Continuing from yesterday's post, today's is about actually eating local and giving the finger to big agribusiness. The two best ways to do so are Farmer's Markets (making sure that they're actually local, some allow resale) and Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA). I'm a huge fan of CSAs and there are enough varieties that you should be able to find one that you like. How most CSAs work are that you enter into a contract with a farm at the beginning of the season (like around now). You pay a certain amount up front and then you own a share of what the farm produces; the produce is then usually delivered to your home or a pick-up site weekly. In bumper years this is fantastic but if there is a drought or flooding, you'll be hurt a bit, too. The great thing is that it allows a farm to be supported regardless and if you're a member for several years, it will even out. One drawback with a CSA is that you don't usually get to choose what food you receive, if there are a ton of tomatoes one week then you get a ton of tomatoes. It is a great way to try new veggies and experiment with your cooking. Some farms let you pick and choose a bit, or order additional produce each week.
What I like best is that I'm guaranteed to have fresh produce and I don't have to think about it (mine is also year-round and delivered to my house). This was particularly great right after my first baby was born. At the very least, we had fresh fruit and veggies even if my husband couldn't get out to the store. Now that my son eats the same things we do, he gets new things to try all of the time. A lot of farms also have open houses at some point during the season so you can go to the farm and meet your producers (unfortunately mine was the weekend my son was born, and then his first birthday, so we haven't done it yet).
Enticed to try yet? Here's a link to find a CSA near you: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ . The USDA also has information on it's website.
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