The CSA Report

The CSA Report  will be a regular Wednesday post from now until October.  CSA, Community Supported Agriculture, is still a relatively new term to people so I want to expand on what it is, what it's all about, and what one could get out of it.  For me, I like the idea of getting fresh local produce on a prepaid and regular basis. By joining the CSA, I've made a commitment to local farmers that financially help them start their season. In return, I get the freshest of produce and a variety that I would not normally think to buy.  So I'll also be getting creative in the kitchen.

Having just picked up this week's share, I am pleasantly pleased.  I've said it already, but it's worth saying again... we're off to a good start.  I was looking back at last year's records before writing this to make a comparison. Honestly, I remember being disappointed.  Last year was simply slim pickens.  At this time last year, there were three items in the bag.  There was spring garlic greens, rhubarb, and asparagus.  Today's haul included two types of lettuce, knob onions, radishes, kohlrabi, spring garlic greens, and cilantro.

I know it's the weather.  Last year we had horrible storms at this time.  This year it was an early spring and has been warm/hot and sunny.  Although now they're saying we're going into a drought.  Strawberries and asparagus are over where this time last year they were just getting started.  No sweat though, I've already put up a dozen pints of pickled asparagus and many bags of frozen asparagus and strawberries.  I'm getting serious about preserving what's in season and local.

So what to do with all these goodies?  The lettuces will be used for salad to accompany our homemade pizza.  The radishes have already gone by way of snacking.  The knob onions were sauteed and added to tonight's patty melts.  The kohlrabi (that round weird looking thing with leaves poking out of it in the back) is new to me.  I've decided that it will get sliced and grilled with a fair share of butter and salt.  The only thing that comes to mind for the cilantro is salsa which I am out of anyhow.

Do you belong to a CSA?  How's it looking in your bag?