CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, which means that a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included, like cheese, eggs, and meats. Interested consumers purchase a share and in return receive a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.
This arrangement creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer. In brief...
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
Advantages for consumers:
Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
Why would I undertake this? I admit, I'm very very picky about my produce, and really prefer to pick it out myself. However, my inner locavore/foodie/support-the-small-farmer self prevailed. The pros outweighed the cons. And, in the past year or so, I've really branched out, cooking-wise, trying a new recipe or two every week. So, this is the first year I've felt up to figuring out menus based on what is most in season that week. And, I felt like giving this whole blogging thing another shot. What the hell, here goes.
I'm picking up a Simply Wisconsin box every other week. A friend and I are splitting a full share (we crunched the numbers, and it's more economical to split a full share than get 2 half shares.. isn't it always more wallet-friendly to share?). Several days before the delivery, Deb Hansen (of Simply Wisconsin) sends out a newsletter telling you what's in the box, how to store it, and includes recipes for what to do with what you've got. Here's what I picked up last week:
rhubarb and asparagus
that same asparagus, lettuce, green garlic
spinach.
I also received mint, other spring lettuces, strawberries, and a pound of Gouda cheese.
Here's the first lesson learned (and why the other lettuces and most of the strawberries aren't pictured). I picked up my share a day late. The people hosting the pickup were fine with it. My produce was NOT. My cheese was fine, sitting in a cooler for the extra 24 hours. My strawberries were a mess, and the lettuces were a soggy inedible affair. Here's what I salvaged of the strawberries:
Were these some of the best strawberries I've had in awhile? Yes.
Was I super cranky composting the majority of the strawberries received? Yes.
Will I pick up all future shares as early as possible? Without question.
Other things I noted this go-round. The asparagus was PUNGENT. As in, keep in a plastic bag to keep it from making the rest of the items in the crisper drawer smell like asparagus (yes, Simply Wisconsin advised that, I didn't make it up). I actually wasn't sure it was good until I read that part of the newsletter. It turned out to be delicious, but I DID use it IMMEDIATELY, as I was afraid it would cross to the other side in another 24 hours.
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