Why I joined a CSA

Greetings! From the Busy Beaver Mom!

What is a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture.
Basically I'm paying a local farm a weekly fee for them to bring me 10-15 lbs of fresh veggies every week.
Some questions I'm receiving from family and friends..... Do you get to pick what veggies you get?

Yes.  Now, not all CSA's offer this kind of plan, but the one I joined (Fulton Farms "Happy Box") does offer me the option of selecting what kind of vegetables I want to receive and what kind I don't want.
Most of the vegetables they offer are local grown, but they do offer some imported varieties as well.  They do however offer a locavore option which is strictly what's local and in season.  So if you are in the Dayton, OH area you could check them out.

So why did I join?  I'd been thinking about it for years but finally took the plunge.  Who wouldn't want fresh veggies delivered to their door?

Fresh, Local Veggies are HEALTHY!

I first became interested in eating organically and more healthy 7 years ago when I was pregnant with my son.  Even though I couldn't really afford an organic diet, I made sure to drink organic milk to prevent unnecessary hormones and antibiotics from being in my system.

So gradually, as I could afford it, I began increasing the amount of organic produce and locally grown food as much as I could.   Why strive for this?  Think about how far your food travels.... bananas from south america, spinach from mexico, strawberries from Belize?  Really?  Food just tastes better when its really fresh instead of being picked weeks ago so it could be shipped and ripened in a warehouse.

I Kill Plants :(
So why not just grow them myself?  I have a confession to make.... I have a special skill at killing plants.
I can care for any animal with success, but plants..... not so much.  I was thrilled when my bamboo plant lived for 3 years.... only to almost totally obliterate it this winter by not watering it. I hope its still salvageable.

Last year I had a garden, and did manage to squeak out some tomatoes, strawberries and a few zucchini.
This was not enough to sustain myself and my growing boy.  Now with meat prices soaring through the roof, I'll invest in more veggies (which is healthier anyway).







$$$$$$$$$
I'd rather pay my money to a local grower than some big conglomerate.  Now granted, Fulton Farms is a bit bigger than just Joe Farmer and 10 acres.  But it still makes me feel better than giving my money to DOLE.

If I'm going to spend the money on groceries anyway, why not have local and DELIVERED! Hello!

I Love to COOK!

I used to say that I could burn water.  Since having a foodie as a son however, I've developed my cooking skills.  I once caught  Splendid Table on NPR on my drive back from Cincinnati.  They were discussing spinach and kale soup. I promptly went home and tried to make it, and it was wonderful!

I experiment in the kitchen, sometimes good, sometimes bad.  Fresh veggies every week will supply me with tons of opportunities to expand my cooking.  Some of the veggies offered I had never even heard of, or cooked with.  Guess I'll be experimenting with bok choy soon :D

Won't that be TOO much Food?
I selected the smaller bundle for my first year.  I imagine any extra food will be given away to neighbors or family.  Spreading the love!
This year I bought a freezer to put in my garage. So I can store soups, salsas, and veggie scraps to make into soup stock.  Maybe I'll eventually learn to can!

RECIPES
I'll keep track of recipes and the veggies that get delivered here on this blog. So keep posted to ride along with my food experiments!

- Jenny - The Busy Beaver Mom