I just signed up for a CSA! Any experiences?

Re: I just signed up for a CSA! Any experiences?

• ShesSoCold mod

  

  October 2016

  I did earlier this year and did not renew. I liked getting new stuff I wouldn't typically buy but H and I found that it was too much and we were scrambling to make things we didn't want at the end of the week or throwing things away.

  Instead, we made going to that same farm part of our weekly grocery trip and just buy what we want/need but still try new things.

  
  

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• jacques27 member

  

  October 2016 edited October 2016

  I did it one year and didn't renew.  I like it in theory, but in practice the reality didn't match up.  It could be that I live relatively north so we have a shorter growing season than many places (CSAs here run between 14-18 weeks).  Weather is so variable and you're kind of at the mercy of what they decide to grow and what is doing well.  For the first 5-6 weeks I pretty much ended up with lettuce and garlic scapes (I ended up with POUNDS of garlic scapes).  As the season progressed, I would end up with radishes the size of my pinky nail, a paltry handful of green beans, and a metric crap ton of kohlrabi and zucchini.  Toward the end of the season I ended up with lots of sweet potatoes and corn, which were fine but I could have bought them at the co-op.  All of the "new and exciting" things I was wanting to try came in such small amounts that I really couldn't make a full serving/recipe out of them (except for garlic scapes and kohlrabi). 
  
  So, I guess they can work, but probably in a less variable climates (I think we were unseasonably cold that spring and growing got off to a late start) and they are large enough and well-established to grow the variety in large enough quantities.  I had a few friends who did other CSAs that same year and it turns out mine was the best of the bunch.
  
  The quality was otherwise fine, it just wasn't what I wanted it to be.  We have several good farmers markets here as well as a number of co-ops.  If I didn't have those options available, I would maybe consider a CSA again.  But honestly, I would rather just hit up a farmers market and a co-op once a week where I know I'm seeing their best produce available and have the pick from 40+ vendors instead of taking a chance on one farm and hoping they are having a good season.  I still have the variety and the opportunity to take a chance on new things, but can plan better and only pay for what I want/need.
  

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• ernursej member

  

  October 2016

  I love my CSA. I used to get every week and I backed off to once every other week. My CSA includes several recipes for each item and I've found that helpful to use things up. If I end up with too much of something, I just take in to work and someone will happily take it home.

  I know that I could probably get the same items at the grocery store, but I love how fresh everything tastes from the CSA box.

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• morewineplease member

  

  October 2016

  I like my CSA but I think some weeks we have too much of items, like this year we have so many pepper. I think we need a smaller box for just the two of us, but i do love it. It is all local, organic produce and helps a local farmer run a business. 

  

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