The great thing about CSA boxes

annbeck62

One of the great thing about CSA boxes is you are forced to use vegetables you may have never tried before. I have to laugh at myself. This week in by box I got a huge pumpkin and I thought oh great, what am I going to do with this. Growing up one year my mom decided to make her own pumpkin puree using the pumpkin we had carved into a jack-o-lantern for halloween. It did not go well. I knew there were pie pumpkins that were different from carving pumpkins but I always had it in my head that making pumpkin puree was really hard and would not be very usable. Turns out it's really easy and yummier than anything I've ever bought that came in a can 😀

COWLOVINGIRL

This is so funny you mention this because I was just thinking about how fun it would be to start my own CSA!

annbeck62

@COWLOVINGIRL you should go for it! What could be really helpful for some is having recipe suggestions either in the box or online somewhere for those "what do I do with this" items :)

Monek Marie

Pumpkin Chips and pumpkin leather are great too.

I agree having a CSA box gives you the opportunity to try new things you normally would not.

@COWLOVINGIRL l have also thought of doing CSA boxes. Its much needed right now in our economy. I agree with @annbeck62 about having recipes in tehr box. I have received them this way and it helps people try new things and encourages them to stay with a box. I used to take recipes to ther farmers market when I did that and it was a huge success.

lewis.mary.e

We will be offering a CSA in 2021. And I'll be doing a newsletter with how to use what's in the box. Honestly, I have a lot of computer time coming up in the next few months to market and promote what we'll be doing! So excited to get started on it.

water2world

Oh....I wish we had a CSA close----it closed after years! I hope one starts up again in this area!

I think it is great @COWLOVINGIRL that you are thinking about starting one (and the idea for including recipes is great) and @lewis.mary.e for starting one in 2021!

Slippy

What does CSA stand for?

JennyT Upstate South Carolina

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/882942#Comment_882942

@Slippy CSA is the acronym for community supported agriculture. Farms start these to supply people with fresh, local food during harvest season. 🌽🥕🍓

@annbeck62 I've been making my own pumpkin puree for several years now. Haven't used a can in forever. Homemade is the best. Congratulations on spreading your wings in the kitchen and best of all having success with it.☺️

@COWLOVINGIRL Best of luck on starting your CSA. I'm waiting for a favorite local farm to start theirs. I think it's been put on hold with the whole pandemic situation. But I'm hoping they get things figured out soon. I miss having one. And recipe suggestions included are always a great idea.

COWLOVINGIRL

Thank you so much everyone for your encouragement! @annbeck62 That is a great idea! That way people wouldn't feel overwhelmed with trying to figure out what in the world they were going to do with all this produce!!!

COWLOVINGIRL

@lewis.mary.e I'm so excited for you! Keep us posted!

frogvalley

We've used several CSA's over the years. When one closed, we'd have to find another. We have always endeavored to buy locally produced items. One year we started with a farm market that sold us on their CSA because they said they grew everything. After a few weeks, we discovered that one didn't have to belong to the CSA to get the vegetables, you could just buy whatever quantity you wanted in their little store. This was great as we had dietary limitations and noticed that the vegetables in the store looked fresher than the ones they packed for CSA members so we would just buy a few more of whatever we needed. One day I arrived early to find that they were packing the crates with produced they purchased. I asked about it and they said that they bought all of their produce and packed our allotments from them and used the rest in the store. OMG! I looked around the farm and there were no plants, no vegetables, no green houses. They didn't even lie about it. I asked for a refund and quickly found a real farmer.

I didn't relate this story to put anyone off of supporting a CSA. Quite the opposite. Make sure it is a CSA - if that's what you want.

@COWLOVINGIRL Seems like you have a great brain trust to help you with making sure you start you on your way to a great CSA.

Slippy

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/882943#Comment_882943

Thank you @JennyT !

herbantherapy

Fun! And thanks for the reminder!! My vegetable growing skills are very weak. Partly due to weather, partly due to my lack of support. I want to join a CSA. I need to find one locally.

COWLOVINGIRL

@frogvalley Thank you so much!

Nancy Carter

Are there any CSA organizations in Pennsylvania? How does someone participate in receiving these boxes? @COWLOVINGIRL your idea is great!

RustBeltCowgirl

@Nancy Carter Google CSA's near you.

Torey

You can use this website to find a variety of local products, farmers markets, farm stands or CSA providers. Just enter your zipcode.

https://www.localharvest.org/

COWLOVINGIRL

Thanks for the link @torey!

Sharie

I ran a CSA program for a couple of years. In the winter we supplemented with some imported greens and mushrooms during the skinny months when we ran out of storage squash and potatoes. I really learned a lot about veggies. So many things that I had never tried like collards and chard for example really enriched my life. I spent a lot of time trying out new recipes and trying to get my customers to share their recipes. Running a CSA is a great way to meet like-minded people in the community. We had a farmer's market stand for pick-up location and also to sell extra produce and sign people up for our program. It was great fun to trade with the local bakery at the end of the day and then pick up pumpkin pie or blueberry muffins made with our produce at the next market :)

Monek Marie

I have thought about running a small CSA too @annbeck62 . I have a friend that ran one in New york. I will see if she has any helpful tips.

I know providing recipse to help people with new veggies is always a great idea. I did that when I used to do a farmers market.

Its hard to tell what this summer will be like and that is one reaon I thought about a CSA

Good luck and keep us all informed

annbeck62

I get boxes from two different farms. One created a facebook group where the farmer and box recipients can post pictures and recipes they made using the items in the box. It's really helpful and the busy farmer doesn't have to come up with all the inspiration 😃

SuperC

The csa; farm is where I buy organic veggies all year

lewis.mary.e

So far we have interest in our CSA from a few people. A couple are single people, so I have figure out how to price a small share. I totally want to accommodate the single folks. :)

annbeck62

@lewis.mary.e some of the CSAs around where I live offer 1/2 share. The 1/2 share is an every other week pick up.