CSA 2010 Season Begins!

This week's share, photographed by BB. 

Today is the first vegetable delivery of the season!  This year we bought a half-share of vegetables and fruit, which means a delivery every other week.  This is a change for us: in the past we've gotten a full share.  The quantity of vegetables and the challenge of using everything before it rots was the inspiration for this blog.  A half-share should be more manageable and give us the opportunity to hit the farmer's market from time to time.

Above you can see this week's haul in a picture taken by Barnacle Bill.  Clockwise from 9 o'clock: thyme and oregano plants in a starter pot; Mizuna (spiky green similar to kale); green leaf lettuce; vitamin green; bok choy; red leaf lettuce; radishes with greens; blue green peas shoots with pods; strawberries and rhubarb.  In the center is a bunch of scallions.

A summer of recipes or how i used everything

My goal this season is to use every bit of goodness from my CSA share. CSA = Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, in the spring, one buys a share in a local farm, and collects dividends in the form of produce. Here in New York State it's approximately $600 for 22 weeks of veggies and 20 weeks of fruit. If the farmer has a good year, you eat well. If not, you don't eat so well, but the payback is that the farm survives the season.

Every year it is an adventure. Like a box of chocolates, "you nevah know what cha gonna get" each week. In a 2 person household, it is a challenge to use everything before rot sets in.