This week's CSA haul.
There are lots of ways to acquire low waste food...buying bulk, growing our own, shopping the farmer's market, dumpster diving, foraging, trading, making it from scratch + more. One of my favorite ways to buy low-waste food is to get it straight from the farmer who grew it.
I had loved our CSA in London (shout out to Abel + Cole)! It was delivered in a cardboard box that we left out to be collected + reused, when the next box arrived. I learned about + cooked things like celeriac + parsnips for the first time (I know...I'm American). :) We didn't meet a single vegetable that we didn't like...partly because the website connected with the CSA offered recipes + cooking suggestions. When we moved here, I couldn't find a single CSA that was accepting new members. :(
I met Steve for the first time at a Food Circle event where he was promoting the benefits of preying mantises...wearing a worn pair of overalls + a very worn straw hat. Once I realized that there were sellers at our farmers market stocked with vegetables that they bought wholesale...and had not grown themselves...I became very picky about who we bought from. I noticed one booth advertising organic vegetables + there was Steve...same worn overalls + same very worn straw hat. As we became regulars, he started to ask me if I'd heard of some of the less common things he offered...like spaghetti squash + gooseberries...I'd ask how to cook them + take some home to try.
Steve lives near Amish farmers + offered to sell some of their homemade jams, pickles + pasta (!). He, like the Amish, uses no gas-powered machinery on his farm...opting for heavy horses instead.
I had loved our CSA in London (shout out to Abel + Cole)! It was delivered in a cardboard box that we left out to be collected + reused, when the next box arrived. I learned about + cooked things like celeriac + parsnips for the first time (I know...I'm American). :) We didn't meet a single vegetable that we didn't like...partly because the website connected with the CSA offered recipes + cooking suggestions. When we moved here, I couldn't find a single CSA that was accepting new members. :(
I met Steve for the first time at a Food Circle event where he was promoting the benefits of preying mantises...wearing a worn pair of overalls + a very worn straw hat. Once I realized that there were sellers at our farmers market stocked with vegetables that they bought wholesale...and had not grown themselves...I became very picky about who we bought from. I noticed one booth advertising organic vegetables + there was Steve...same worn overalls + same very worn straw hat. As we became regulars, he started to ask me if I'd heard of some of the less common things he offered...like spaghetti squash + gooseberries...I'd ask how to cook them + take some home to try.
Steve lives near Amish farmers + offered to sell some of their homemade jams, pickles + pasta (!). He, like the Amish, uses no gas-powered machinery on his farm...opting for heavy horses instead.
This year we are participating in Steve's new CSA program. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture + it allows us to have a mutual beneficial relationship! Steve and his family can depend on regular income + my family and I can depend on regular, local, seasonal food May through October. This family is thrilled!
These first couple weeks have involved a lot more plastic (+ styrofoam- yikes!- but I know that it's a reused one) than I would prefer, but the cold spring has slowed vegetable production + they are making up for that leanness with some other goodies. They told us to return all of cartons, jars, + plastic for reuse.
These first couple weeks have involved a lot more plastic (+ styrofoam- yikes!- but I know that it's a reused one) than I would prefer, but the cold spring has slowed vegetable production + they are making up for that leanness with some other goodies. They told us to return all of cartons, jars, + plastic for reuse.
Dinner that same day.
We have a garden, so I'm interested to see how all of this works out. I'm feeling like I want to still be part of a community that supports one another. That was initially something that I resisted about the self-sustainable movement. I don't want to be isolated or non-contributing. Just as I want to support some of the good work that is being done in the garment industry (by buying some clothing even though I can sew), I want to support the quality work that Steve is doing (even though I can grow my own vegetables).
I'm thinking that if I have too much of something...I can always preserve some for the colder months to come. Nothing will go to waste...but we might just eat a few more salads + green smoothies...nothing to complain about there!
So...yes...we are fans of Community Supported Agriculture...and we are very excited to see what's in our box each week! Thank you for growing our food, Steve...and I like your new straw hat! :)
Love,
Jane
I'm thinking that if I have too much of something...I can always preserve some for the colder months to come. Nothing will go to waste...but we might just eat a few more salads + green smoothies...nothing to complain about there!
So...yes...we are fans of Community Supported Agriculture...and we are very excited to see what's in our box each week! Thank you for growing our food, Steve...and I like your new straw hat! :)
Love,
Jane
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