My Summer of CSA

I am challenging myself this summer. In this challenge, I am going to use new, fresh, local ingredients to cook new recipes and try to be healthier. To do this, I bought a CSA.

I have had lots of people ask, "What is a CSA?" So, I figure that is a good place to start. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the common person (like me) to buy a share into a local farm. In exchange for making this purchase up front, the farmer provides the person with a box of fresh produce each week (at least in my case). This benefits the farmer (they get money up front to put into the farm, and they can sell the shares during the off season) and it benefits the CSA shareholder (they get yummy, fresh produce on a regular basis). This website explains it a little better: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ 

In addition to what I mentioned before, I also get the added bonus of trying new foods! Anybody who knows me, knows that I am probably the least adventurous eater in the entire universe. I have bought non-traditional CSAs before where I got coupons to spend at the farm's stand each week. This seemed like a great plan until I realized that when I was in control, I wouldn't buy ANYTHING I wasn't familiar and comfortable with. So this year, I decided to go completely traditional and get prepacked boxes from the farm of my choice. That way, I am forced to try these new vegetables, which is exactly what I need.

I picked Around the Table Farm. They have the prettiest, most varied stand at the market every week (even in the middle of the winter; it is amazing!). The owners are also extremely nice. If you live in the Poulsbo area, check them out at the market.

To the purpose of this blog: I want to share my adventure this summer. I am not pretending to be an amazing cook or extremely creative when it comes to cooking. I feel like I am already learning so much through this experience, and want to share it with others.

I also have an ulterior motive. I am going to encounter lots of new veggies with which I am not familiar, and I will need suggestions for how to use them. Feel free to comment and share what you know!

Happy reading!