Monday, April 12, 2010

Community Supported Agriculture



Hubby and I signed up for a spring membership with a local organic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. We got our first box the other day and it was filled with all sorts of wonderful surprises.


Our box included D'Anjou pears and Pink Lady apples...


...green kale, arugula, mizuna, turnips, and micro mix, ...


...and a lovely assortment of portobello and crimini mushrooms (which the farm is known for)...


...Red Chieftan potatoes...


...and a lovely loaf of fresh baked bread!

Our first CSA meal was a penne dish with arugula pesto, portobello mushrooms, organic fennel sausage and Greek olives.


Hubby made this meal and it was delicious. It tasted just like summer.

Note: To find a CSA in your area, go here.

39 comments :

  1. That is so neat that a club like that is offered to you! That meal looks delicious! I would LOVE the recipe :)
    ~Kiri

    www.mylovelylife-blog.blogspot.com

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  2. Hi Kiri,
    We used the basil pesto recipe from the post before. Instead of using a cup of basil and a cup of arugula, we used two cups of arugula. All other ingredients stayed the same. And after the penne was cooked, he stirred in the pesto and olives and the fennel sausage (he previously sauteed). So everything was nice and hot.

    ; ) Trina

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  3. What a wonderful idea and even more special that you can be a part of supporting the local growers. It's like the "old days" when families and communities shared and exchanged what they grew. Even better too, that it's all organic. My neighbors and us grow different things in our gardens and split everything so we always have a constant array of veggies and fruits. It's a good feeling to eat what you've grown yourself!
    The meal your husband made looks delicious - lucky you! I always look forward to summer dinners ~
    Have a wonderful week!
    Sarah

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  4. Hi Trina,

    Just stumbled upon your blog, love it! I feel like I am flipping through pages of an Ina Garten cookbook and a country living magazine- so inspiring. Thanks for the beautiful pictures.

    Katie

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  5. Mmm, that pasta looks delicious!
    I have an organic veg box which gets delivered every week, but I'm always so excited to get stuck into the contents that I haven't posted about it yet. I wonder if it's a similar scheme to yours, but the UK equivalent?
    Best wishes
    Dan

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  6. Thank you for posting this. Even in the city, our local organic co-op hosts a CSA where you can go once or twice a week to pick up your share of local organic produce. I would have no idea what to do with kale so I think it would be good to have a few good vegetarian cookbooks on hand but what better way to try new fresh, healthy foods. Now that you've mentioned it, I think I might give it a try this year.

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  7. What a fabulous thing to be a part of. Would I simply Google CSA and my town to find something similar in my area?

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  8. All looks so yummy and healthy! Great pictures too!

    ~jamilyn

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  9. Hi Trina,

    Love our CSA also. It really is a close-knit community of like-minded people. The freshness and variety of the food just blows me away. It keeps me motivated to prepare meals deserving of such produce. Whenever I'm feeling a bit lazy, like take-out might be a possibility, I just look at all the produce that needs to be eaten and I get off my lazy arse and cook!

    ~janet

    ps ~ Can I send Larry over for a few lessons from Mike?

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  10. Oh WOW...this looks like fun! Such goodies you now have! I am going to have to look into seeing if they have something like this in my area :)

    Enjoy!

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  11. I love having several organic CSA's very close by! Is yours organic? (are all CSA's organic?) Luckily ours also sells to the public on a few days a week and at farmers markets. Can't wait for the farmers markets to start!
    That's amazing that y'all already have apples!And that they provide homemade bread?? Perfect! Hubby's meal looks wonderful. How lucky you are that he cooks!
    joan

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  12. I have always wanted to sign up for one of these programs. The produce looks so fresh and I love the idea of getting to try new things.

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  13. If I lived closer, I'd make you a loaf of organic bread every single week ....I grind our wheat and make our breads and rolls and pizza rolls! Love it!

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  14. Sounds great. We have started our first vegetable garden and I am excited to get the fresh veggies. I would love your husband's recipe for the pasta. Carla

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  15. What a fun and fabulous idea! Would you share how you found this in your area? Please share the recipe as well ~ it sounds and looks delish.

    Jo

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  16. This post makes me anxious for the farmer's market to open and for my garden to start producing! You make everything look so yummy!

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  17. Sweet greetings from Frog Hollow Farm. I love the idea of getting produce like that from a Community Supported Agriculture program. How did you get involved with it? Are there programs like that in all parts of the country? I'll try to Google and see what I come up with. Ciao, bella!

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  18. Trina, I have had a couple of my clients get organic produce like this and it is a great concept. Your pasta dish looks wonderful, Kathysue

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  19. What a great idea! It all looks lovely, especially the bread. Yum!

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  20. Hi!
    To find a CSA farm in your area, go here: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

    : ) Trina

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  21. Awesome! I will have to try and find them in our area, we are close.Thanks for the info.~Cheers Kim

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  22. Thanks for such a great post! I found several farms that participate in CSA in my area and have contacted them. I'm super excited to hear back from them!! Have great evening!
    Jennifer

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  23. That looks so yummy!! What a great way to get fresh organic produce! I will be checking out your link. Enjoy!!

    Hugs,
    Victoria

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  24. How exciting it must be to open the box and see all that wonderul food...I bet it feels a bit like Christmas!
    After we move, I'm going to check around and do the same. I think it would inspire greatness in the kitchen...it obviously did for hubby! xo

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  25. You must feel great after eating such good food..I wonder if we have anything like CSA here, you've inspired me to find out. Rxx

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  26. Complements to the Chef! What a bountiful supply of treats in your goodie box Trina. However, I think the turnip would probably sit in my vegie crisper for a few months, as other than soup, I can't think of much else to do with it. Aren't I boring!
    Millie ^_^

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  27. What a fantastic idea, love it. And looks like hubby is pretty clever in the kitchen : )

    julesxxx

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  28. Wow what an assortment of amazing produce for this time of year. Those mushrooms!

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  29. Fantastic...good for you!! Fresh food, homegrown is the best...

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  30. LOVE a CSA. So good for everyone! Nice stuff you got there too! I have my soap as part of a local CSA, folks get a bit of a deal when they buy it via the CSA. I love that it is not just veggies and fruits anymore. We also have CSF (community supported fishery) up here in Maine. Very cool.
    :)
    Shannon
    www.cascobaysoap.blogspot.com

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  31. Such a wonderful idea - fabulous fresh food for you and a much better deal for the local farmers. Leigh

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  32. love fresh produce from local markets...the bread looks delish..you trained your hubby well! maryann

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  33. How delightful. The fresh produce makes me yearn for Summer's fresh produce. I have some fresh herbs planted in my yard...and I cannot wait to use them in a fresh pasta like this! Also, my mom has a very extensive garden...and you can be sure I'll be making trips down to see her to partake of the goodness!

    -Gail

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  34. Thanks for sharing this. I must say I envy you. I would love to be able to be in an area that has this kind of co op. You are truly Blessed,
    Thanks for sharing,
    Sherry

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  35. I have never heard of a CSA, but now I have, I am going to look in Ontario to see if they are here. Thank you so much for enlightening me. Your farm goods look heavenly. What a fabulous initiative.

    Chania

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  36. Your dinner looks delish, I will be checking my area for this service. Everything looks so good!

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  37. I love CSA & Slow Food! A great post that get's others involved and let's their local farmers know how much they are appreciated!
    Lisa

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Thank you for leaving your thoughts. Kind regards, Catherine

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