Anyone do a CSA share?

[emma'smom]

The CSA's have started around here...last week the big items were Jerusalem Artichokes and rhubarb. I was seriously considering doing one this year-- there is a really good one that delivers around here that everyone speaks of very well.

However, I'm not sure we'll be here enough weeks in the summer to make it worth it (you can select the number of weeks, but the minimum is 14). Also, I really like going to the Farmer's Market in the late summer and fall. That's part of our Saturday morning schedule and its a social center too.

I do think the CSA is actually a better value and it would force me to use more interesting vegetables.

 

[skip323]

Another option that you might want to try is working with a company that supports the local agriculture businesses. Example - we have a lot of CSA options in the Indianapolis area. I, however, work with a delivery company that works with many of the local farms in IN, OH and KY. They have, consequently, lots of produce. It allows me to support local farms and still get what I want. They do ship in items that we just don't grow in IN like Pineapple. Most produce, though, is locally grown and also organic (they let us know if it is not). The regular baskets are either all fruit and fruit and veggies but I can add in staples - meat, salmon (they work with a local gentleman who has a fishing license to catch salmon in Alaska every summer), eggs, dairy, fresh, homemade pasta and sauces, beans, rice etc. I can add on more produce if I would like. I can also change the produce in the basket each week if there is something that I do not like. They also have it set up to cancel on weeks that we are out of town or just don't want anything and they allow you to stop service for awhile like if you want to do farmer's markets in the summer.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

our csa starts next week. This will be our first time participating. We are doing a weekly produce share and a bi-weekly meat share. Each shipment comes with a newsletter telling us which local farm the produce came from and recipes. I am super excited about it. I might add on the bi-weekly egg share if I like the produce/meat share.

 

[RangerPooh]

We are looking for one but are having a tough time finding one. The only one I found advised people to sign up last winter. Maybe next year.

 

[chris1gill]

We joined one last year -got to experience some veggies i might not have bought on my own- love garlic scapes!! This year will be a different CSA one that delivers with my milk and egg order YEAH!

I was going to say we did join a CSA and for 27.00 a week for 16 weeks I basically fed a family of 4 (it was a very good year and I hope this one will be as well although it's not looking so good). I had to supplement now and again with some beef or whatever meat or fish we wanted, but it was a great experience and a huge money saver for us. They can never guarantee how large the crop will be, that's the downside, but if it's a good year you will have food you never thought of, like the Garlic Scapes, I LOVED THOSE! The website Allrecipes will become your friend. We were lucky our CSA allowed us to pick fresh herbs such as basil and rosemary and also flowers as well. We chose not to go with either the bread or eggs CSA, we buy an organically fed cow every year, but that's at a separate farm (and not inexpensive by any means).

If you've never joined one I say give it a shot!

 

[Buckeye Princess]

We do a veggie share. (Love it!) We buy a 1/4 cow at a time from a local organic farmer. And as soon as we move I'm hoping to get chickens. (Pending talking to my neighbors.) I've not seen one combining before. I found our veggie share because they did an event at whole foods. (Surprising since they are technically competition for whole foods.)

 

[vicki_c]

Our Whole Foods is sponsoring a CSA - I just got an e-mail about it. It's about the same price - about $25/week. I had already signed up for the local farm one before they sent out the notice, so people may want to check with their Whole Foods. The nice thing about is that they are using multiple farms, not just one.

 

[Amii]

The CSA that I joined this year has fruits, veggies, garden plants, herbs, cheese and flowers. They are not offering meat this year. I'll just buy it from a small local organic, grass fed farm at the farmer's market this summer.

I've expanded our gardens again this year. I'm hoping to can a lot of our winter food using our garden. I'll also use the weekly grocery money we are saving from the CSA share to buy canning fruits and veggies at the farmer's market.

I really love being a part of a CSA. I think it is very important to support our small local farmers. I also like the variety and quality of the food.