CSA

[CSA box]

ring on the bounty! The colors and flavors of the farmers markets have changed from the leafy greens of winter to the stonepits, squash, and melon of high summer.

With an increased number of pick up points, it's easier than ever these days to order a box online and collect it at one's local farmers market. That's exactly what I did. But instead of it being for me, this summer CSA is a gift for a very good friend on the occasion of her birthday. She's super into veggies and has never done a CSA thing, so I thought I'd get her started.

As you can see, it is a pretty hefty box. Inside: Watermelon, honeydew, two ears of corn, four tomatoes, chard and two kinds of kale, purple/black basil, cucumbers, squash, and a couple of gourds whose names I don't know (the two in the center).  Oh, and a mutant heart-shaped eggplant.

[CSA contents]

I can't wait to hear what she does with all this!

Have you thought about supporting a local CSA?

CSA:1

I first read the letters "CSA" on Marsha's blog, oh, maybe a couple summers ago. Though I had no idea what it meant, the accompanying photos of vegetables was *kind of* a clue.  I went to Google and discovered this whole community supported agriculture thing, which I think is pretty neat.  I've been meaning to try for a while -- especially since some friends started buying a weekly box to share amongst their housemates -- but didn't get to it until last week.

The South Central Famers Cooperative has a ton of pickup points, so I chose to get my box at the Downtown farmers market.  Let me tell you, it was quite a sight to see me walking those four or five city blocks, in office attire (and 2" pumps -- I'd forgotten!), lugging an 11x11x17 box of vegetables.

I split the goods with G'zilla and Jax, who also kept all the beets, radishes, and the entire head of lettuce.  What you see here is my portion -- still quite a bit!

[csa innards]

There wasn't a whole lot that I recognized, outside of the green onion (purple, in this case), spinach, cilantro, and daikon.  Thanks to the Coop's website, I discovered them to be varieites of kale (Red Russian, Black, Blue Dwarf), collard greens (curly, purple/red), swiss chard, and more.

I sauteed all the kale in butter with mushrooms, onions, and garlic, mixed in some penne and alfredo sauce, added grated cheeses, and baked into a casserole.  It was a hit at our Christmas potluck party.  Last Monday, Jax sauteed her portion of black kale to go along with dinner (bowties w/ salmon, peas, pine nuts, mint leaves, and feta -- delish!).

It's been a week, and I'm still not sure what to do with the rest of the CSA haul!  I should have reread Marsha's last CSA post before I purchased, but I'm glad I could give it a test run by getting just one box.  Such a large quantity, though very inexpensive at $15, is simply too much for three mouths.  I have a lot of hope, though, and believe in the idea of CSA.  So I may try again in spring or summer, when the harvest is different, I have more time to be experimental, and the harvest is more suitable to my palate.  For now, I think we'll just stick with a bunch here and there at the farmers market.