The reason we do what we do.....

Just read a post to a recipe forum:
"This year, for the first time, we are trying a CSA, Community Supported
Agriculture, through a local vegetable farmer. We paid a flat fee up
front last spring and are entitled to a share of the produce each week.

It is fantastic! ---and let me tell you why.

1) Fresh, fresh, fresh! There is no comparison between fresh & local
compared to supermarket who-knows-how-old stuff. The produce may look
the same, but the taste from our CSA veggies is SO much better.

2) Because we accept what is given, we have expanded our repertoire of
table food. For example, last month we received a bunch of beets as part
of our bag. I have never cooked beets so I looked at them askance. We
tried them and liked them, a lot. My only other exposure to beets has
been a slice or two from a salad bar. That was different from the ones I
cooked. Fresh is better, much better.

3) Support of a local farmer. We've become friends with the family that
presents this CSA opportunity. They are good people, working hard,
making a difference.

Local Harvest has a website: http://www.localharvest.org/ where you
can " . . . find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of
sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce,
grass-fed meats, and many other goodies. It has a tab specifically for
CSA.

Support your local food producers and happy eating!
Annie"

Annie says it all. This is why we build boxes, fill them with un-adultrated growing medium and plant for our families. 'Nuf said. Nonna

nonna love what you posted!!

my doctor was just telling me about this....that its in our area ....her family loves it ......

i was telling her about our family gardening and such and she said that she gets like a box of fresh organic veggies each week.....she pay's a once a year flat fee.....and then she gets to share in the farmers harvest.....how cool is that!

hugs
rose....

That really does say it all! Fresh grown veggies are a totally different experience from the stuff in the store.

I harvested my very first potatoes recently. OMG I've never in my life had such flavorful potatoes! They were sweet and creamy and so so wonderful, and they were only simple russets nothing fancy. But the fact that they came out of my own soil and I ate them fresh instead of cured and stored for who knows how many weeks made all the difference.

I also have started eating fresh tomatoes! I used to hate fresh tomatoes passionately, but there's something different about the ones from my own garden. They're milder, sweeter, and just much better.

Fresh Veggies Rule!
Roasted a batch of Yukon Golds and that was outstanding. We ate them slowly for the enjoyment. I've made potato soup for over 30 years, this time with home grown Yukons. Very buttery tasting without adding butter to the broth. Definitely the best potato soup ever.

gonna great article
Great to see there are sprouting up everywhere.
I live in the middle of nowhere and there is a very active group here.

If I did not have a garden I sure would consider doing that.

Llama mom, are you going to share your potato recipe, .... this year when planting potatoes, the mail order ones just did not come......
So I bought more and planted them and THEN the mail order ones came.
...........and I planted them
I counted the other day and think I have about 70 potato plants and have never had more than 10 so
need recipes...

Rose, I guess we SFGardners pay our flat fee when we buy the soil ingredients and building materials for the beds, then we get to share the bounty for, well, as long as we keep making compost and planting the beds, right? Nonna

GWN
Sure here is the potato soup recipe from my mother: It's a loose recipe so to speak so you can add more or less of ingredients.

1- Pare (but I usually leave the skins on) and slice enough potatoes thin to 1/2 fill whatever amount of soup you want.
2- One to Two Chicken bouillon cubes ( and close my eyes to the sodium content...)
3- Start with 1/2 teaspoon or more of pepper
4- Butter, one Tablespoon or more. (I omitted as Yukons are already buttery flavored)
5- Start with 2 Tablespoons of ketchup
6- One onion, small, sliced.
7- Water, to fill the other half of the amount of soup you want.(refer to number 1 above) OR use chicken broth instead of bouillon cubes -- could use low sodium kind if you want)
8- One small Bay Leaf, Parsley

Boil 20-30 minutes, crush potatoes a bit, add Parsley if you have any. If you want the soup even thicker, cheat! Just add a little instant potatoes and no one will ever have to know! Last, remove the bay leaf in case little children don't know any better to leave it alone.

llama momma wrote:GWN
Sure here is the potato soup recipe from my mother: It's a loose recipe so to speak so you can add more or less of ingredients.

