Nancy's CSA Adventure 2010

**nancycg56** · 05-18-2010, 10:08 AM

We decided to take out our veggie garden this year ~ the squirrels ate everything and I refused to go in it because the snakes loved to lay in there so it was an easy decision. We figured we would just go to the farm stands since there are so many goods ones but it takes about 45 minutes or longer depending on traffic to get to them.

So I got the idea to look for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and they were even farther away BUT I finally found one in the next town over that delivers to a central point a couple of miles from my house and they had excellent reviews. Happy day!

I bought one share which is enough for 2 people for $400/20 weeks which works out to $20/week. I spend a whole lot more every week on produce. If I had found them earlier, I could have paid in installments over 6 months or so.

This is the farm I am buying from: Clayhill Farms - LocalHarvest If you scroll down you can see some of the veggies we will be getting this year.

I get my first pick-up on Friday and we got an email and we are looking forward to receiving cabbage, strawberries, radishes, and squash. That's a great selection this early in the growing season.

I'm already trying to figure out what I'm going to do with each veg.

I'll be back with pictures of the veg when I pick them up and recipes with what I plan to do with them. I know right now, DH will just eat the radishes raw ~ he loves them.

So subscribe to this thread and see what I do with everything over the course of 20 weeks and at the end of the 20 weeks, whether or not I thought it was a good decision and if I'll do it again next year

**Liane** · 05-18-2010, 10:15 AM

I hope you like the CSA. As for the garden, can't blame you for not wanting to frolic with the snakes. They don't scare me but I don't want one slithering across my foot either. We have ninja squirrels here. They jump from tree to tree and are not afraid of anything. I am tempted to relocate some of the little buggers. Can't wait to see your posts about the veggies.

**Sara Noel** · 05-18-2010, 10:44 AM

Looking forward to seeing your produce hauls and recipes. Sorry about the squirrels and snakes. Our yard is loaded with squirrels too. The squirrels here get really big and fat like the size of cats. They're obviously eating well in our neighborhood. ugh

**Saule** · 05-18-2010, 11:04 PM

I had planned on joining one this year, but unfortunately the one that made the most sense for me stopped making deliveries in my area, and I have not found one that makes sense for us. I am very interested in how well this works out for you.

**ladytoysdream** · 05-19-2010, 05:19 AM

I hope it works out good for you

We have a good size garden. We have snakes in the wood pile and once in awhile, one is in the closest garden to the house. A big reason, why we don't use black plastic. When we lived on the farm, I use to pay the kids so much each, to catch them in a pail and take them to the woods. I used to ask them if they were dumping the bucket back in the garden. I never saw so many snakes as that year.
We have squirrels and chipmunks here. Hubby has his own way of dealing with them. I don't ask questions.

**frugalwarrior2** · 05-19-2010, 06:38 AM

We have 3 dogs and a cat that gets out. We have squirrels in the trees also.lol Never see a snake but got a hole by the garden this year.

**nancycg56** · 05-19-2010, 07:42 AM

The other day I came home from the dog park and was trying to unlock my front door and my dog was at the end of his leash fussing and I look over and he has a snake tail in his mouth

Still connected to the snake...I screamed, he dropped it. That snake laid in my chair on the front porch all day. I thought it was a racer but it had a pattern underneath so I don't know what it was ~ blech! I spent the day chasing it off my chair...I hate snakes and I'll be darned if it's going to lay in MY chair all day!

**Darlene** · 05-19-2010, 08:40 AM

My cat loves snakes, but glad the ones here aren't poisonous. BIL who lives in NC has a cat that was recently bit by a copperhead. Cat's ok but it's head swelled up and had to go to vets. Hope it has learned it's lesson.

Looking forward to seeing what produce you get and how you prepare it. Made me smile reading how your hubby loves his radishes. My dh's grandfather used to pop them in his mouth and say he's taking his vitamins.

**frugalgram** · 05-19-2010, 09:41 AM

Thanks for sharing your CSA experience with FV. I subscribed to the thread and am looking forward to seeing the pictures of your produce. I am considering joining one in my area, maybe next year.

**nancycg56** · 05-19-2010, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by Darlene

My cat loves snakes, but glad the ones here aren't poisonous. BIL who lives in NC has a cat that was recently bit by a copperhead. Cat's ok but it's head swelled up and had to go to vets. Hope it has learned it's lesson.

Looking forward to seeing what produce you get and how you prepare it. Made me smile reading how your hubby loves his radishes. My dh's grandfather used to pop them in his mouth and say he's taking his vitamins.

We had a copperhead take up residence in the front garden and we had to call a snake wrangler to come and get it because they are endangered here so you can't kill them and we had a hard time getting out the front door. He said it was the biggest one he had ever seen. I could have lived my whole life without that information.

**nancycg56** · 05-21-2010, 10:00 PM

I'm going to be using the strawberries to make strawberry mini muffins, the radishes are gone, and I'm still thinking on the rest. Very nice quality

**nancycg56** · 05-24-2010, 11:31 AM

Here is what I did with the strawberries:

Fresh Strawberry Mini Muffins

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Heat oven to 375º and spray 36 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another smaller bowl, mix the milk, oil, and egg.

Add wet mixture to dry, stirring just enough to mix it together. Do not over mix or the muffins will be tough. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries.

Divide mixture up between the muffin cups and sprinkle sugar over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for 12 to 16 minutes (mine took the whole 16 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 3 minutes and then remove from pan to a rack to continue cooling or eat them while warm.

Makes 36 muffins although I made considerably less.

**Darlene** · 05-24-2010, 12:59 PM

Oh Nancy, looks like you have a wonderful quality source for food there, the pics are amazing. Love the recipe too!

**frugalgram** · 05-27-2010, 09:19 AM

Wow! Thanks for the pictures. It looks like you'll be eating delicious, healthy food this summer.

**nancycg56** · 05-27-2010, 10:26 AM

I fried half of the cabbage, sauteed half the squash in garlic butter, and made garlic smashed potatoes with the potatoes (I'll post the recipe for this as soon as I type it out

This week we are getting green peppers, snaps (peas, beans?), may peas (never had before), squash, and I feel like I'm missing something in the list but I can't be sure, LOL!