We're still on the mend around here. (To keep things interesting Sage has shifted from the flu to an infection in his mouth. Fun!) Truly, we're all hoping we're back full-speed before tomorrow. To tide you over, I've reposed an entry from last year about CSA farms. (Originally posted on April 21, 2009 titled E-I-E-I-O.) Have a beautiful Monday! xo ~ Rachel
We spent a day at Our
Farm last week, exploring the greenhouses and meeting the goats. (Yes,
Our Farm.) Ah, but you thought we lived in town?
We do.
It's our CSA farm. And CSA Season is almost upon us. CSA, you ask? Community Supported Agriculture.
It works like this: each year we buy a "share" in our favorite farm. In exchange for our
financial support our farm grows produce just for us. Beets. Chives.
Spinach. Kohlrabi. Watermelon. Strawberries. Celariac. The list goes
on. Each week (May through October) we get a box of amazing produce, grown just down the road
by Farmer Richard and his crew.
CSA
farms exist around the country and around the world. We've been members
of Harmony Valley Farm since we moved to the Viroqua in 2006. Our
previous CSA (WormFarm in Reedsburg, WI) was a special place for us as
well. Connections to the farm run deep. Sage grew up correcting us when
we'd sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm. "No, no," He would say. "It's Jay and Donna had a farm, E-I-E-I-O."
Our
current CSA is exponentially
larger than "Jay and Donna's" farm, but both provided our family with a
sense of community, knowledge of where our food comes from, and
connection to the land. We visit the farm several times a year and
watch the fields transform from brown to green to a rainbow of produce.
With Harmony Valley we get
huge boxes of produce, great varieties, and some seriously professional
organic farming techniques. This food is out of control and some of the
best I have ever eaten.
WormFarm we got friendship, we
bartered for our share, and we felt at home on the farm. We even took
care of the animals while Jay and Donna were away. (Which was always an
amazing experience for Sage – and for us… Well, except
the time that their goat died. That sucked. You don't want your
farmer's animals to dye on your watch. Trust me. Oh yeah, and there was the time
that the sheep got out and scared Sage worse than I've ever seen him
scared before and we hid in the greenhouse until he stopped crying sobbing hysterically.
That wasn't so fun either. But really. It was usually amazing.
Seriously.)
To find your a CSA farm in your neighborhood, go here. You'll be glad you did. (But if you're asked to animal-sit some questionable animals, go with your gut on that one.)
Edited 2010: This year we are again bartering for our share, shuttling veggies from the farm to the pick-up site in exchange for our produce. It's a great deal for us and get the kids on the farm once a week. CSA's exist in every state in the US and in countries around the globe. Have you found your farm? What keeps you coming back?
Hope you all feel better soon!
We are so happy with Harmony Valley. Our last CSA, Keewaydin Farm, was also in your neck of the woods.
You too, Casey! xo Rachel
Jenn,
There are so many amazing farms around here. We hope to join the ranks soon and grow some of our own LuSa ingredients.
~Rachel
Sending positive energy your way!
I am so excited that our CSA begins in only 2 weeks or so! YAYYYYY! I have missed my weekly chats with the farm manager and washing/sorting all of the bags of goodies when we get home. Ahhh. 🙂
Hope he is doing better…sounds like a rough week.
We love “our” farms too. Two weeks ago we visited the “certified naturally grown” farm that we regularly buy produce from and helped to re-certify them for this year…we got a thorough tour of all the land and saw every bit of their growing operation, then filled out some forms on what we saw and sent them off. It was a lot of fun for us and helped them out as well!
When we lived in Madison, while we were students at UW, we belonged to Harmony Valley too. Oh my, how I miss that!
Now, down in Chicago, we’ve tried a few different CSAs but have never been quite as satisfied. Harmony Valley is something special.
For the past few months we’ve been getting weekly produce deliveries from a company called Fresh Picks. Imagine my surprise when bags of Harmony Valley Soup Mix, Salad Mix, and RAMPS!!! started showing up. My, my, my, I’m glad to have them, at least a small part of them back on my table!
We’re trying out Luna Circle this year. Its a new one to us. My hubby’s work wanted to have a CSA drop at their location to encourage more employees to have a share. Hoping that its good.
Danielle,
What a treat! HV veggies, unexpectedly! And ramps. In Chicago. Awesome.
~Rachel
Kate,
How lovely to be able to give back a bit! And touring the farm is wonderful.
~Rachel
Rachel Wolf
rachel@lusaorganics.com
http://www.LusaOrganics.com
608-356-SOAP (7627)
blogging at http://www.lusaorganics.typepad.com
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