Get Creative With a CSA Box and Save Money

June 13, 2011

CSA. Usually stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Or, in my case , it might mean “Couldn’t Scribble Anything”. I’m coming back to this blog after a 3 1/2 month absence to declare that I finally made the  plunge and signed on for a CSA box. CSA. Sounds official. And it sort of is. I signed up and pledged to spend my hard-earned money on weekly shares of whatever the farmers are growing this week. That means a couple of things. Firstly, I have to actually remember to pick the box up. Secondly, I have to figure out a trillion ways to cook squash. But, I’m making this sound complicated, and actually it’s well… fun.

This box comes from Grow Alabama and combines food from farmers all over the state. Last week it was peaches, squash (of course), cabbage, brocolli and…shoot, I’ve already forgotten. The fun is opening the box! It’s so pretty! The challenge is cooking this lovely harvest before it goes bad, getting creative with the recipes and resisting the urge to go out for tacos on a night when you’re too tired to open the refrigerator door. If you’ve never eaten only what is growing fresh and local, you may not realize that your diet can become a mite restricted. For instance, in Alabama, in summer, yellow squash is prolific! Easy to grow, easy to pick, easy to cook. So, you’d better be prepared to get creative!

No matter that I’m not a gourmet cook. My mama taught me about cornmeal, salt and pepper. Now I’ve added Olive Oil to my arsenal and I swear, I can cook about any damn thing. (And yes, its’ pretty tasty)! Plus, I don’t have to traverse around the grocery store wondering what on earth I’m going to buy. I just take what I get in Tuesday’s box and It Works. Just like Steve Jobs just told us about iCloud. “It just works”. There’s merit there, you know. Less decisions to make. A healthier, more frugal menu and those beautiful veggies are not being trucked in from all over creation. Less fuel, fresh taste. Hmmm. You think that could be someone’s new slogan? Well, maybe not.

All I know is tonight for dinner I had fresh organically grown brocolli, yellow squash (of course), locally made bread and (not so locally grown) shrimp. Pretty easy. Pretty tasty. Good for the farmers and your own personal economy. What ‘da ya think? Give it a try? If you do, please…. share the recipes for the yellow squash!

Filed under: Eating Well,Healthy Living,Uncategorized