CSA Box #1

Hip hip hooray!  CSA has started!

 For those of you not familiar with this wonderful concept, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  You can buy a "share" of a farm's produce for a period of time, getting organic, local produce delivered right to your town.  My friend Anna the head baker and I are splitting one of Erehwon Farm's (located in Elburn, IL) boxes that are delivered every other week.

Yesterday was the first day we picked it up, just a few blocks from where our houses are.  We both squealed with delight when we saw the strawberries, tiny and bright red down at the bottom.  This week's haul included:

spicy mixed greens mix, swiss chard and spinach, sweet sugar snap peas, romaine lettuce, radishes, komatsuna and garlic scraps.

Anna made an amazing salad for dinner with chopped turkey, mixed greens and lettuce, ripe tomatoes, feta cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette.  We both ate our strawberries in secret, furtively unwilling to share with the rest of our families.  I will say that Scott didn't deserve any, after declaring to me he couldn't taste a difference between these and the store bought ones.

Sophie, if you read this today, you'll get an awesome salad for dinner tonight when you babysit, made from this produce and some caramelized pecans, Boar's Head turkey and whatever else sounds good.  

Check out the farm's website to see if it's something you'd be interested in.  The list of all the wonderful fruits and vegetables you get is there, along with directions to the farm if you want to buy local eggs, poultry, meat, grain, flowers and other plants.  I love the idea of knowing where my food comes from.  Plus, every third Saturday they have a party on the farm where you can visit, listen to a band play and pick strawberries/garlic/potatoes, play with Bucky the Farm Dog or lay in their hammock.

Time to go make some breakfast for me and Sam, too bad I ate all the strawberries last night. They would have been great on some french toast.