The Chicago Strawns eat lots of fruits and vegetables so I started looking into becoming part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). What is a CSA? "Many farms offer produce subscriptions, where buyers receive a weekly or monthly basket of produce, flowers, fruits, eggs, milk, meats, or any sort of different farm products. A CSA, (for Community Supported Agriculture) is a way for the food buying public to create a relationship with a farm and to receive a weekly basket of produce. By making a financial commitment to a farm, people become "members" (or "shareholders," or "subscribers") of the CSA."-www.localharvest.org.
Most think that buying organic in the grocery store is the way to be enivironmentally responsible. Though organic may be healthier for the consumer and the earth because of the lack of pesticide use, it is not necessarily more environmentally friendly. Most fruits and vegetables we buy in the grocery store are packed and shipped from all over the United States and other countries regardless of it being certified organic. And in my effort to be healthier and provide "safer" food for my daughter, I find grocery store organic to be much more expensive. With a CSA, we'll receive a variety box of fruits and vegetables every week that I can pick up just a few blocks away from home. All of the produce is organically grown nearby Chicago and picked at its peak of ripeness. When broken down per week the price is right. Of course, as Jake pointed out, we will still have to purchase bananas, Illinois is not quite the right climate for that fruit.
After much research (there are a lot to choose from in the Chicagoland area) we decided to go with Genesis Growers in St. Anne, IL and start with trying out the Summer season which goes from June to October. One thing is for sure, I will have to start cooking more, which I am actually really looking forward to. I have a friend in Kansas City who's part of a CSA and she vowed to exchange veggie recipes with me. I am really looking forward to our first delivery, I'll be sure to share recipes and beautiful photos of fresh, healthy produce grown right here in the rich soil of Illinois. It's official, the Strawns are locavores!
4 comments:
Seana - I'm so excited that you found a good CSA! I checked out the website for your farm - it looks like a great farm and a great program. I really think you're going to enjoy it. It may even change your life! At least that's what happened with me and my CSA.
True, this locavore still buys bananas, orange juice, coffee. But we can still get so much locally. And so much better food, too. I don't think I'll ever eat a peach from a grocery store again. :)
Emily- thanks so much for your help in my quest for a CSA!
Also, I originally labeled you vegan in this post, you may be a vegetarian instead. Because I am obviously not very good at accurately labeling others, I edited the posted to just leave the labeling out all together. I'll leave that up to the individual to label themselves. Sorry for any "label" confusion I may have caused. Ok so I wrote label 5 times, oops now 6 times! ok, done. Thanks again. :)
this is really great! i am gonna search it out in my area. i have the best (and easy) veggie recipe i have been sharing with everyone.
2 potaoes
2 zucchini
2 tomatoes
2 onions
1 bell pepper
1 eggplant
slice them all in 1/4 inch rounds
place in large bowl w/
1 cup olive oil
1 cup water
large handfull chopped flat leaf parsely
generous sprinkling of oregano, salt and pepper
bake in 350 oven for 1 1/2 hrs
add end of cooking time sprinkle with
1 pkg crumbled feta
It is so yummy and great as a left over! it makes so much!
i think i will be in chicago in a week or two. there will be 3 of us girls hanging out for a weekend and i think you should join us at least one night! it would be fun to see you! i'll let you in on the details as soon as we have them set!!
Oh, Seana - don't worry to much about labels. They never really stick quite right. At this point, the most appropriate one for me is a fish-eating, vegan-sympathizing flexitarian locavore. So I'm kind of a vegetarian, but one who eats fish. A pescatarian, as they say.
Oh geez, maybe I should just be a foodie.
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