Surprises in the CSA

It's hand-me-down CSA box time again!

CSA is community-supported agriculture and refers to a large set of programs that vary in the details but generally revolve around a household buying a subscription to a local farm. The farm puts together a box of produce every week, and depending on the farm, you have more or less control over what you get. With some programs you get what you get, with others you can add items to a "don't ever send" list or swap out one item for another each week.

I've been intrigued by the idea for a while but haven't ever pulled the trigger, partly because I enjoy the browsing at the local farmer's market so much.

My hand-me-down CSA box is gifted to me by a traveling coworker who's out of town yet again - lucky me! He knows I love cooking, and I've been fortunate enough to receive his produce while he's gone. I suspect he could just as easily cancel for the week, so I'm very grateful that he and his wife have chosen to share the bounty.

While he's out of town, his wife forwards me the announcement of the box contents. It's always exciting to see what they're planning to drop off and start searching for recipes to make the best use of the ingredients (epicurious.com, eatingwell.com). The best thing, however, is that they always include something that isn't on the list. A pot of cilantro to plant in the garden one week, green beans the next. It's unpredictable and fun (in the geeky way that I think cooking is fun)!

This week, I ended up with the anticipated potatoes, kale, Golden Delicious apples, and butternut squash, but I also received an eggplant and some kind of peppers.

Tonight: soup with pork, kale, tomatoes, and smoked paprika/red pepper/onion/garlic to season. Yum!