The summer of local food

Mary and I have been trying to make more conscious choices about the food we eat. This came in part as an incremental change as we move toward a more ideal lifestyle. It was accelerated a bit by a recent viewing of Food Inc. But change was in the air even before that.

Mary came across a local Community Sponsored Agriculture program (CSA) that we decided to get on board with. In this program you buy shares, which equal percentages of the crop. Every Friday you go to the farm and pick up your share. You get a health dose of whatever is in season, still wet with morning dew. It has been the most delicious food I have had in recent memory. Even foods that I don't typically care much for (I'm looking at you, asparagus) have been perfection. We've been getting kale, cabbage, blue berries, cherries, watermelon, carrots, onions, garlic, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and loads of other goods.

The food delicious, and pesticide free, and locally grown (avoiding shipping costs, which can be measured in both carbon and flavor). More than that it gives us a chance to support our local farmers directly. We began calling him "our Farmer" after Mary contacted him trying to find rhubarb for a batch of jam. He got us rhubarb all right. 30 pounds of it! We're set for a while on rhubarb.

The farm is the Dinihanian family farm.

http://www.yourcsa.com/

They also have a farm store that anyone can purchase food at. They have the best watermelon I have ever tasted, and for pennies more than you would pay at a supermarket.
We also decided to get some locally raised, grass feed beef. We ended up splitting a quarter of a beef three ways, between my parents and a friend.

Last night we had the perfect local meal. A roast from our beef, potatoes, onions, and carrots from the farm share, tomatoes from our garden, homemade wheat bread and freshly harvested honey. The only out of place was the butter. Were not quite ready to get our own cow, but when we do we'll be set!