Would you buy this?

[gatorsmom]

I decided to try Kijip's advice and join a CSA farm. So I've done some research and found one near us that produces all organic vegetables and for a certain fee, I can get a bushel box of fresh, all organic vegetables weekly for our family. here's the blurb:

WEI provides a weekly bushel box delivery of organically certified
produce to our members from mid-June to mid-October. Each box contains an array of seasonal vegetables, herbs, fruit, recipe ideas, environmental
information, and a farm newsletter. We also operate an organic apple orchard and will be adding delicious organic apples to the box come fall. And new for the 2008 season, WEI will be including seasonal oriental greens and herbs.

For $525 and for 19 weeks this year a box of produce for our family would be delivered each week to a participating store where i would have to go pick it up. Or I can pay an additional $100 and have it delivered weekly.

Would you do this? It comes out to $27/week or $32/week delivered to our house.

I would be nice to have organic vegetables at a reasonable rate. But would I use them all? Woudl they go to waste allowing me to feel guilty about wasting it? Should I just buy what I need from the grocery store? What would you do?

[JustMe]

I have done that. I would recommend that you try it this one time and see if it works for you. It didn't really work that well for me. I would find that there were things I would "need" that were not in the box at a certain time, and there were things that I didn't use. I think it you were really committed to making it work that you would use everything in the box it would be great. With my schedule, I found that too hard. Also, my box was delivered mid-week, and I think it would have been better for me if it were delievered on a weekend and I had some time to figure out what to do with what was in it. There were recipes included each week, but some were complicated or included other foods I didnt had. In short, I wish it had worked for me, but it didnt. I think it could work if you worked really hard to use what was in there.

[gatorruth]

Could you go in with a neighbor or 2?? You have your hands full and I think that just having food delivered to your door would be a blessing!! I'd try to split it with someone... I wish I lived nearer...

[icunurse]

We did this last year and we were pretty disappointed with it. Of course, the farm we dealt with is small and new, so that might have had a lot to do with it, but the weekly "paper grocery bag" full of produce we were told was the average for a farm year was more like a couple of tomatoes, a bunch of greens, and always something strange that I had to look up online to identify (they'd give everyone recipes, but some bags had one thing and other bags had another). So, I guess the lack of produce taught me the risk you take with a CSA and how the weather works.

As for recommendations, I'd really look into what your family eats and what the CSA says will be in season and in each bag. Kale was very popular with our CSA farmer, but we only have so much love for it, KWIM? So much was wasted. I'd also compare the price of organic and your ability to get it from a local store vs the CSA. For us, with what we really eat, I can probably do organic (or at least local) for much less per week. Example - we didn't get any potatoes, I can get them from Trader Joe's $3.29/5 lbs; we didn't get any fruit (not offered). I can get organic apples from the local grocery or Trader Joe's for $3.xx/3 lbs.

I liked the idea of organic and supporting true local, literally miles away, but it just didn't work out for us. I was wavering over wheter to try again this year, but in addition to raising their prices, they moved pick-up to a very non-convenient location. So, we're done. I have heard many, many people who have great experiences, so hopefully you'll be one of them - just compare cost and convenience and what your family will actually use to what you're being offered.

[kijip]

That seems like a good price. The answer is somewhat complicated for if you should do it.

It depends on the farm and program, if you can swap things and if you cook veggies often enough to avoid waste. Is there one in your are that you pay by the week (that way you can try it for a few weeks and see)?

We did one a few years ago that was a bust and here is why:

-Box did not have enough stuff in it for the price.
-Box pretty much only had stuff in it I was unfamiliar with at the time.
-I could not easily change the contents of the box (there was an auto replace option at set up but I did not think to include things like sunchokes because heck I did not even know what they were).
-The included recipe cards were vegan and gross IMO.
-The quality was spotty. I expect fresh to be NOT nearly rotting.
-We were not a point were we were cooking enough veggies and were comfy enough trying new things.

