an ode to my CSA

This is the second year that I have supported a CSA (community supported agriculture) and it is one of my favourite things to do in the summer. We ended up doing a different CSA this year than last year, due to the farm stopping their CSA program, but I have really enjoyed the ability to explore two different ways to do a CSA and hope to do this every year.

While last year we were able to pick up the box from our neighbourhood, this year we drive out to the farm to get our vegetables. This has been nice as a way to get out of the house lately, and also I love it since I am able to visit the goat family that live across the street. While there have been some different Covid-19 restrictions with the box as there would usually be a trade table and we pick up a plastic bag with the vegetables inside instead of packing them loose into our own container, I am still so thankful to be able to get these delicious and locally grown vegetables.

The desire of a CSA is that you pay the price upfront in the spring so that they have the money to plant the crops for the whole summer and fall. This helps to support the farmers from the very beginning.

One of my favourite parts about the CSA process is the surprise as I never truly know what is going to be coming each week. I love trying vegetables that I haven’t had the chance to cook much of such as kohlrabi, fresh herbs like parsley, marjoram, and basil, and some top favourite vegetables such as beets and summer squash.

I love that my husband thought that he hated fennel and we have found that if we have baby fennel and the bottoms are roasted until slightly caramelized and the tops made into a pesto he likes both (I don’t think I can say love just yet). I love that there is always a head of lettuce in the fridge to make a salad for dinner, and I love that I know that all of my vegetables are summer are grown in such close proximity to me.

I feel like every day we get to eat something that is coming from our box, whether that be roasted summer squash, green onions in my favourite biscuits, or delicious bowls topped with pan fried paneer.

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Have you ever gotten a CSA? If not you should look into one in your area for next summer.