Friday, May 24, 2013

Our first CSA Box

This year we signed up to participate in the Community Supported Agriculture program run by a local organic farm called Blue House Farm. Once a week through fall we will pick up a box of produce from a near-by drop off point. We got our first box yesterday, and here are the contents: lettuce, spinach, chard, snow peas, strawberries, zucchini, red spring onions and broccoli. Each box is about $20U.S. . . . not necessary a great "deal," but a fair price we think. Their website is beautiful, and they have a weekly newsletter with great recipes. I think we're having spring onion polenta for lunch!  The strawberries are long gone.
I'm wondering whether any of you have any similar programs and what your experience has been. 

13 comments:

beccaf1970 said...

This looks delicious! We just signed up with one here in CT for the first time this year...our goodies won't start coming in until the second week of June though. Ours also comes out to $20 a week. Enjoy!

scrappyjacky said...

We have this type of programme in the UK as well.....also programmes where you can collect a box of veg from the local community centre....which is much cheaper....and can even work out better value than the supermarket.
That looks a really good,assorted box.

Flora said...

We have a great program here. I love picking up our box every week.

JO SOWERBY said...

Everything looks so vibrant, one of the things I miss about not having a garden is growing my own produce. This looks beautiful, enjoy
Jo xxx

alexa said...

Yes, we got an organic veg box for years, once a week, until the shop closed, alas. This one is filled with wonderful colour! not surprised the straws have gone ...

nancy y said...

I love getting my box. Our community sponsored a CSA drop-off last year and I won a free month. This year I've started with another farm that delivers to a home right near me. The difference with them is that they send an email on Friday and if you like what's in the box you can pay and get one or not. I haven't got a box for a few weeks as we have been travelling on most weekends so it would be wasted. I'm excited to start back up this coming Tuesday. My husband thinks it's a bit pricey - but just the 3 boxes of strawberries I got would cost upwards of $12 alone at the farmer's market. I also have noticed that the veggies in the box are much more flavorful than those I get at the grocery store. It also gets me trying sometimes new veggies - now for just the 2 of us it's sometimes more than we can eat, so I gift a bit to my trainer if I have too much.

Melissa said...

I've always wanted to try something like that because I thought it would help me with my quest to try out new veggies, however I've not found a local program.

Sian said...

Yes, we took part in an organic fruit and veg box scheme for years. I used to enjoy the challenge of using up whatever they sent..though our variety wouldn't be anything like what you can get I would guess. Ours was a lot of potatoes..and then more potatoes!!

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

Now that looks like a nice mix of stuff. Our local CSA box, which I saw but didn't buy, is full of lettuces and not much else currently.

Beverly said...

We have quite a few options for this here and they deliver directly to your home. You can add or delete from what is coming in your box and they provide recipes. I have a friend that eats a much healthier and more varied diet because of it. I have thought about it but we are gone so much and I do love going to the Farmer's Market once a week :)

Unknown said...

Looks yummy, esp the strawberries.

Anonymous said...

Looks, like it was a good first week. I haven't heard of anything like that around here. You've got me wondering though.

Karen said...

We have several CSAs to choose from here. Because we have our own garden at the Community Garden, we don't participate. Some of our friends did last year, and they found they got more food than they could use, but that it stretched them to try new things.