A CSA Box Guide
We all love the idea of the Farmer’s Market - they’re great! But let’s be real - you have other weekend commitments, life happens, and sometimes you just want to sleep in! Most of us want to be healthier and get quality ingredients, but making it to the farmer’s market every single weekend isn’t always feasible. This is where CSA boxes come in. I encourage anyone and everyone to get a subscription, especially if you live in California!
What is a CSA box? CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and you purchase directly from a local farm. The benefits?
Produce is either delivered straight to your door, or at a nearby location with a large time window for pickup.
Many CSA subscriptions allow you to customize your box, and some offer different sizes
Most allow you to skip weeks, put a hold on the subscription, and have a weekly or bi-weekly option
You are supporting local farms
Now that you’ve made your decision, here are my tips!
Decide with wisdom & intuition.
Do some research on your options. Just because it says “organic” or “farm fresh” doesn’t mean it’s the best option. Visit the website of the farms and see what their practices are. Remember, energy is transferred. Positive and loving energy that is spent growing living food will impart towards you. If everything you read looks “perfect” on paper but something feels off, listen to your gut - you’re probably right.
2. Give it time.
Try a vendor at least three times before deciding you “don’t like it”. Growing crops change literally every week and great food takes time. You might get a bunch of tiny strawberries one week, and the next week, they are juicy and plump! The best farms plant with the seasons and allow mother nature to peak when she’s ready. I’ve experienced this myself with 3 of my favorite CSA options - I’m glad I was patient. I would have truly missed out on the best!
3. Prepare produce as soon as possible.
Fresh farm vegetables and fruits don’t last as long as the ones from standard supermarkets. It may be even three days when you start to notice them turn. I get my CSA boxes on Thursdays, so in my household I wash, dry and cut all my vegetables and store them in airtight containers. Cambro brand now has mini containers for household use and they are great at keeping everything fresh for long! *Note - for berries, don’t wash until the day of consumption and keep them in the fridge if not eating immediately.
4. When in doubt - oven roast!
If you have no idea what to do with your vegetables, chances are they’ll be great lightly roasted in the oven! My favorite is to toss with olive oil, kosher salt and cracked black pepper and roast them at 375 degrees F.
If you are in the Bay Area and need guidance on who to choose, I'd love to share with you some of my favorite recommendations for farms I personally shop from for my family and my clients!
To start:
Full Circle Farm based in Gilroy (Pictured in the first and last photos): My new microbiologist friend Zoe and her husband started their organic, regenerative farm after years of working professionally in the Silicon Valley. I feel happiness when eating their produce and they literally scream, “eat me!”
Greenhearts Family Farm in Half Moon Bay: Paul and Aurora are SO passionate about their farm you can feel it through the screen. They are genuinely caring people and love to nourish others with their food. They deliver all over the San Francisco Bay Area and I encourage everyone to choose them to support!
Live Earth Farm in Watsonville: I get their boxes every week and their produce is always thriving and tasty. They are definitely one of my faves. They’re one of the only coastal farms I know of that delivers to Morgan Hill.
Fifth Crow Farm in Pescadero is a well known top pick for chefs. They have a variety of heirloom produce and also beans! A plus is that they also offer quality meats and breads from other great small businesses as well as flowers and goodies from their own farm.
With everything going on with our food supply system, eating direct from quality farms is the way to go if aren’t able to grow your own. I highly recommend you sign up for a box now to secure a life-giving food source. I’d love to hear your updates on your boxes and the meals you enjoy with them!
