meal.  Having all these vegetables to eat forced me to learn new cooking habits .  I was just like a small child who says, "I don’t like X" because he’s never tried it.  Because I’ve eaten X lots of times now, (and X fresh from the farm, in season!)  I’ve learned to like things I never did before.

Another thing I love about being in a CSA is knowing that I am supporting sustainable agriculture.  We’ll still be doing our garden this year, though I’ve planned more herbs and no zucchini because of what we’ll receive from the farm.  But my gardening over the years has improved because of the methods of composting and things I’ve learned from our farmers.

This year we’re going to be working members, and I’m excited for my kids to learn more about the farm.  I want them to know what a potato plant looks like.  (Obviously, if you plant potatoes at home, your kids will learn this.)  I am excited that this will be a part of our routine: every week, we’ll go spend time on the farm and bring home a box of the most delicious produce… my mouth is watering just thinking about it!