1- Pare (but I usually leave the skins on) and slice enough potatoes thin to 1/2 fill whatever amount of soup you want.
2- One to Two Chicken bouillon cubes ( and close my eyes to the sodium content...)
3- Start with 1/2 teaspoon or more of pepper
4- Butter, one Tablespoon or more. (I omitted as Yukons are already buttery flavored)
5- Start with 2 Tablespoons of ketchup
6- One onion, small, sliced.
7- Water, to fill the other half of the amount of soup you want.(refer to number 1 above) OR use chicken broth instead of bouillon cubes -- could use low sodium kind if you want)
8- One small Bay Leaf, Parsley

Boil 20-30 minutes, crush potatoes a bit, add Parsley if you have any. If you want the soup even thicker, cheat! Just add a little instant potatoes and no one will ever have to know! Last, remove the bay leaf in case little children don't know any better to leave it alone.

YUM. Brings back good memories, mom Comfort food to the max!!

WOW Llamamom
That sounds great, I have so many potatoes,..... does the soup freeze well?

Thanks for the recipe LLM! I will be digging potatoes in a few days and Hubby will only be able to eat so much potato salad!
GG

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Rose, I guess we SFGardners pay our flat fee when we buy the soil ingredients and building materials for the beds, then we get to share the bounty for, well, as long as we keep making compost and planting the beds, right? Nonna

This is only my second year but I think you hit the ball out of the park as composting is the only ingredient you need to make and add every time you plant; easier said than done though.
Do you save seeds of buy them and start them indoors?

GWN wrote:WOW Llamamom
That sounds great, I have so many potatoes,..... does the soup freeze well?

Honestly it has never sat around long enough to freeze any extras. For the first time Ever I will freeze a batch soon, specifically for my son who requested some during his annual Christmas visit. He lives in Japan.

Freezing dinners is one of my main forms of preserving.
My husband and I both take frozen dinners to work every day for lunch.

WHen something is growing in abundance I make large dishes and then freeze them, I have come to learn that something really are not great frozen.
For instance, quinoia dishes really do not seem to freeze well.

One thing I have found that freezes well is basil pesto. Put it in ice trays and it seems to be the perfect size.

I wonder how long it lasts though???

floyd1440, as to saving seed, yes, sometimes. Depends on the vegetable. This year I've planted the few Opal Creek pea seeds left from last year way away from any other pea variety. The pods are filling out well, and I've picked the first one showing signs of being dried. The Opal Creek pea is unique in that its pods are quite yellow. Picked at the snow pea size and steamed with some regular green snow peas it always draws attention from guests. Also, at the end of the year, I shall try to get seed from the most successful tomatoes. Most other things, I rely on reliable seed companies. And you?

I am thinkign of doing something similar to this next year at my coffee shop. Does anyone have any experience selling their own fruits and veggies, I would take all the advice I can get!

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:floyd1440, as to saving seed, yes, sometimes. Depends on the vegetable. This year I've planted the few Opal Creek pea seeds left from last year way away from any other pea variety. The pods are filling out well, and I've picked the first one showing signs of being dried. The Opal Creek pea is unique in that its pods are quite yellow. Picked at the snow pea size and steamed with some regular green snow peas it always draws attention from guests. Also, at the end of the year, I shall try to get seed from the most successful tomatoes. Most other things, I rely on reliable seed companies. And you?

Since this is my first full year of SFGing am going through a learning curve and expect some mistakes. Never grown a spring/fall crop before spincach is new to me and very successfull this spring so was going to save seeds. Unlike tomatoes, peppers, etc. spincach is new to me and I went online and they warned about male/female seeds but I am hoping the ones I planted are all the same.
Let 10 plants go to seed and they are currently drying so when I get back I should have plenty of seeds