However, we do one now (which is a farm and a wholesaler) and I LOVE it. Here is why:

-Box is bursting with goodies and is a good value.
-I get an email on Friday that tells me what I will be picking up the following Thursday and then I can replace items that either we hate all the time or we just don't want that week (like tomatoes in the summer when we have our own coming off the vine or basil when a friend has given me a ton for free). I can also pay to add items in. They then charge my card on Weds and I pick up on Thursday. Easy as pie!
-The recipe suggestions do not assume that we are wheat free vegans. ;)
-When there is a quality issue (rare) I shoot them an email and we get a credit or an extra item the next week.
-Most critically, we cook a lot of veggies, are willing to try new ones and we love greens. I plan my meals and other shopping around what I know the box is going to have in it.
-While not everythign is from their farm they detail what they grew, what they got from other farmers in WA state and where any other items came from (mostly OR and northern CA). I live in WA and don't want to eat greens and apples and carrots and greens and apples all winter, so I am happy with a mix (mostly local, some adjacent states).

Maybe they could give you some refrences or more info?

[gatorsmom]

I'm thinking this might not work for us. thanks for the replies everyone. My first concern is going with 4 kids to pick up a box every week. And it would be with 4 kids because the growing season is june though october so Gator would be out of school mostly. I hate the obligation of having to go every week, too. Also, I really am afraid a lot would go to waste and they wouldn't have the vegetables in there that I need for the meals I plan for the week. Then I'd feel guilty about the stuff we didn't use. And they don't let you try it out for a few weeks. They have a waiting list for people to join so if you don't sign up for the entire summer, you can't sign up at all.

I think this will be a great idea for us in the future when I can pick up the box while the kids are at school. Instead this summer, I think I'll just make a point of taking the kids to the local farmer's market for fresh organic produce. that way I can buy what I need the week I need it. If I'm going to have to drag all 4 kids out, I'd like to at least make it an outing.

Thanks again!

[kijip]

Instead this summer, I think I'll just make a point of taking the kids to the local farmer's market for fresh organic produce. that way I can buy what I need the week I need it. If I'm going to have to drag all 4 kids out, I'd like to at least make it an outing.

Thanks again!

That sounds like a great idea. You don't want to sign up and then end up with a bunch of unpicked up or rotting parsnips or lettuce. One thing we do when we take Toby is let him pick out a veggie and a fruit to buy. Since he bought them, he feels like he wants to eat them. :boogie: We will see how long that works! I can't get it together to get over to a farmer's market weekly or else we would just do that instead of the boxes.

[casey0729]

That's funny, we've been toying with this idea for a few years too! I found a farm last year that actually did 1 drop off a week in Bloomington, about 3 miles from my house but I was expecting DD so I figured I really wouldn't be up to using all the veggies. Bloomington got a farmer's market last year (finally) and I like going to the St. Paul one.

I'm going to PM you a link to the CSA I mentioned above. They have different flex plan options, they also offer fruit, coffee and new this year, cheese. They also partner with another farm for organic meat.

[hellokitty]

We did this last year and we were pretty disappointed with it. Of course, the farm we dealt with is small and new, so that might have had a lot to do with it, but the weekly "paper grocery bag" full of produce we were told was the average for a farm year was more like a couple of tomatoes, a bunch of greens, and always something strange that I had to look up online to identify (they'd give everyone recipes, but some bags had one thing and other bags had another). So, I guess the lack of produce taught me the risk you take with a CSA and how the weather works.

As for recommendations, I'd really look into what your family eats and what the CSA says will be in season and in each bag. Kale was very popular with our CSA farmer, but we only have so much love for it, KWIM? So much was wasted. I'd also compare the price of organic and your ability to get it from a local store vs the CSA. For us, with what we really eat, I can probably do organic (or at least local) for much less per week. Example - we didn't get any potatoes, I can get them from Trader Joe's $3.29/5 lbs; we didn't get any fruit (not offered). I can get organic apples from the local grocery or Trader Joe's for $3.xx/3 lbs.

I liked the idea of organic and supporting true local, literally miles away, but it just didn't work out for us. I was wavering over wheter to try again this year, but in addition to raising their prices, they moved pick-up to a very non-convenient location. So, we're done. I have heard many, many people who have great experiences, so hopefully you'll be one of them - just compare cost and convenience and what your family will actually use to what you're being offered.

