What's a CSA?
I see this question posed often in AIP or Paleo groups. To be honest, I didn't know what it was either until earlier this year! While I was looking for organic and grass-fed farms near me, I stumbled upon an organic farm that is located very close to me and offers a seasonal CSA!
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. The basic idea is that you pay a farm up front to get a weekly share of their vegetable and/or fruit harvest throughout the growing season. Share costs usually range between $450-$650 but the cost can vary based on location and the types of items offered. Standard shares are designed to feed a family of 4.
Since I'm AIP and the amount of veggies recommended is 8-12 cups a day, this works out just fine for our two-person family. :)
Although the amount sounds high to put up initially, when I did the math for our shares, the cost evened out to less than $25 a week. The vegetables are organic and the cost is way less than if I would purchase the same vegetables from the grocery store. Organic and locally grown are a bonus!
Paying up front allows the farmer to account for a bigger crop. The money will be spent on seeds, equipment repair, and general planning for the season. It's a shared responsibility between the farmer and the consumer. We show our support to the farmer and what he stands for. He gives back with a portion of the harvest.
Every Thursday for 24 weeks, I head up to the farm (only about 10 minutes away!) to pick up my share. It's courteous to bring bags to put the veggies in so that the farm can reuse the boxes for the upcoming weeks. I use these bags, since the produce can sometimes be a little wet from the morning dew.
When I get my produce home, I unpack everything, wash it, and store it in the fridge.
Oh, wait, I left out a step.
I take a picture of my bounty. Or I take several pictures. Don't judge.
I'll spare you and only post one. I picked this up last Thursday. There are 3 types of lettuce, a pint of strawberries, endive, bok choy, snap peas, dill, mint, and cilantro.
When I signed up, I did not consider that I would get fresh herbs as well. Since AIP is strict when it comes to seasonings, fresh herbs are wonderful!
This time of year produces a lot of leafy greens. As the summer progresses, new veggies start to appear. It's exciting to see what each week will bring! Well, it's exciting for me. Apparently, I'm easily amused. I'm ok with that.
I also planted a garden in my backyard last week.
Because I'm avoiding nightshade vegetables, I wanted to have a variety of veggies but avoid the nightshades. I did plant two types of peppers for the hubs, but I also planted zucchini, cucumber, kohlrabi, cauliflower, okra, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. I'm also excited about my garden. Go figure.
What are you doing to get your veggies in this summer? Check out a local CSA or plant a garden! Or, if you're like me, do both!
I'll spare you and only post one. I picked this up last Thursday. There are 3 types of lettuce, a pint of strawberries, endive, bok choy, snap peas, dill, mint, and cilantro.
When I signed up, I did not consider that I would get fresh herbs as well. Since AIP is strict when it comes to seasonings, fresh herbs are wonderful!
This time of year produces a lot of leafy greens. As the summer progresses, new veggies start to appear. It's exciting to see what each week will bring! Well, it's exciting for me. Apparently, I'm easily amused. I'm ok with that.
I also planted a garden in my backyard last week.
Because I'm avoiding nightshade vegetables, I wanted to have a variety of veggies but avoid the nightshades. I did plant two types of peppers for the hubs, but I also planted zucchini, cucumber, kohlrabi, cauliflower, okra, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. I'm also excited about my garden. Go figure.
What are you doing to get your veggies in this summer? Check out a local CSA or plant a garden! Or, if you're like me, do both!
