Community Supported Agriculture

Last week i was reading the new Bon Appetit-Feb. 09.  There was a very interesting article about 50 ways to go green.

In this article, yes there was alot of great ways to go green, and yet there was one thing that stood out to me the most.  A website, localharvest.org.  There is a link to this page on the right hand side of this page.

I myself was absolutely floored with this website.  There was so much information on this website that i did not know even existed.  I clicked the CSA tab, put in my zip code and up popped about 12 farms within 100 miles of my place.  These farms are either organic or use no kind of pesticides, hormones or antibiotics while raising there fruit, vegetables or animals.

With a subscription to these farms, you can receive produce baskets at your door step or at a designated pick-up spot.  That's right, produce directly from the farmer, and its "green" and local.  These produce baskets can have anything from fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and maybe meats. 

When you sign up for this subscriptions there is a few.  You might be asked to work on the farm for a weekend.  You also pay anywhere from 3-400 dollars for half a season. 5-600 dollars for the full season.  The contents of the basket all depends on the growing season and or what the farmer has available.

There is much more you can do on this website.  You can find Co-Ops and restaurants in your area that help support these farmers and there mission.  

If you cant afford the subscription to the farmer, you can still by products from them at your leisure, like cheese, eggs, heirloom seeds, vegetables and meats to name a few.

If you are into getting fresh and i mean fresh products, you want to support your local farmers who believe in the simplicity of growing or raising "green" products then this website is just for you.

Produce Quiz:

This vegetable comes in clumps of long, spaghetti like stems.  I have a appealing crunchy texture that works well in salads.  I am available year round in Asian markets and supermarkets.  I can be purchased fresh or canned.  I am used to garnish soups or other hot dishes.  I am a good source of vitamin D and B-complex vitamins.  I am also called the velvet stem...what am i?

Answer will be in my next blog post.