- In terms of the amount of veggies I have received per week, I'd say that it is a reasonable share for a family of two eating a vegetarian diet, but definitely with some supplemental shopping at the grocery store. If you eat meat, you can easily stretch your share over a week at least. At my house we eat primarily veggies for every meal, so the CSA share runs out faster. Since I eat a salad at least once a day, the salad mix and other greens go pretty fast. I have used those items up within about 4 days. I could probably use two shares of salad mix, but that's just me. It is great to have any amount of organic local greens, so I am not complaining in the least. I have found going to a weekend farmer's market is a good idea when I run out of greens, where there are always inexpensive, fresh greens available. I love beets so those were gone in 2 days, but it is perfectly doable to stretch them over a longer period. I still have a turnip from my first week's share, which is great because they keep for a long time when stored in a cool place like the fridge.
- I have grappled with the question of whether or not to buy vegetables at the grocery store that are not in season here when I receive great in-season veggies in the CSA package. I have thus far purchased things like onions, bell peppers, eggplant, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, avocado and cabbage while getting my CSA share. Since I am eating mainly veggies, I think this is probably necessary unless I am willing to undergo an extreme change in diet. I can always pick up similar items to those in my share at farmer's markets, but I cannot find tomatoes locally right now, nor could I ever find a local avocado. I also consistently buy lemons and limes, which I would not be able to find from a New Hampshire farm (does anyone know of local citrus?). Staples like pasta, rice, quinoa, lentils, and beans are also necessarily purchased at the grocery store (again, does anyone know of local sources for any of these items?). I know that further into the season there will be more variety in the CSA package, so I will not have to get some of these things at the supermarket. I am also looking for more local products, beyond the realm of vegetables, more on that to come. As my experience continues, I will be considering, deeply and practically, just how much local food I can eat and how little produce I can buy from the supermarket as the season progresses. In the meantime, I have found some helpful tips for shopping wisely:
from http://missktdanger.blogspot.com/2012/02/fun-food-facts.html
- So far I have had great success keeping my CSA veggies fresh in the kitchen. This is not, however, without some time and effort. But really not much time and effort, I have just been extra careful to give each item the attention it deserves so that it is at it's happiest (up until the point that I eat it). To this end, I put herbs and greens in jars with water on the counter, soak my radishes in water in the fridge, store my peas, squash and turnips in the fridge and think about what veggies I should use first to ensure their freshness. The turnips are particularly hardy, lasting two weeks at this point in the fridge, as with the radishes once they are soaked. I have taken care to use beet greens and spinach while they are crisp, and the few leaves that have gotten a bit wilted I just added to a smoothie. It really just takes a little bit of forward-thinking and planning to ensure everything is used and nothing is wasted. Unfortunately, if you are lazy with food, preferring non-perishable items packed with preservatives that keep for eons, then a CSA type deal might not be for you. I personally don't believe that we should be looking to cut corners when it comes fueling our bodies with the best possible foods. Food is the best thing to invest our time and energy into, because vitality and health is what we get in return. Like everything, you take away what you put in. That's not to say we shouldn't use modern conveniences to make our lives easier, but we should know when the convenience is no longer worth it as the quality of food declines.
- I am very satisfied with my CSA experience so far. I do, however, have some ideas for possible improvement. For instance, when picking up the produce they ask that you choose between several different herbs, like dill, basil or parsley. I think it would be nice to get a combination of herbs to add some variety to each kitchen. The bundle of dill I got the first week and parsley the second were amazing and quite large, but I can see some people having a hard time using it all up (although I add herbs to everything, so this wasn't a problem for me). Also, I think there would be great success if there were other things for sale at the CSA pick-up location. The first week I went they offered eggs and pork, but I didn't see any extra things for sale this past week. Perhaps that is what the farmer's market is for, but I do think people would appreciate a steady supply of extra goodies to purchase when they take the trip to get their CSA package. Finally, I think that people who join a CSA are interested in the farming process in general so maybe there could be some ways to engage CSA participants more. Perhaps just having someone hanging out by the pick-up station to talk about the progress of the growing season or show people around the farm. This would give people the opportunity to get a farm experience when they pick up their produce package, which could be a really nice touch. Just some thoughts! But all that being said (in an effort to improve, not criticize!) I am definitely hooked on the CSA and have convinced several people to try one out next season, since it is a great way to get fresh local vegetables.
Now some recipe ideas
Veggies on the grill:
- CSA summer squash
- CSA parsley
- CSA garlic scapes
- Red pepper
- Mushrooms
- Onion
I didn't grill the veggies directly, although that is certainly an option. Instead I cut them into chunks, mixed with herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper, and folded them in some tin foil with slices of lemon to cook on the grill. I didn't cook them for long, though. I like them crunchy and they retain more nutrients the less they are cooked.
They were so yummy with some hot sauce. The only other thing I made that night was grilled eggplant, which was really easy. Just put some olive oil, salt and pepper on eggplant slices and grill each side.
Then to spice them up a little, add cheese like feta and some parsley and hot sauce.
And another with mushroom and garlic scapes.
This last idea comes from the bottom of the kitchen barrel, so to speak. I am housesitting for the next week so I knew that I needed to use up all perishable items in my kitchen. I roasted my last CSA turnip, CSA zucchini, and some brussels sprouts that had been in my fridge for a month. The brussels were totally good, I gave them the smell test and just had some outer leaves that were browning that I removed. I tossed the veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted them until just tender. I let them cool to make a cold roast veggie salad, adding:
- CSA peas (so crisp and delicious, yum!),
- garlic scapes
- quinoa (which is a virtually flavorless grain high in protein, cooked like rice. Great to add to salads and pasta, especially for vegetarians)
- juice from a whole lemon
- some balsamic
- sriracha
- feta cheese
This completely random creation turned out to be very tasty and nutritious while also helping me to not waste any food. It's this type of cooking, culinary bricolage, that I love! And it works great with a CSA. Week 3 starts today!
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