Kitchen

[HonnyBrown]

Is anyone a member?  How do you like it? What are the pros and cons?

[prisrob]

I have been a member of different CSA's for 10 years. We have 15  in our community. I love them, we help support the farmer, and in return you receive fresh veggies, fruit on a weekly basis. You can either have your CSA delivered or pick it up. I go to the farm, and I have my pick of all the herbs and some flowers available. They sell breads,pastries,  cheeses and give recipes every week for the produce you receive. Straight from the farm, always fresh.

No downside at all.

[jaxs mom]

The downside is that you need to figure out a way to get through stuff that may not match up with your menu plan for the week. Or that your family doesn't really like. Plus you don't always get as much of what a specific item that you need. I ended up dropping mine. 

[Ms X]

I'd never heard this term and so looked it up.  What happens if you pay up front and there's a drought or something and not much in the way of crops?  Are you out of luck, or do they carry insurance so that they can give you a refund?

[sunshine45]

i prefer to go to our local farmers markets. i found that the CSAs often had items that my family did not or would not eat AND not enough of other vegetables that we love. when i go to the farmers markets i can pick up exactly what we need and support our local farmers in that way. they are generally more expensive than buying from a grocery store, but worth it.

[athenian]

I love my CSA, been a member for 7 years.  Ours is organic produce, eggs, and beginning to raise cattle and pigs.  Fruit trees are planted but will take a few years.  The produce is so much better than I can buy at local stores.  We have too much shade to have a garden, so this works so well for us. There are a few times every year that there is more kale than I like, but I freeze things that we can't use right away.  The CSA owners started as a young couple on a rented farm, now own their own, with 2 kids and a few employees.  It's really great for me, and a great addition to our community.  They have never been out of produce, although some things might be short some years because of weather.

[HonnyBrown]

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@prisrob wrote:

I have been a member of different CSA's for 10 years. We have 15  in our community. I love them, we help support the farmer, and in return you receive fresh veggies, fruit on a weekly basis. You can either have your CSA delivered or pick it up. I go to the farm, and I have my pick of all the herbs and some flowers available. They sell breads,pastries,  cheeses and give recipes every week for the produce you receive. Straight from the farm, always fresh.

No downside at all.

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Thanks prisrob!  Do you have to work the farm as a part of your agreement?

[HonnyBrown]

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@jaxs mom wrote:

The downside is that you need to figure out a way to get through stuff that may not match up with your menu plan for the week. Or that your family doesn't really like. Plus you don't always get as much of what a specific item that you need. I ended up dropping mine. 

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Thanks Jaxs!  That's my concern, getting a lot of produce that we don't like.  There's always soup.  Our menus are very flexible though.

[HonnyBrown]

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@Ms X wrote:

I'd never heard this term and so looked it up.  What happens if you pay up front and there's a drought or something and not much in the way of crops?  Are you out of luck, or do they carry insurance so that they can give you a refund?

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Ms X, that is a risk you take.  You are buying a share of the farm.  If something happens, you are out of luck.

[HonnyBrown]

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@sunshine45 wrote:

i prefer to go to our local farmers markets. i found that the CSAs often had items that my family did not or would not eat AND not enough of other vegetables that we love. when i go to the farmers markets i can pick up exactly what we need and support our local farmers in that way. they are generally more expensive than buying from a grocery store, but worth it.

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Sunshine, that's what we do.  We love our farmers' markets!  I end up buying new things to try every week.

I've been considering a CSA for a few years. I think I would appreciate the variety.