The Great Utah CSA Experiment - Week 3!

This week announced the opening of a new grocery store by the Fashion Place Mall called the 'Sunflower Farmer’s Market’. It is misleading in that the name makes it sound as though it’s a true farmer’s market, where farmers come to sell their goods. Unfortunately, most of the produce sold was California grown – not surprising since the growing season is early here, but don’t be fooled into thinking that just because the name says Farmer's Market that you’re supporting local growers. Even the greens (which are in season here) were Californian. I suppose I should be happy I know where they’re from - nearly every sign was clearly labeled with both price and source. Some of the meat appeared to be local, though.

However, they did have some better organic prices than my local grocer, and confirmed other prices. They too had the organic arugula, baby spinach, and spring mixes in the 5 oz prepackaged varieties for $3.99. That was the only source of arugula they sold, confirming the price from the last few weeks; but they also sold organic spinach in bulk for $4.99/lb. Today, the prices given for each item are the best value between both stores.

	CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
	0.67 lb Red/Green Lettuce		1.32/lb					$0.88
	0.51 lb Spinach		4.99/lb					$2.54
	0.83 lb Chard						3.18/lb	$2.64
	0.63 lb Romaine		1.32/b					$0.83
	0.94 lb English Peas						2.99/lb	$2.81

Either way, it’s still looking to be a good value, especially since I’m not likely to be driving 5 miles out of my way just to shave a dollar off the cost of my lettuce when I can give business to a truly locally owned store just a block away. (The Sunflower Farmer's Market is a small chain serving western states).

The romaine and red/green lettuce went with us to a friend’s house for a dinner salad. We also took the peas (pictured at right, shelled) for snacking – it was all very good. The chard I split with my mother, then blanched the rest and put it into lunch pockets – Craig was fooled into thinking it was spinach, which he likes, instead of chard, which he doesn’t: so that went well =)! The spinach sat in our fridge and was slowly whittled away in small salads and on sandwiches.

This week was rough on me and Craig. We went into it with room in our fridge and confidence in our ability to use anything sent our way, but we both got sick early in the week and weren't interested in adding more fibrous vegetables to our diet. Hence, the salads became smaller and we tried to share everything we could. As a result I was really excited to get our 2^nd CSA share for the week and find that again, it was full of diversity.

CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)	Price ('Normal')	Value
1.43 lb English Peas			2.99/lb	$4.23
0.34 lb Red/Green Lettuce		1.32/lb		$0.45
1.0 lb Bing Cherries			1.99/lb	$1.99
0.25 lb Garlic			2.99/lb	$0.75
2" pot Parsley		3.99/4" pot	2.49/2" pot*	$2.49
2" pot Basil		3.99/4" pot	2.49/2" pot*	$2.49

*2” herb start prices obtained from Millcreek Gardens

The first thing I noticed when I opened the bag was an overwhelming potency of garlic. It was as over the top as the peppery flavor in the radishes from the last two weeks. I call it an overabundance of flavor, but it’s likely more correct to say that the store-bought varieties I’m used to just have a lack of it. The garlic went into my pantry, and though I haven’t used it yet, I’m VERY excited to do so.

The peas were shelled and frozen, and I must say I’m longing for young sugar snaps I can eat whole without the bother of shelling them. The lettuce was given to a friend; the cherries again made delicious midday snacks. I was most excited about the herb starts (pictured at left).

I’ve always loved gardening; it is unfortunate that our little apartment complex doesn’t have a room for it. Though I have a green outdoor thumb, it turns black the moment I come indoors. No indoor plants survive long in my house – it might be the black curtains hung to keep the light out =P. So I gave the two to my mother, and I know where she planted them. Every week when I go to visit I’ll be sure to clip a little of each for myself. =)

Recipe for Week 3:

-----Peppery Pastrami Sandwiches-----

2 large wheat ciabatta rolls, toasted
6 oz peppered pastrami, sliced
2/3 c. sauerkraut*
1/2 c. tat soy, chopped and blanched
2 oz pepper jack cheese
Spicy mustard

Spread the spicy mustard on the ciabatta rolls. Heat the pastrami, sauerkraut, and tat soy in the microwave until steaming. Layer the sauerkraut, pastrami, cheese, and tat soy between the ciabatta. Serve hot! (Serves 2)

*I made this initially without the sauerkraut and the sandwiches were good, but tasted as though they were really missing something. Don’t leave anything out!

