This is the diary of our CSA share this year. The cost of a full share is $545 for 22 weeks (this CSA offers a winter share) which will bring us to the last week in October, and works out to $24.75 per week. Western New York weather is such that June is lightest CSA month. September and October will be more than abundant! Usually I feel I don’t get my money’s worth the first few weeks (which will be predominantly lettuces), but the fall bags more than make up for that.
The rain came down in buckets Thursday morning, and I decided I had no desire to slop around in the mud and pick green beans and flowers. Maybe next week.
Hubby and I spent time last weekend using up what we had gotten from the CSA, as well as what we bought at the fruit stands. Since we had cleared out the produce, and I know what we now have in the freezer, I didn’t mind not picking up a ton this week. I just choose what I knew we would use.
Available This Week:
● Beets
● Cabbage
● Carrots
● Chard
● Fennel
● Kale
● Onions
● Squash
● Zucchini
I want to call and see if I can get pitted cherries this weekend. If not, I am gonna be kicking myself for not saving the cherry-bucket ad Hubby found. Seems like all I buy lately is produce!
Do you belong to a CSA? If so, what type? How much? Do you find it as worthwhile as I do?
● Past CSA Shares
● Find a CSA
● NYS Fruit and Vegetable Harvest Calendar
● US Agricultural Data
Skirnir Hamilton says
I am so behind on posting our CSA shares, but the last one or two has been fun. Our last had a pint or whatever of blackberries. They are huge, nearly quarter sized and very good. We also received about 8 ears of corn. We took some of the corn and fresh tomatoes we received and made a black bean corn salsa and it was so good! I am coming to terms with feeling like a CSA is not a great deal for a couponer, but I like doing it anyway. The fresh produce tastes so good and it is forcing us to try new things. Most of them we are liking.
Ann says
I think our blackberries are a week out on our bush, and I can’t wait!
I have to come to terms with my current CSA not being that great a value too, Skirnir. My old CSA was such a fantastic deal, that it is tough. This one we have used up nearly everything since it has been defacto portion control. While we can go out into the fields and pick anything we want, and then freeze that, I have yet to pick enough extras to freeze. The upside is no waste. On the other hand, nothing beats fresh from the farm taste, and the pick up day really works for us. Since the weather was so bad this spring and early summer, we are putting down the small quantity to all the rain, and will try again next year. If it is the same next year (provided the weather isn’t terrible again), we will join the old CSA in 2015.
Ann
KimH says
I wonder if you called your CSA & asked if you could come pick some flowers & beans now that its not raining if they’d let you.
Mine isnt close enough to do that but I’d ask if I were close enough.
I was at Lily Dale yesterday so M’honey picked up my produce for me. ♥
We got 3 small heads of red tip leaf lettuce, 6 ears of corn, 1 medium watermelon, a nice head of cabbage, a small bunch of carrots, a bag of Italian peppers (6 or 8), 1 green bell pepper, green beans, 6 pickling cucumbers, a bunch of scallions, a yellow squash and a slicing cucumber. I forgot to include it in the picture I took for my blog, but we also got a container of black, red, & yellow cherry tomatoes. We tend to get 10-12 items per share.. We’ve gotten more on occasion but I dont think we’ve gotten less than 10 items ever. I pay $725 for 20 weeks which equals to $36.25 for all certified organics with the exception of the apples in the fall.
Ann says
I hope you enjoyed Lily Dale and it wasn’t raining, Kim!
Ann
KimH says
Oh we did.. it was the most beautiful and perfect day ever! No rain, a nice cool breeze and sunny 73°. There were no mosquitoes either.. not sure if it was because of my homemade insect repellant or if they just werent in abundance there for once.