CSA-Community Sustainable Agriculture…not a sexy name but provides pleasure--You buy a share on a farm and regularly receive a portion of what is grown each week during the growing season. You help a small farm by insuring financial support for a season and you enjoy the benefits of what is produced. A connection is made between the growers and members. You become invested in how things grow…the story of deer eating all the kohlrabi hits close to home since you go home with no kohlrabi and the person who planted the kohlrabi is the one telling you the story…
This first week the share was small- a little bit of a few different types of greens, some green garlic, a pint of the most delicious strawberries, a basil plant and two tomato plants. Certain times during the season there are unlimited amounts of specific vegetables available. In both instances my excitement is immense.
I like the uncertainty of the share. Last summer was dry and the eggplant did very well at both the CSA and in my own garden. Luckily we love eggplant and we ate it for most meals, shared it with friends and got creative so as not to get bored by eating the same dishes day after day. I recently finished off the hot sauce that I made last September from an abundance of hot peppers.
I look forward to both the bounty and surprises that "my" farm will offer up this season.
To find out more information about CSA's and where to find one near you go to CSA .
My CSA is Clagett Farm.
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4 comments:
Great job Sidra.
It looks wonderful.
MLC your daughter <3<3<3
Nice Job... Is the produce organic? Should I care?
Clagget Farm is not organic....but they state that their ultimate goal is to use faming methods that are truly sustainable both economically and environmentally. Although not certified organic they follow organic standards to protect the watershed, consumers, the farm and workers. Generally if you have the opportunity to buy something that is both local and organic it is a good choice. However a farm that is not organically certified by the government can still follow organic practices.
In contrast, the quality of a popular brand of certified organic milk was recently called into question- http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/16014
Like most choices what to consume requires thought and often asking questions. Do you know the person who has grown your food? If so ask them about growing method. If it is not possible to buy from a CSA or a farm market where the producers are present look for available information. Do you know where your food came from? Is it certified organic, how far did it travel, is it sold with or without packaging.....
So yes- care about the how your food is grown and where it comes from, use organic certification as useful information but look at other factors as well before deciding between two apples of different origin.
An excellent book that I recently read, Moveable Feasts by Sarah Murray, examines the complexity of choices surrounding food and the different factors to consider when trying to decide which foods are most ethical, healthful and sustainable.
Great blog Sidra. Very excited to see it progress as the garden grows. I can already taste it.
Hope its ok that we eat the local fare with not so local wines.
Look forward to your next entry.
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