CSA

I have many times mentioned how important good, local, organic food is to me. It is important for many reasons. First, it just tastes better, a lot better. Plus, I don't need fancy studies telling me that chemicals may not be good for me, my body, my growing children's bodies or the earth where they will live, and their children and so, and so on, to know that isn't a good idea. Then there is the economy factor, when we buy food directly from local farmers that money is going right back into our community, not into the pockets of Big Ag Business. And that makes me smile. Any dollar I can take from them, I will. I am sure that if we did some kind of crazy break down of the money we spend buying local organic food versus cheap food at the grocery store you would find that we are missing a vacation a year but when later in life we are not all sick with cancer, diabetes and countless other diseases we don't even know about yet I am sure we will all be glad at the choices we made. Don't get me wrong, I understand how privileged and lucky we are to be able to make the decision to buy organic. I am disgusted by how the food system works in this country, good healthy food should be a right, not a privilege and I am grateful for our situation every meal I make.

There are less expensive options to eating healthy and supporting local farmers and one is joining a CSA (more here). They usually require money upfront which can be hard for families, but I know the farmers we work with would be willing to take payments if it meant getting good food to more families. Small family farms understand, it's not they are raking in the dough, sadly. In addition more and more families are growing their own food. Including people in cities who are taking over abandoned lots and coming up with amazing drip systems to grow food in small spaces. (more awesomeness here) It is a long time coming but with any luck we will in our life time see a food revolution. It has to happen for the health of our country. People deserve better than what they are getting now.
Like I said, we try hard to support as many local avenues as possible and we have a small, emphasis on small as we have a tiny yard, garden ourselves. Mainly our garden is a way to teach the children how growing food works. A process every person should understand. For the past few years we have split two shares, equalling one full share, of two local CSA's. Mainly because choosing just ONE farm is hard. This year one of the farms we are getting food from is one I dealt with a lot when I had the restaurant and I have to say I am glad to be back with them again. Imagine in your mind every feel good, soft fuzzy mood that comes to mind when you picture a small organic farm and that is Tewksbury Grace Farm. This past monday they invited all the CSA members out for a meet and greet which was wonderful

You can see them here on YouTube:

Monday evening was a perfect summer night. Mette and Otto each took off exploring the rows of food. There were snow peas, shelling peas, black raspberries and strawberries all ripe for the picking which everyone enjoyed.

The barn in the background was built by the farmers in 2004 out of local reclaimed wood.

Mette making herself at home.

It was very hard to get Otto to stop picking the raspberries. I know what we will be doing a lot of later this summer when the berries are ripe at the cabin!

Hiking down to the shitake grove.

Notice I am holding three cups, they were also serving milkshakes made with homemade ice cream made with local raw milk and fresh berries. They were very tasty.

I found one!!

This is pretty much how I felt too.

I wish everyone ate this way.

I wish everyone cared as much about the people who grow their food as Johnny and Leah care about the food they grow for us.

I wish I could solve the world's problems.

For now I will work hard on teaching my children how important all of this is and supporting the men, women and children who work hard to keep us healthy and strong.