GABRIELLA BIEDINGER - HER LIFE Magazine

store regardless of season is a possibility because those items aren’tgrown locally, may be genetically modified and are rarely organic.Your CSA box may also contain produce items that you’re unfamiliarwith, meaning that you’ll have the opportunity to expand your foodpreparation horizons in order to make use of some of the things inyour share each week.Your CSA box may also containproduce items that you’re unfamiliarwith, meaning that you’ll have theopportunity to expand your foodpreparation horizons in order tomake use of some of the things inyour share each week.Be RealisticIf you purchase the right share to accommodate your family’seating habits, you should have enough food each week for severalmeals. However, you almost certainly won’t have enough fruit tomeet recommended daily allowances, especially if you have growingchildren. Some CSA farms don’t cultivate tree fruits so you maynot receive apples, peaches or other orchard fruits at all. Your CSAshare helps you to eat local, in-season produce more easily, but won’teliminate the necessity of shopping for food at the market. Many ofthe families that find a CSA arrangement disappointing do so becausethey have slightly unrealistic expectations at the outset.It’s also important to remember that your first few CSA boxeswill come in the late spring or early summer, meaning that they’llinitially be filled with lighter fare. Peas, baby beets, radishes andsalad greens make up the bulk of most early-season boxes, with theheavier squash, potatoes and broccoli crops coming in late in theseason. Don’t be surprised to find your first few boxes filled mostlywith green items.When a CSA arrangement is approached realistically, it can bea wonderfully rewarding experience. Food will come to your table atthe absolute peak of freshness after being grown in organic conditions,without genetic modification or resulting from questionablefarming practices. Children in the family can visit the farm and helpduring volunteer hours, allowing them to gain a greater understandingof farming and food production, while learning to try new foods withan open mind. The best way to ensure that your CSA experience isa positive one is to talk to the farmer. Most understand that inexperiencednewcomers aren’t sure of what to expect, and are happy toanswer any questions you may have and give you advice. ■Sources for this article are localharvest.org and eatwell.com.HERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM 53