Summer CSA Review

So my last pick up for my Summer CSA is over and I didn't sign up for the Fall/Winter version. While I think it is a great concept here is why it doesn't work for our family (but first you must always start with the positive : )

What I liked:

1. Right from the farm veggies are delicious and sometimes the grocery I shop at lacks in the organic section.



2. Pick up was easy. We picked a place that either my husband or I could get to.



3. I got to try some veggies I wouldn't normally try like bok Choy, cabbage and some weird alien broccoli/Cauliflower mashup.



4. It did force me to eat more veggies in the summer and be a little creative with the menu.



5. You are forced to eat seasonal which is good for you.

Things I didn't like

1. SO MANY VEGGIES. Even doing a half share and getting to swap out things we liked better each week we had so many that I felt like I had to eat all the time to use them up. I should have had a better plan of sharing, freezing or giving stuff away each week.



2. Cost of $20 was very reasonable for the amount we got but I have to see if I will save some money just buying what I will eat per week.



3. I missed some veggies that I didn't get enough of or they just don't grow. Mushrooms for omelets and celery to munch on. I never thought I would say that!

If you haven't checked it out here are some recipes I made with what I got.

Tuna "Noodle" Casserole

Spinach & Zucchini

Joining the CSA – Dare to be Adventurous

I have been thinking about joining a CSA for a while now but just couldn’t get myself to sign up. Since this year my life is focusing around the one Word CHANGE, I decided this summer it was time to take the leap of faith and give it a try. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. A farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

 Here are the reasons I wanted to give it a try:

Fresh Produce
Let’s face it, it doesn’t get much fresher then right from the farm. Since I was born with a black thumb and lack of patience to grow my own garden this seems to be a good answer. I also have found it very confusing to find the right from the farm products at grocery stores and produce stands now. You really have to ask questions to make sure it is right from the farm or if it was trucked in from somewhere else.

Food Adventure
With a CSA you have an idea of what is going to be available that week but you don’t know exactly what you get until you get it. It sounded like a great way to force me to try some new veggies and ways to cook up my old favorites since I will be eating them a lot.

Forced to Eat my Veggies
Because I am also super cheap I am hoping that instead of letting my veggies go bad each week I will be forced to eat them. Eating more veggies can only be a good thing.

For my CSA this year I have loved what I have gotten so far. I am making a lot of salads, omelets and smoothies to use up the amble supplies of vegetables I am given each week. It has given a little more structure to my weekly meal plans because I plan our meals around what we are given.

Ideally you want to start a CSA at the beginning of a growing season (Spring, Summer or Winter) but many farms let you sign up during the season for a prorated fee. I encourage you to give it a try for one season and see if it changes your eating and shopping habits. 

Unbury Your Fitness Routines

Let’s face it, New Englanders experienced a hard winter this year. Record high snow levels, brutal cold temperatures and long dark days. Add to that flu, cold or just the general seasonal depression and it is no wonder people get off track from their fitness routines. We tend to have less days we get to the gym and more days that we grab the warm comfort food then healthy salads. But the snow is melting, the sun is shining and it is time to get back on track so our bodies and minds are ready for when spring and summer finally do arrive. Here are some ways to get back into a routine starting today!

Change it up

Get your heart pumping again with change! Try a new workout routine or class. If you always use dumbbells change it up to the machines or with body weight exercises. Try at least one new healthy food a week. Use the excitement of a change to give you that extra boost forward.

Start Small

You didn’t lose your mojo overnight so it will take small steps to get back to the level you were at. If you haven’t moved in a while start by telling yourself you will commit to 5 minutes a day, then gradually move up to 30-60 minutes a day. Commit to yourself to make at least one meal a day healthy or give up one food that you know is not healthy (like soda, candy or chips). Over time add more time or foods until you are back at your pre-winter level of fitness.

Get Support

Nothing beats the buddy system to keep you accountable. Find a support person or group with similar exercise goals to work together. There are a lot of online groups that can help or ask around your current family, friends or co-workers to see if they want to work with you.

So take off the boots and grab your sneakers, throw away the turtleneck sweater and grab your workout t-shirts. Now is the time to get recommitted to your fitness goals and to move forward to a better you.