Comments on: CSAs vs. Farmers’ Markets

By: Suzie

Suzie — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 23:47:30 +0000

I had a love-hate relationship with our CSA. Sometimes the produce was simply exquisite, beautifully fresh, redolent with flavor. Other times it was eaten to bits by bugs, picked far too long before its delivery, or actually not really ready for harvest! And it was ALWAYS expensive! There was no such thing as credit for something utterly inedible, and often really great stuff was spread so thin among members that we would get just a tiny bit. The eggs were always great, though! The farmer finally gave it up, actually — and I felt a certain relief. I am now “free” to do my summer shopping at the local farmer’s market. Nearly everything is local (though not all), though I probably cannot be certain if it’s been doused by pesticides. Our CSA was organic. Sigh. As I said: love hate.

By: kyle

kyle — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:25:09 +0000

I’ve tried our local CSA in Flagstaff, AZ, before. It’s pretty hit or miss depending on the season. The last time I participated, I received 5 pounds of radishes and didn’t know what the hell do do with them. My dogs didn’t even want them. Either that or I’m inundated with squash….and there is only so much of that I can handle as well.

I support the farmer’s market, but a lot of their produce isn’t organic. While that’s a bummer, it is way cheaper and usually better quality than the grocery store.

I’m growing my own veggies as I type!

By: kari

kari — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:48:36 +0000

I love my CSA too! I think this is my 6th year subscribing to a CSA (at various locations) and I love getting to know each farmer and the produce they grow.

two of the reasons I love my CSA is that 1. they’re EASY (everything you get for the week is in one place and you don’t have to go shopping and make time for shopping - a big factor when my local farmer’s market’s have limited hours) and 2. you HAVE to try new things. I never would have eaten kale or beets if I didn’t have to get through my box every week.

mini-plug: my name should link to my CSA category at my webpage, where I keep exhaustive records of my share for the last (going on) 3 years.

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:19:18 +0000

Ha! I really need to move, because the first thing I thought when I saw this was “Confederate States of America”? WTF??? Get me out of here!!!

By: Farmer Troy

Farmer Troy — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 01:26:19 +0000

That’s funny . . . when the post gazette editor called me about being listed in that directory, I told him we really didn’t want to be listed, and that we were just experimenting with our CSA, and wouldn’t you know it, he put us in anyway, and used that quote.

By: Aurora

Aurora — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:17:47 +0000

For a more comprehensive description of Pittsburgh-area CSAs, check out the Post-Gazette’s March 2007 article and list:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07060/765794-34.stm

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07060/765787-34.stm

By: Farmer Troy

Farmer Troy — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 01:10:10 +0000

For those of you looking for a CSA close to your home, you can do a CSA search by zip code at Local Harvest . . . http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Also, here is an article in a different BLOG about Pittsburgh CSAs . . .

http://tastyburgher.com/2007/05/11/community-supported-agriculture-csa/

By: Martha

Martha — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 01:48:36 +0000

I’m three weeks into my first round of a CSA (in Glastonbury CT) and since my fairly rigid schedule doesn’t allow me to regularly go to the Farmer’s Market, I am finding it to be awesome. I pick up on Friday on my way home from work - which requires an on-time departure from the cubicle with a stop at the farm to start the weekend. I love to see the stuff growing and meet the farmer and the other shareholders - we take turns setting up for pick-ups. It really is fun to get walked through and instructed and get tips for use of the mystery veggies. The only thing is that my mom was in town for the first two pickups and offered to wash everything for us. Now she is gone and I have to rinse my own lettuce.
Farmers Market or CSA, either way you get to be closer to the source of your food. I suspect that at least one of the chickens I drove by this afternoon will wind up in a pot at my house later this year, and it’s nice to have a chance to thank them now for their future contribution to our table.
Now, if someone would please solve the mystery of how pigs turn garbage into ham for my 7 year old, without turning her into a vegan, (not that there’s anything wrong with that) I’d deeply appreciate it.

By: Aurora

Aurora — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:43:13 +0000

If I remember correctly, this is our third year being part of the CSA. However, the thing I appreciated most the first year was Don’s weekly emails. These cataloged what was going on at the farm in terms of work, employees, and fun; how the rain and the weather affected their lives; why some crops were producing better than others; what veggies were in our crate every week; and recipes about what to do with something new or plentiful.

Jesse’s right though, the thing I like best now is not having to go to the grocery store on a regular basis. Every day, I open up my fridge and have a good palate worth of fresh vegetables from which to concoct my meals. Our CSA ends right around Thanksgiving and every year I end up craving salads between November and June.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:23:51 +0000

“I probably wouldn’t have tried things like kale and swiss chard, which ended up being some of my favorite vegetables.”

You probably would have eaten anything that was cooked for you by a chef, rather than having done your own cooking.