CSA Fatigue

It's hard to believe, but I only have two weeks left on my CSA with Thorpes Farm. Reflecting on the experience, I would say I'm very happy I did it and did my part to support a local, family farm. There were some really delightful moments - like when I would make a beautiful, crisp salad filled with organic greens and veggies or when I made homemade tomato sauce for the first time. There were also the times when (and it pains me to admit this) when I threw stuff out. Some weeks there just wasn't the time or effort put into consuming all that was brought home. Having grown up first generation American, with parents who were fairly poor and consider it a sin to throw away food, I have a lot of guilt bred into me (being Catholic doesn't help, either).

What might I do differently next year? I may look into CSAs that will deliver at a specific spot, hopefully near work or somewhere in the city. While the drive out to East Aurora is gorgeous, it can be an inconvenience when you have to rush out of work early in order to get to the farm and still let the dogs out on time!

I would also do a small share for just my husband and me. We went in with a large share with our friends and they didn't seem to enjoy the CSA as much as I did, mainly for the driving factor but they also didn't care for a lot of the veggies we got. So the husband and I tended to get more than our share (see point above about throwing food away).

But you can't beat the fresh eggs and few times I bought pork and beef from them. I was far more willing to eat the meat from their farm vs what one gets at the grocery store.

I would absolutely recommend joining a CSA to anyone who is thinking about it. Just remember that it's a commitment and you'll be wasting food unless you like to cook or share your food. It was a great experience to eat (mainly) seasonally this year, and I hope more people in WNY support these incredibly hard working families.