Some readers of my blog know that we have a garden and a greenhouse. Fresh veggies are not a challenge for us. I mean FRESH veggies. But to those of you who have no time or no yard there is a way you too can have fresh veggies for most of the year.
Community Supported Agriculture or "CSA"
It's a concept that originated in Europe and Japan and has been in the US for about two decades. It has really taken off though in the last 5-6 years.
Basically city slickers join in with a local farmer and buy a "share" in the farms bounty.
Usually a payment is made up front early in the year and in exchange you receive a delivery, usually at a central point like a church parking lot, weekly of bags of what the farm produces.
Some CSA's include fruits along with produce and some provide meat and eggs. I know one that has mushrooms, goats milk and cheese and apple cider along with the vegetables.
Now how cool is this?
It is also a way to introduce food you may have never tried before, like broccoli rabe, eggplant, fennel, endive and salsify (look it up).
Some farms produce right up to Thanksgiving and a few even longer depending on what they are into and the climate.
What a way to eat healthier, introduce new foods, go pick up a bounty you helped to produce, meet new friends, one CSA here in Ohio has a potluck dinner every month and they include recipes along with your delivery.
Everyone wins.
Some may even have a way to work off the join up fee.
To find a CSA in your area go to www.localharvest.org and enter your zip code.
Vegg Out.....