The Great Utah CSA Experiment!

In conjunction with my 2008 project to read a lot of books (more on that in another post), I was recommended a copy of Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by a close associate of mine. I happened upon it at my local library and took it with me on a trip to Indiana with my husband. He gave me funny looks as I read it on the plane: probably because I kept giggling as I read it. Ms. Kingsolver is a fantastic author, and her humor and wit are greatly appreciated in this nonfiction piece that could have been very dry when done by another author. (As an aside, I’ve decided from this year’s bookreading experiment that the best nonfiction books are written by authors who are good novelists and playwrights first, and nonfiction commentators second.)

The book itself is two things in one: first, a documentary of her family’s decision to eat only locally grown food for a whole year, and second, an interesting peek at the practices of ‘big agriculture’. Yes: there is a soapbox, but it does give some pause for thought, and the book is full of references as well. The most intriguing idea I pulled away from it was the idea to go out of my way to eat locally grown produce. Now, I’ve enjoyed parsing the farmer’s market while at grad school and a little beyond, so I’m no stranger to the ‘local food’ scene, but I’ve never taken to it before as a weekly obligation, a nontrivial pursuit, or a long term project.

There is good reason to go out of my way to eat locally grown food, including the fact that I can have confidence it wasn’t grown with a blanket of pesticides which contribute to toxic runoff. But there are other points too: farmers are farmers first, not marketers or salespeople. Additionally, depending on the weather, the produce, the holidays, and the alignment of the stars, relying on farmer’s markets isn’t exactly a guaranteed income for all farmers. The best solution for those interested in eating locally grown organically grown agriculture, in season, and who are also interested in supporting their local neighbor farmers, is to join a farmer’s Community Supported Agriculture group, or CSA.

This isn’t a community garden where each contributor gets a plot of land to work in a city. Rather, each contributor pays a lump sum at the beginning of the season for a ‘share’ in the farmer’s crop. Then, once a week for a growing period of 15-25 weeks (depending on where you live) the farmer will deliver shares to nearby drop-off locations. Generally, the produce is picked same day or night before for best quality. The ability to deliver it so quickly and without need for cross country travel means the farmer can also grow varieties based on taste instead of just ‘how well does this tomato transport across the country and can it survive for two weeks before spoiling’. More plant varieties known for taste (they’re called Heirloom varieties) can help keep our food sources biodiverse.

There is something very appealing to me about buying food in season, organically grown, locally grown, from a farmer who I know by name. In the process I’m supporting local business: and every dollar I spend locally (or on a local business) has 2-4 times more benefit than a dollar spent on a large chain store like Smith’s.

So. A very long preamble to the point, which is that I’ve researched locally available CSA options here in Utah and signed up for two! For the curious, you can find a list of CSAs available in Utah from Utah's own Slow Food site. There are more CSAs available in Utah than you might believe! (As an aside, doesn't the Slow Food USA flyer just make you feel patriotic about eating?)

Now, because I am a scientist at heart, and because I’ve never done this before, it is my goal to treat this endeavor as an experimental one. For this purpose, although I only needed one small share for my husband and I, I signed up for two separate small shares from two different CSA organizations, at an approximate cost of $13 per week for each. In addition, I will report faithfully on what I receive each week from both farms: as well as what I did with it! (Let’s face it: you’re all a little concerned - what WOULD you do with 3 lbs of summer squash?)

Just be aware that if I have contact with you in ‘real life’ I just might volunteer to give you some of that summer squash: I can already tell you with confidence that I will be getting twice as much produce as the farmers estimate I’ll need, and even that might be exaggerating. =)