I swear I could have written your post. I was so excited to find a CSA in our area two yrs ago, we subscribed for 20 wks and were sorely disappointed. I also had to pick up the delivery on campus where I could not park next to her, at the time I had a baby and a toddler it was a HUGE PITA (I had to park in a different parking lot from her and cross a DITCH to get to her car, with two children in tow!!!!). We did not do it again. I actually attend the same church with the couple that do the CSA and felt kind of bad for not subscribing again, but for the $ they were asking and what we were getting, it was a rip off and we were usually more unhappy with what we ended up with, than we were happy.

Unfortunately, there are no other CSAs in our area and the organic produce in the grocery store is pretty pitiful. I wish we lived in a more progressive area, one hr north or south of us, we'd have a lot more options, but where we are, walmart rules. :32: I really wish that CSA would have worked out for us.

[C99]

If it includes fruit, I think it's worth it.

I split a half share with my MIL from a farm/CSA in Naperville two summers ago, but we didn't do it last year. We ended up with a lot of kale and swiss chard and not a lot of things that I really loved and would eat - herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, etc. - so we decided not to renew. Pricewise, it wasn't bad, but it was hard for me to get it because the CSA was super close to MIL, but an hour's drive for me.

[sadie427]

We do a CSA for about that price and love it. However, at ours you don't have to commit to the whole season (you can do week by week or 10 boxes at a time for a discount.) They also allow three substitutions a week, on the website, and we can order add'l stuff too. Haven't had a lot of trouble w/ stuff going to waste because of the substitutions, and because some of it usually keeps really well like apples or potatoes.

[wellyes]

I did a CSA last year and I, too, was disappointed in it. I'm so glad that I'm not alone! It's great in theory, I love the idea of supporting a local farmer, but the truth is:
- our grocery store produce bill remained the same when we used the CSA. We still wanted the typical fruit / herbs / veggies that aren't necessarily local. So it's like the farmer stuff - typically greens, egglant, potatoes, squash - was all bonus.
- We used maybe 50% of what was delivered. This was 100% my fault. I liked the idea of experimenting with new produce but in practice I just didn't feel like experimenting and cooking that much over the summer.
- Quality was so-so at times, and disappointingly it was wit h the items I'd most looked forward to: tomatoes were squishy, potatoes were green, basil was wilted.

The farmer kept sending apologetic emails that we were in the worst drought he'd seen in ages, and I absolutely believed him. I understood going into it that a CSA is a risk. I think the biggest factor for us was #1 - I wanted applies and asparagus and that's just not the sort of thing a New England CSA will provide.

[ged]

Well, after years of wanting to do a CSA, we are finally participating in one and it's working out rather well. I don't think I would attempt to do it with newborn twins, however :) We signup for a large box every other week, which works out well for us. The quality is great, so they last longer than it might otherwise from the grocery store. Not enough fruit for my taste, but not bad either. Yes, tons of chard and lettuce, but overall, I've been pretty good about using it all up. Last week, I made a beet cake from cooking light and it was very well received. I made a great orange and fennel salad as well, something I don't think I would have done if the fennel bulb wasn't sitting around. I also made a random turkey, mushroom, bok-choy & rice soup (sounds weird, I know...) in the slow cooker once since I had all the ingredients (bok choy was from the CSA) and it tasted really good). However, I still need to use up some turnips (?) that have been sitting around for 3+ weeks. So, not perfect, but it's something I really believe in and am glad I can finally participate.

[almostmom]

I've done a number of csa's over the years and really love them. But I think a box weekly for your family with all you have to take care of is too much. A box every other week (delivered!) might be really nice though, if you could find a neighbor to split it with you, every other week.

It really depends on what everyone eats too. My kids don't really eat veggies yet (ugh.), but we love all kinds of veggies, many because we started getting them in our csa baskets years ago and now can't get enough. But even with 4 of us at home, I wouldn't get a full share because only 2 of us would be eating it. And picking it up with the kids would be a pain - you don't want to dread it, but look forward to it. In a few years, that might be the case (or, delivery).

In my experience, another benefit is it cuts down on eating out charges because you feel like you want to use all the beautiful produce in your fridge. And there is a nice community aspect to it as well.

Just my thoughts - no answer for you, but good luck!