What is a CSA, you say???

Well, let me just tell you all about it.  If you don't know, you are missing out.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  In a nutshell, you buy a "share" into a local farm, and in return, reap the rewards of the farmer's hard work thoroughout the growing season.  It can be risky for both parties - nobody can tell exactly what Mother Nature is going to throw at you in any given year. (Oh, you know, kind of like an unexpected FLOOD!)

We decided to give it a try this year, in addition to planting our own garden.  I am so glad we did.

I will be honest, the first few weeks I was a little skeptical.  The floods and the local cutworms did quite a bit of damage to the crops that would have been ready first, but luckily there is a large greenhouse that was unaffected for the most part.

So, once a week we get to go pick up a box full of the freshest goodies you can imagine.  It is grown locally, and is all organic.  No pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or herbacides are used at all.

There has really been a nice mix of your normal everyday veggies that you'd pick up at the store anyway, and a few new things that we probably never would have tried otherwise.

Just the other night, we had a mixture of garlic, onions, squash, zucchini, and eggplant in grape seed oil with a little salt and pepper in a foil pack on the grill.  Sooooo good.

I absolutely love having so much fresh stuff on hand, and how can you go wrong when your kids ask if they can have a snack of raw peas in the pod instead of Doritoes? 

This is what I had for my birthday dinner last night.  Yesterday was our pick-up day, so I'm pretty sure most of this was one day or less from the vine/ground.

You do NOT get this freshness and flavor from produce from the store.

Sorry these pictures are sideways.  Please turn your head a bit if it bothers you.

I added a few nuts and some croutons and some raspberry vinaigrette, and went to town!

Soggy croutons, and freshness?  Come to mama.

The farm that we buy from can be found here:  Northern Harvest Farm  and I cannot recommend them enough.  Communication has been great, and we are certainly loving what we are getting!  They also offer flower shares so you can enjoy fresh cut flowers in your home once a week.  Check their website for more details.  I'm off to eat some more peas...

XOXOX

NH