Fresh is Best!

If you are not enjoying delivery of fresh produce from local farms you are really missing out. Our local organic farm, South Coast Farms (http://www.southcoastfarms.com/), has a Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) program which delivers a basket a fresh seasonal produce to a nearby pickup spot every week.

It is exciting to receive a basket full of produce each week and then plan the menu for the week around our fresh produce. This encourages us to do more traditional seasonal cooking and try out new recipes.

I am eating more kale and greens than I used to. Beets, turnips, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, a huge variety of squashes, and much more. Right now we are getting great strawberries.

They had a special event this weekend. A potluck for members where we shared treats made from the farm’s fresh produce and shared recipes. It was a delightful family time. The kids got to plant seeds and spread lady bugs.

I learned about the challenges of organic farming in the middle of the city when your neighbors are not as concerned about what they plant and what they spray.

It was heartbreaking to see the partial crop that was lost to spider mites and cutting worms. But it is part of organic farming. Some of the crop can be lost. Each year is a little different.

The Lady Bugs will help with those pesky aphids and the kids had fun trying to keep them off their clothes and trying to put them on the plants. I think I came home with a couple :)

Farmer George is running a business, but he is also part of the community and it feels good to be buying from a local producer that is delivering a much needed quality product to us. I strongly encourage everyone to seek out their local farms and become a member.