Farmer's markets and CSAs

[Shacky]

I am curious as to how many of you regularly visit and purchase produce from a local farmer's market or possibly subscribe to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)?

I found out a few months ago that there was a weekly Farmer's Market about 1/2 mile from where I work and was excited to check it out. They also have a CSA that I ended up subscribing to. This one is unique in that I get produce from a variety of vendors. If there is an ingredient in my box that I don't care for (corn, legumes, etc), I can visit the vendor and swap it out for something more agreeable to me. Sweet deal!

For something that I had no clue about a year ago, I really love these things. I have been introduced to a nice variety of fruits and vegetables that used to be foreign to me.



http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

This is a site where you can find local CSAs and Farmer's Markets in your area.

 

[Abide]

You don't like corn on the

You don't like corn on the cob?

 

[sloutre]

We've been a member of a CSA

We've been a member of a CSA for a few years but did not subscribe this year.

The main reason is that we're away most of the summer and ended up wasting our share in July and AUgust.

The other reason is that we cannot eat 5 to 8 lettuces in 7 days for 3 weeks in a row in the Spring, and I have no clue how to preserve lettuce for later. The Fall harvest was usually pretty exciting but Spring was boring. ANd I wish our CSA had fruits too.

We may join again next year if we find someone who can take our summer boxes.

Overall we ate a lot more veggies than before and it was really good quality stuff.

 

[Shacky]

@Abide - yes I like corn on

@Abide - yes I like corn on the cob but I try to be paleo'ish now



@sloutre - I tend to get a couple heads of lettuce per box which is more than what I would typically eat. And lettuce has a short shelf life too. I much prefer all the various squashes I have been getting.

 

[stomper]

i use a sort of meta-CSA

i use a sort of meta-CSA called "Organics To You". They'll deliver a produce box, also eggs and milk if you want, every week with a mixture of stuff from local (NW Oregon) farms. In the winter or for special orders such as the "kid box" they supplement with stuff from California.

I think this works better for me than a pure CSA because you get more variety; I don't end up with any ridiculous quantities of just one thing.

One thing I really like about it, but never expected, is that the produce is in very good condition. It hasn't been handled nearly as much as stuff at the store.

 

[Abide]

Shacky wroteAbide - yes I

@Abide - yes I like corn on the cob but I try to be paleo'ish now

Just lather it with some bacon grease then you can call it paleo. I know you are paleo'ish and corn is a grain, I'm just being a smart ass.

Yes we have been on and off with the CSA. I have a big garden so I tend to get a lot of the same stuff so lately we cancelled the CSA and just pick and choose from the farmers market.

There are so many benefits to these things it's incredible. The best is the produce just tastes so much better than what you get in the store.

 

[ajb422]

I love farmers markets. I

I love farmers markets. I don't go to them as much as I wish I did since the one by us overlaps with my long Sat. morning run and I constantly forget about it. But they seriously have the best fruit ever. And I supose veggies too but I don't tend to eat as many of those

 

[peacekaren]

I'm blessed to live in an

I'm blessed to live in an area with many amazing, local, sustainable farms and several outstanding year-round farmers' markets. I've participated in CSAs in the past, but for the last 5 years I've prefered the Saturday morning ritual of visiting the farmers' market(s) and filling my basket based on our family's food needs for the upcoming week.

Here's an example of the goodies I brought home from one trip to the market last summer.

 

[dunetraveller]

I was going to farmer's

I was going to farmer's markets in Las Vegas last year as the harvest season was coming to a close, but I have not started back up again. I found most of the produce was being trucked from outside the state and it just didn't have the quality or longevity of store bought. I was spending much more for cukes as limp as dishrags just so I could pat myself on the back for "buying from the farmer". For a time pride took the lead over reason, but having had the winter to think it through, I really do require a much higher standard for quality right now. Although if I could find a farm that was selling their best stuff, and it had the same or better quality than a supermarket's organic section, I would change back in a heartbeat.

John T.

 

[Shacky]

Wow Karen, that looks

Wow Karen, that looks delightful! My farmer's market has eggs as well but I've been apprehensive on buying them since warning flags go off when they talk about their free range chickens. For some reason I just don't believe them.

And I need to remember to bring cash with me when I go so I can pick up extra stuff then what's in my basket.

Another note - a friend is part of the same CSA but with a different pick-up location (and therefore different farmers). She is not happy at all. She thinks she is getting the "bottom of the basket" goods. Says a lot of the fruits are tiny, the veggies are wilted, etc. Plus it sounds like I get more of a variety then she does.

 

[HobbitFeet]

Looks like the majority of

Looks like the majority of CSAs mentioned here are the veggie kind. Maybe it's a Texas thing, but I'm actually on a meat CSA. All locally raised, grass fed beef, pork, chickens, etc. We usually get more than we can eat in a month, but we sure give it a shot. The best is when we get the stuff we would never buy ourselves, like pork bellies (can you say dry-cured apple-smoked homemade bacon?) and the balls of pig fat that we render down into nice, clear lard for cooking.



I'll never buy store bacon again, that's for sure. And a grass-fed steak is so delicious, a steak restaurant is just a waste of money.

 

[Matt]

HobbitFeet wrote:Looks like

Looks like the majority of CSAs mentioned here are the veggie kind. Maybe it's a Texas thing, but I'm actually on a meat CSA. All locally raised, grass fed beef, pork, chickens, etc. We usually get more than we can eat in a month, but we sure give it a shot. The best is when we get the stuff we would never buy ourselves, like pork bellies (can you say dry-cured apple-smoked homemade bacon?) and the balls of pig fat that we render down into nice, clear lard for cooking.I'll never buy store bacon again, that's for sure. And a grass-fed steak is so delicious, a steak restaurant is just a waste of money.

+10!

 

[dunetraveller]

Dagnabbit! Why do some people

Dagnabbit! Why do some people have all the luck? I envy you.

John T.