Are You Familiar With CSA?

Have you heard of CSA?  I hadn't until this year. CSA is Community Supported Agriculture.  I had thought it was available only in our area.  Here it is provided by Glade Run Adventures, a Lutheran services organization in our locale.  But as I researched recipes for the vegetables we were receiving, I learned that it all over the US. It is a wonderful learning experience for the kids, as you can see if you click on the link above. Early in the spring, we signed up for a "share".  Our cost was $324, and we are to receive $18 of fresh produce each week.  Our garden had done so poorly last year, so I figured it would be a good thing to try.  The first two weeks were a little disappointing, mostly greens - kale, collard greens, and rhubarb, strawberries, and other things.  But I tried collard greens (and liked them).  I put strawberries and rhubarb into a bread pudding (it was pretty good).  Then the shares started to get better.   One week we got a pint jar of fresh honey - I love honey on toast, and on biscuits, it's just heaven.  Last week we got blackberries, cucumbers and potatoes, and I tried a recipe for Mediterranean marinated cucumbers and it was delicious.

This week, however, was the mother lode.  Our share included 6 ears of fresh corn, a pint of blueberries, two nice sized patty pan squash, a bag of fresh green beans, and a bag of new red potatoes. I'm planning on a pot of green beans and ham (I use Canadian bacon) to use the beans and new potatoes.  But I have never cooked patty pan squash.  When I searched on pinterest for recipes, I found two for stuffed patty pan squash, one uses rice, the other uses Italian sausage.  I may combine the two so that it will be like the filling I make for stuffed cabbage.

Each week the kids who help with the program at Glade Run create a little bouquet of flowers to include with our box, last week's had beautiful snap dragons.  It's a little cup of sunshine sitting on my kitchen table each morning.  If you're so inclined, check to see if there's a CSA in your area.  You won't be sorry.