The natural progression of every foodie is the eventual transition to the CSA, which stands for “Community Supported
Agriculture.” Once we learn the truth about food, we begin in our local grocery store by shopping the organic section only. Then at some point we move to a natural food market, or co-op, where just about everything is organic.
And finally, we skip all the middle-men altogether and go straight to the
farmer.
A CSA, for the uninitiated, is a
partnership whereby the consumer (me, in this case) buys a share in the crop of
a local farm. The farmer uses the
buyer’s money to help with the cost of planting, weeding, watering, and
eventual harvesting of the food and in return provides a share of the crop on a
weekly basis during the course of the growing season – usually about six weeks.
Yesterday was “Open House” at the farm. We arrived at 10:00 in the morning and
started the day with a tour. The weather
was cool enough, and the wind was blowing like a gale for the first hour or so
but eventually calmed down to a manageable breeze, and the morning turned out to be quite
pleasant. We looked at the goats and
talked about the chickens and the horses, but the stars of the show were the
two resident turkeys who insisted upon being included in all the activities –
Tom and Smeagol (named for his attraction to rings). Smeagol is the shaggy one in the picture.
After the tour, our hosts treated us to fresh goat cheese
(made from milk obtained directly from the goat that morning), rhubarb treats
and lemonade. Once we were sufficiently
refreshed, we headed to the garden to pick our own fresh lettuce, onion, and
tiny little broccoli heads to take home with us. To top off the day’s haul, we were given a
bag of rhubarb. I’ve never liked
rhubarb…but the rhubarb bars they served were “to die for,” and I asked for the
recipe. I expect I’ll be trying a LOT of
new recipes this summer, as the list of vegetables that will be coming to me on
a weekly basis includes things I’ve never even heard of before, much less tried
to cook. It will, indeed, be an
adventure.
The farm also has two calves being raised for slaughter
in the fall. They will be fed on grass
and goat milk, and the meat is promised to be as tender as veal. My chances of securing a quarter or a half
are slim (as they will be offering the meat to their regular buyers first), but
I intend to put in my order and hope for the best.
This year, my vegetables will be truly farm-fresh. Farm to market (my front door) is about 25
miles, traveled by pickup truck in a standard picnic cooler. You can’t get much more local than that. Cost?
$25 a week, and—I trust—well worth it.
What will I get?
Things like “royal purple” and “red noodle” beans, edible flowers,
purslane, crème brule peppers, and kohlrabi… as well as all the standards—beets,
broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, peas, turnips, squash, tomatoes,
herbs, strawberries, raspberries, and apples.
Much has been planted, but in farming, nothing is
certain. Weather can change the outcome
of every harvest. Our farmer put it
something like this, “God worked it out so that some plants do better in dry
hot weather, and others in cool damp weather…no matter what weather we get, something
will grow well, and there will be food.”
She’s quite right. God takes care
of us in all kinds of weather!
So this year, the crop may be different than it was last
year – and next year, it could be different still. But doesn’t that add to the adventure?
(My apologies to the natural food store…I’ll see you
again in the winter.)
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