Our first CSA started last Tuesday. For those of you new to this jargon, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, you invest in a local farmer and in exchange receive a bounty of fresh product every week. You can find one in your area here. Not only do you enjoy the tasty and fresh produce, participating in a CSA keeps money in your community and support farmers who grow FOOD (not commodities or mono-crops) without the use of chemicals. We chose Three Hearts Farm because their tomatoes are the best in the valley, and because I can pick it up each week at the Bogert Farmer's Market.
Although a neighborhood bunny has already been enjoying our chard, we hope for another bountiful harvest from our own garden this year. So, in order to not overload our fridge with greens, we decided to split our CSA with friends.
This week's basket included a pound of arugula and braising greens, mustard greens, radishes, kale, and Chinese cabbage. Farmer Dylan suggesting using the cabbage leaves as wraps. Combining Wednesday night culinary forces, Suzanne and I assembled a hodgepodge of baked tofu, grilled teryaki chicken, grated carrots, avocado, buckwheat noodles, sprouts, cucumber and sauces. Yum yum, and oh so fresh. And, like Suzanne commented, CSA's open up your food eyes to new and exciting possibilities.