To CSA, or Not to CSA...

I'm trying to decide if I'd like to do CSA again. Yes, it's a little bit early to think about it, but I was just checking out the yarn CSA (I know, how cool is that!) I read about over at Rebecca's Pocket and that really got my gears turning.

First, a quick overview of CSA... CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It's a way to eat local and to support local farmers, among other objectives. I'm not sure if all CSA programs work the same way, but here's my example. I signed up for the Autumn Harvest CSA offered by The Golden Earthworm, a farm on the north fork of Long Island about sixty miles from my house. Every week for twelve weeks, fresh, organic produce grown on the farm was delivered to a pickup spot (someone's house; same place each week). The homeowner (volunteer?) kept all the boxes of produce for the participants that chose their home as the pickup location in their garage. Every Tuesday, I'd head over to the house, move the produce from one box into a bag that I brought, fold down the box, and sign that I picked up my goods. I paid in advance. I never knew exactly what was going to be in each box - quelle surprise.


The short review:

Everything was pretty good, but I wasn't an instant convert to local and organic.


The long-winded review:

First of all, it was just too much of foods my family doesn't enjoy. Case in point: We received white salad turnips and kale nearly every week. I tried my darnedest to use these things up, but we just didn't like 'em. (Although now I have solution for the turnips - I just cut them really small and add them to any strongly flavored soup or stew. I added them to chili and, by golly (did I say "by golly"?), that was the best damn chili I've ever made. I think I could sneak them into tomato sauce was well.)

Another issue I encountered was that on CSA day (Tuesday), I spent hours washing greens and trying to find a place for them. It's true that I'd have to do the same if I bought from the market, but the truth is I wouldn't buy all those greens or I'd buy them when I had time to process them. Yes, this is a weak complaint (I'm weak, what can I say), but it was something I never got used to. I ended up throwing away very little though, and really only at the end of the season when I'd eaten more kale than I ever intended to and it was looking pretty bad. And I could never figure out what to do with daikon radishes. Too bad they weren't parsnips. Roasted parsnips taste like toasted marshmallows...if you use your imagination.

I get really grossed out when I find bugs, which happened almost every week. One time, after I had already washed it in the sink, I found a grub in my blanched broccoli rabe. Yep, all that rabe went in the trash. Wish I had a photo to show you the boiled little guy. Wait, I'm lying. I don't wish that at all.

But I'm optimistic for the new season. First of all, if I do sign up again, I'll get a full share, not just Autumn. Hopefully that will get me more of the things we like (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc). Second of all, I did the math again and it's a real bargain -- only $21 per week for really great stuff. It seems like a lot of money because you have to pay up front, but I didn't really buy any vegetables from the store during the fall. Maybe just like some onions and whatnot. Therefore, if I end up donating some of it or throwing some away, I'm not losing major $$$ like I would if I threw out organic stuff from the market.

I love the cooking challenge that CSA provides for me. It's kind of like that old Food Network show Ready Set Cook (remember Sissy Biggers? Last time I saw her was on Victory Garden) or a little like Iron Chef for you youngsters - a bunch of secret ingredients and my pantry. It's fun. Also, we tried so many new things -- turnips, kale, bok choy, pumpkin (well, I've had pumpkin pie, but I never cooked with a whole pumpkin before), and some things I'm forgetting. We got excellent herbs, tomatoes, peppers, and absolutely the best potatoes.

So I think I've convinced myself that I'd like to give it a go, one more time. I'll see how the full season goes. Golden Earthworm also offers a fruit share, although it's not organic and is technically from a neighboring farm. I'm definitely thinking about that too.