Why CSAs matter to me.

Most summers, I do a farmshare, otherwise known as a CSA. I. I pay at the beginning of the season, and get a share of the harvest over 20 weeks. Mine has a PYO component, with fresh peas, beans, edamame, husk cherries, herbs, and flowers. So I have a battery of things to pick these and bring them home.

The advantage of this is that, being fresh picked, when ripe, the food has amazing flavor and staying power. Our food system has issues. A vast majority of our food is trucked in from California. California. A state with severe water issues (although CT is starting to have water issues of its own). The food from my CSA also is not necessarily wrapped in plastic, just comes as it is from the farm. My farm doesn’t use poisons, which, to me, makes the food taste better. Now, yes, there can be bug invasions, as there was this year with the poor green beans. But at the same time, I get lovely salads, slaws, gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, and get to participate in the farm version of Chopped once a week, which makes me a better cook.

I also can and freeze things for the winter, which also saves energy in the long run, as I am not paying for frozen veg to be shipped, and I know exactly what is in things, (assuming I remember to label). There is also the BPA issue. And there is going to be less of that in home canned/frozen things. Less leaching from packaging.

Now, yes, this is privilege. And I have felt guilty about it. Because I have the time to do this, I have the cash to do it, I have the storage. But it also has given me empathy for the fieldworkers who work in horrible conditions to bring us our food. It has given me more understanding of the fluctuations in seasons and food, and how crops can be affected so much by different things. And a renewed sense of how good food can taste in season.

We’ve lost freshness and variety in our food supply. And a farm share helps bring that back. Even thirty years ago there was still a sense of seasonality, and we’ve lost that. A CSA brings that back.

Even if you just get a share or half a share from a farm that prebags your share, or delivers a box to you, I would still recommend it. You will get at least one thing that you have to google, but you will also get amazing fresh stuff.

You do have to get into the habit of cooking, though.