Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a model of an alternative, local-based agriculture and food distribution.  In a CSA, there is a network of individuals who support the farm/farmer/grower and share the risks and the benefits of food production.  Members of a CSA pay at the beginning of the growing season, or can split payment into one at the beginning and one in the middle of the season.  When food harvest begins, the farmer then provides the members with a weekly share of the vegetables, herbs, and fruit.

I first heard of a CSA while reading the book "7:  An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess" by Jen Hatmaker.  I was so intrigued.  Last year, during my 3rd summer as a stay at home mom and the second in the house in which we currently live, I somehow convinced the hubs to do a garden.  Convincing was simple.  The work was hard.  Especially since I am a definitely not an outdoors type person.  Someone had to weed it.  Someone had to care for it and water it.  Someone had to pick it.  I sound like it was horrible.  It wasn't.  But it was definitely more nature than I prefer.  We had green beans and peppers and tomatoes.  We would have had squash, zucchini, watermelon, broccoli, and more had we not had a flood and we ended up with squacchiniloncoli. Sounds like an illness.

I bought a canner, pressure cooker, dehydrator, jars, canning supplies, and set to saving up the goodies.  Well, they were great but I didn't think we had enough!  Nothing lasted long, since we had lost so much of our garden.  

So this year when I heard about the CSA, I easily convinced the hubs about this too! (He is super easy like that.)  We signed up.  AND we have our own garden.  Full of green beans, peppers, and tomatoes.  The rest we get from our CSA farm.

We started getting our goodies in May.  We have had several types of greens - lettuce, spinach, kale, and a whole lot of unidentified leafy objects.  We have gotten herbs, cabbage, radishes, onions, zucchini, squash, snap peas, and I'm sure something I have forgotten.

this is an early box that wasn't overflowing like they are now, but my camera is dead, so you can use your imagination

some of the early goodies

I have shared the wealth on the greens (you can only eat so much salad), and have made kale chips (twice now!!), zucchini chips, fried zucchini, and getting ready to prepare some for zucchini bread.  I have learned I need another dehydrator!  I am totally loving these healthier snacks that my family are eating and I love that we get a surprise each week.  It is super fun to get a box and discover what is in it and how to fix/eat what we have.  Kids are trying new things.  Heck, the HUBS is trying new things and they don't even have bacon in them.

kale chips

Yep, I'm definitely loving this CSA thing.  The most brilliant discovery I've had since Chipotle and Chick Fil A.  

Want to know more?   Check them out at Burris Fork Farms.