I’m a huge fan of supporting local farmers.
So community supported agriculture, where families like mine get to buy a share of the harvest each season is a great fit.
But my experience last year with a half share from Kings Hill Farm often left my kitchen overwhelmed.
Veggies unfamiliar to us and the quantities we received every other week were too much for us to cook and store. We ended up with way too much food waste.
This year, I have two composting methods — worms and a outdoor tumbler compost. But even with those in place, ready to turn food waste into rich soil, I’d like to do a better job this season with my food planning and storage.
That’s where Flour Girl comes in. Like last year, she’s heading up Cooking Away My CSA. It’s essentially a support group for CSA shareholders.
I got a ton of recipes from regular folks like me and from chefs and other professional cooks who’d joined the group. I learned more about food storage and cooking techniques than I would have on my own.
I learned to appreciate kale and crave beet greens. I learned about simple stir fry combinations that I’d never tried at home. And I learned if all else fails, throw it all in a pot and make vegetable stock.
My only beef with the group is that at a point last year, the spammers found us and infiltrated the group. I hope that can be cleaned up and the posts moderated a bit more this year.
Even if you don’t join Cooking Away My CSA, I’d recommend finding a similar support system, so when you get to the point that you know you have an over abundance of food problem, you can admit it and seek help.
It’s a positive step toward a path to good, sustainable cooking and eating.
Virtual Farmgirl 