Just sent this note to a friend...
Have you ever heard of a CSA - Community Supported Agriculture? I heard of it 6-7 years ago when I was still working. I thought it sounded like a really cool thing but I could not find one at that time. A CSA is a share that you purchase from a farm at the beginning of the season for the upcoming growing season. If the farm is successful you get a bounty of veggies, if the farm is less successful you take the risk of having less veggies.
One afternoon in the fall of 2007 I happened upon a booth at the Noleridge Farmers Market and there was a sign up asking for email address of interested persons, so I signed up. I knew very little about the farm at that time, but I liked the look of their stand. They had a "signature look" and it was nice. Well it turned out that that booth was for Grinnell heritage Farm from Grinnell. We have had a CSA share ever since. When we first started I was looking for food that was local, organic was not a selling point for me then, I wanted to support local food. Well I have been pleasantly surprised - surprised at what can be grown in Iowa and how well my family likes to eat their veggies.
I know your family is looking toward more mindful eating so I've been thinking of you. Tonight attached to our weekly newsletter was the flyer for next year's share. I wanted to share it with you, because it might be something you are interested in...if not add it to your knowledge of local food resources.
The farm we purchase our CSA from is Grinnell Heritage Farm is located in Grinnell. We have visited the farm a couple of times. Last fall my boys had a blast digging and eating carrots straight from the field. The carrots from GHF are a treat! We pick up our share at Prariewoods in Hiawatha on Wednesday afternoons. If you want to see a hard copy let me know. Registration can be done online or via the mail. There is a discount if you sign up before Feb 1st of next year.
My boys will be excited to have edemame and carrots from this weeks veggie box. I am looking forward.to sweet potatoes and dragon tongue beans. Now to figure out what how collard greens are supposed to be prepared...each year I challenge myself to adopt recipes for one more of the items in the box. I have figured out what to do with zucchini and kale, but collard greens still stump me. Have you ever made sweet potato curry? There is a recipe in this weeks newsletter that I tasted last fall out at a potluck on the GHF farm, it is yummy!
See you soon
Karla
