I hope you have all settled into weekly pick ups and are enjoying your late spring greens.  Every year I find myself having similar conversations with old, new and potential customers about buying local food, preparing fresh vegetables, human and planet health, fresh food flavor and money.  Many of you have been long time shareholders (thank you!) and have shared some of the reasons why you stick with a CSA.  Flavor, quality and supporting local are up there but so is economic savings.  We all know money is a stress in our lives and many of us are on a tight budget.  The thing is WE are in charge of our budget and can chose where the priorities are to spend our money.  (I am always amazed when people say they can’t afford to join a CSA but they have a cell phone plan that could buy five a year!)  Several shareholders are on super tight budgets and those are the ones who buy all of the shares I have to offer and consistently tell me they are saving money by being shareholders.  Here are some of the reasons why and a few ways to make the most of your share:

 

1. we eat what is in the share and don’t go to the grocery to buy out of season items.  salads don’t always have to have cucumbers and peppers–they can be topped with kohl rabi or radish or sometimes aren’t even made of lettuce but of cabbage or summer squash.

 

**not going to the grocery as much means we are less tempted to buy extraneous items.

 

2. we prep our share soon after we bring it home.  having all the carrots chopped or the lettuce washed and dried makes food prep easier when we are in a hurry.

 

3. we use the internet/blog for recipes and snack ideas using as many share items as possible. finding or amending recipes to as few other ingredients helps too.

 

4. our choice to prioritize our food budget has saved us on time out of work and school because we are sick less.  we feel better and have more energy.  (pay the farmer now or the doctor later)

 

 

 

The veggies are LOVING this sun!  Every time I looked this weekend the green beans were taller and the tomatoes and winter squash were turning from yellow/purple (lack of Nitrogen and cold temps) to green (happy plants with the ability to take up nutrients rather than drown or freeze).