Wed 17 Jun 2009
As Carrie did last year, I thought it’d be a great idea to support local agriculture and buy a farm share from a CSA farmer. Holy green leaves of goodness! This image shows my HALF of one farm share for one week. And, mind you, this is only the second week that I’ve been getting part of this bounty. We haven’t even gotten to the loads of zucchini!
I have to say that I’m totally impressed by the quality and quantity of the food that I’m getting. It looks better than anything that you can get at even the finest grocery stores. And the variety! Bok choy! Swiss chard! Chickory! Pea tendrils?!?
So only in my second week, I’ve already got some advice on how to deal with the crazy influx of veggies:
- Share: It is a farm “share”, but one share can really go a long way. Go in with neighbors or coworkers. Plus, you can divy things up along pickiness better if there are more people.
- Stock up on paper towels: Most of the greens come from the farms sopping wet. That’s fine. Shake them off a bit and cut off any roots, then wrap them in paper towels before putting them in the fridge. This will help keep everything from wilting, because, believe me, there’s no way you’re getting all of this in your crisper(s).
- Stock up on staples: I have no idea how to cook most of this stuff, but I can tell you that with a few staples you can make a meal or a great side dish with most of it. Namely, keep an assortment of nuts, cheeses, and starches (pasta, rice, and potatoes) on hand. For example, saute some chicory with garlic, pine nuts, and some white wine and mix with pasta, tomatoes, and some parmesean cheese.
- Be flexible: The most interesting part of having a farm share is that you don’t know what you’re going to get each week. If you’re like me, you’re in a rut with the same 3 veggies every week. With a farm share, you’re going to have to take some of your old recipes and incorporate these new ingredients. Sometimes, it makes the old recipe even better.
I have to say that I really like thinking about the food I have and how to cook around it. The whole thing makes me feel so much more in touch with the food I eat, and the process it went through to get to my table.