Test Drive a CSA

Fall Sign Up for the seven week extension of our Community Supported Agriculture was announced yesterday.

I belong to Sandy Spring CSA, in the summer and fall. I have moved around in other seasons, but like the variety of what we get. Here’s a typical fall box.

This is a full share. Larger in volume and in number of items. For someone who wants to try out a CSA, the 60% share is a really good option. For seven weeks, you would be getting 5-8 items. The smaller share doesn’t get the more exotic veggies, but does get pretty much the same things we get in the full share.

If you ate two or three meals a day at home, like we do, and eat mostly vegetarian for lunch, a full share does work out. I pay about $30 a week for the full share. The 60% share costs $19 a week.

All of these veggies are organic, and would cost quite a bit more in the stores.

The other reason I like the fall share is that it begins just as the farmer’s markets are closing down in Howard County. For Thanksgiving and Christmas I have enough here to make dishes to take to relatives, or to pot luck luncheons. I also created a “root cellar” in the coldest room off the garage, where I keep potatoes and onions. I was using them well into February last year. I did end up planting a few of the sweet potatoes, which are about ready to be harvested in the next week or so.

Organic produce isn’t sprayed with anti-sprouting treatments, so your potatoes will grow eyes eventually and if put in water will sprout.

I like getting the full veggies too. Like the tops of the beets, the greens, the celery. Check out this celery from last year.

I froze those greens, and pulled them out to make chicken stock with them.

The final delivery is just before Christmas. Last year that 2+ pound sweet potato got used in a holiday preparation.

That full share did include some rare veggies, There was a seminole squash (a cooking pumpkin family squash) and that red komatsuna. Komatsuna is an Asian mustard green similar to spinach.

I really like getting the strange veggies that challenge me, by buying the full share. In the 60% share, you might not see the komatsuna. For a CSA novice, getting familiar veggies that are easy to cook is an introduction that doesn’t overwhelm you.

Believe me, my first summer, in 2011, before I started my blog and kept track, I do remember being overwhelmed. And, giving lots of stuff away because I hadn’t changed my cooking style.

Now, strange items don’t faze me at all.

If you want a short term “relationship”, and not a long term commitment, you might want to try out a fall CSA.

And you too might experience the fun of making a “Christmas tree” for Christmas dinner.

Romanescu cauliflower, all decorated with cheese and spices and herbs.

CSA fall season runs from the first week in November until the week before Christmas. I pick up off Cedar Lane near the Robinson Nature Center. Convenient to Rte. 32.

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