Supporting Your Local Farmers

I just picked up my share from our local Community Supported Agriculture program. We got carrots, lettuce, onions, new potatoes, beets, collard greens, carrots, dill, garlic, zucchini, and broccoli. Yum Yum!

For anyone who is unfamiliar with CSA’s, you buy a share for the year and each week you go pick up your portion of what they have for the week. They provide whatever is in season. When the fruit comes in, we get a portion of that too as long as we let them know we are interested. They also have free-range chickens available as an add on. Each CSA is different. In one I belonged to we also got a flower share if we wanted one. At an extra cost of about $10 per week, we got a huge bouquet of flowers grown on the farm. This one I am in now does not have that option but we do have the fruit/chicken option which the other one didn’t.

The cool thing is that local farmers are supported through these organizations. You can even volunteer to help if you want to! I met a woman up there a few weeks ago who is taking these local organic veggies and canning soups to be given to the needy and homeless this winter. I loved that!

Today in their newsletter it say that if every family in our state were to spend just $10 per week on products produced in this state that we would keep $40 million dollars right here in our state weekly. We could use it. How about your state?

So if you have one, I highly encourage you to buy a share in your local CSA. If not, go to your local farmers’ markets, farm stands, or whatever you have near you. Even when we lived in the heart of Chicago there was a local farmers’ market almost every day in one neighborhood or another, including the very downtown! So you can find these almost everywhere. Try googling for local products too. It helps everyone from you and your family and friends right down to the people who make the products. What community wouldn’t welcome more of our money staying put in our communities!

Hope you enjoy the bounty of the summer in your local area!

Farmers' Market Zucchini Pizza
4 C. shredded zucchini, dry with paper towel
2 eggs, beaten
1 C shredded Cheddar
minced onion and garlic if desired (saute until clear in olive oil)
cooked and crumbled bacon if desired, 4-5 pieces

Mix it all together with clean hands. Press into a jelly roll pan. Sprinkle a bit of shredded cheddar on top. Bake @ 350 degrees until firm. Delicious! This is one of those recipes you can play with, changing cheeses, adding or subtracting meats etc. Have fun!