I Love Our CSA!

A few years ago, I was introduced to the concept of a CSA - community shared agriculture - otherwise known as a farm share. If you're not familiar with the concept, you buy a share of a local farm - paying upfront in the winter to help finance their operations. In return, you get a weekly delivery of the produce that is grown throughout the summer and fall. Not only is the produce fresher and tastier than what I'd normally get at the store, it's grown without chemicals or pesticides and using more sustainable methods. I'm a big fan of supporting local businesses, especially farmers. If you've never seen the documentary Food, Inc., you should - it really opened my eyes to industrial farming practices and has changed how I shop and eat. If you're interested in this sort of thing, I'd also recommend the book The Omniovore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

This is our third year as members of Great Country Farms in Bluemont, VA, about a 90 minute drive from DC. I love this farm not only for the produce deliveries, but also because members can pick produce at the farm every week and they have lots of great family activities like slides, mazes, tractor rides, and so on. Even if you're not a member, you can pay admission and check it out. I'd highly recommend it!

I love the assortment of produce that we receive every week starting at the beginning of June, especially because it makes us eat more fruits and vegetables and allows us to try things we wouldn't normally buy. I enjoy the challenge of what to make with the various items in our box - my neighbor Kathleen once compared it to the TV show Chopped.

Every week, I'll try to post what was in our box and some recipes that I came up with to use everything.

This week, our box included spring onions, asparagus, basil, kale, lettuce, garlic scapes, and strawberries.

Last night I made Kale and Bulgur Wheat Pilaf for dinner and Strawberry Shortcake for dessert. Kale is an intimidating ingredient, if you've never cooked it before, but it's one of my favorite greens. It has almost a nutty flavor, and it is so good for you! I used all of this week's kale in the pilaf, but next time, I'll be sure to make kale chips, which are roasted pieces of kale with olive oil and salt. They are like potato chips - so addictive!

This year, we're also growing a little garden in the back, mainly as a learning experience for the boys. We planted from seed and so far, things are looking good. I did a little research and planted things that grow well in our area: zucchini, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, and snap peas. I'll keep you posted on our progress - the lettuce is almost ready to harvest.

As I've done in the past, I'm also growing herbs on our patio. Even if you don't have space for a garden, all you need is a sunny spot, pots, and potting soil to grow your own herbs. It is so nice to just run outside and snip some of whatever I need. This year, we're growing cilantro, basil, parsley, chives, and oregano. Our farm also sends seedlings occasionally, so I will probably pot those too when they come.