Farm Share Friday - Week 1

Hello! It’s time for our first edition of #farmsharefriday that I introduced last week. This is a weekly look at what we received in our share box from our local CSA farm. Not sure what a farm share is or have questions about the risks and benefits of joining? Check out my last post here.

It has been a very wet and cold Spring here in Iowa, so I was very surprised when I opened my box of goodies this week and saw everything. I have a quick video up on Instagram stories if you want to check out the un-boxing, but here is a photo of everything that was included this week.

Week 1 Share Box Contents

-Eggs

-Rhubarb

-Green Onions

-Asparagus

-Radishes - two varieties

-Turnips

-Homemade Jam and Honey

These veggies not only smell like they are straight from the garden (you know what I’m talking about!) but some of them actually still have dirt on them….I mean, it doesn’t get much fresher than that!

I am not sure that I have ever eaten a turnip, but this week I will be trying a recipe for turnip crisp (and if it’s amazing I will share it next week). I am also looking forward to making some asparagus risotto and rhubarb crisp. I will be the first to admit I am not much of a cook, but I find that is mostly because I make the same few items over and over. This farm share program forces me to think outside the box and research recipes that will work with the food I have on hand. It might be a bit of a challenge, but I am up for it!

While we are at it, can we take a look at these eggs? I love all the color variety!

That is all I have for now, check back with us next Friday to see how we used this share box and what the contents are of our next one! Thanks for stopping by today!

Community Supported Agriculture - Farm Share Friday

Hi there! Today I am mixing it up a bit and bringing you some information about Community Supported Agriculture (also called CSA or farm share). If you live in the United States, chances are there is a farm share program in your neck of the woods that you could be benefiting from. How? Let’s dive into it..

What is CSA/Farm Share?

A CSA is a group of people who are supporting a local farm, and in turn sharing the risks and benefits of that year’s growing season.

For example, my local farm asks for a one time fee at the beginning of the growing season, and in turn I receive 17 weekly deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the spring/summer/fall. This guarantees fresh, local, and organic food for me, and a steady income for the farm.

There are several varieties of farm share programs, as nearly each farm does it differently, but some offer different pickup or delivery schedules and different varieties of fruits/vegetables/cut flowers, etc. I recommend doing a simple google search for farms in your area that offer a CSA program to find one that works for you.

Benefits

The benefits of a CSA are so many, these are just a few!

Helping a local farmer

By participating in a CSA, you are supporting the farm ahead of time, ensuring they can purchase the necessary items needed to grow and maintain their farm.

Save money

Cost can seem significant up front, however make sure to break ti down over the entire time frame that you would be receiving share boxes. I figure my farm share costs around $30 a week, which is less than I would spend on fruits and vegetables at the store.

Eat Local, Eat Organic

To me, this is very important. Store bought produce often comes from across the country, or even a different country, and was picked over a week prior. Who knows what the sanitary conditions were where it was grown, or how it was transported to your local store. Often times, pesticides and waxes are applied to the food to enhance appearance.

Fresh Food = More Flavor

We all know that garden tomato tastes very different from the one purchased at the store, there’s a reason behind that!

Variety and Quantity

Some people see this as a downfall, if they are not open to trying new/different vegetables, however I look at it as a challenge. Eating what’s in season might require googling some new recipes or cooking techniques, but that’s all part of it. The large quantity of vegetables can also be overwhelming, but sharing with friends and freezing or preserving portions for future use is always an option.

Risks

As with anything, there are risks involved, but I believe the benefits far outweigh them.

Growing Season

A nasty pest or terrible weather pattern can wipe out a crop for the season, and with purchasing everything up front you run the risk of this happening (if no alternate or indoor facilities are used at your local farm).

Vacation/Out of Town

Some farm's will let you choose an alternate date for pickup, but generally if you are out of town or otherwise unable to pickup your weekly share, you miss out. This would be worth looking into when choosing a CSA to support, and usually an alternate person could pickup your share for that specific occasion.

My local farm starts their program next week, and I am looking forward to seeing what is in my share box. I am planning to post photos/information regarding my share box each Friday, along with the occasional recipe for those tricky vegetables. Make sure you are following along on Instagram for ‘Farm Share Friday’, especially if you are interested in learning more about this type of program.

These posts are not sponsored, but I do believe there is a lack of information out there regarding CSA programs and would like to share my experiences.

Well I am off to find a couple rhubarb and asparagus recipes for next week, and do some planting of my own. Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

Epic (EASY) Chicken Noodle Soup

It’s officially Fall and temperatures are dropping rapidly here in Iowa, which means all things warm and cozy are on the menu at my house. This simple, yet super tasty, chicken soup recipe will warm up those cold toes from the inside out!

First things first…

The Chicken

The most important ingredient, and easily made in the crock pot!

Directions: Lightly spray a large crock pot with non stick spray. Rinse and pat dry a fresh whole chicken (insides removed) and place it in the crock pot on top of a bag of carrots (if you don’t want carrots in your soup you can use balls of foil to keep the chicken up off of the bottom). In a bowl, mix together the following seasonings and sprinkle over the entire chicken:

1/2 TB Paprika

2 TB All purpose seasoning

1/2 TB Garlic powder

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Cook on HIGH for 4-4.5 hours and use a thermometer to make sure it has reached 165+ degrees

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The Soup

You will need:

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon butter

2 32oz cartons of low sodium chicken broth

1/2 32oz carton of vegetable broth

2 cups extra wide egg noodles (roughly half of a bag)

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

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Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat cook the onion, celery, and butter until tender or about 5 minutes

2. Pour in the chicken and vegetable broths, basil and oregano

3. Pull apart the chicken from the crockpot, skin and all, and add the pieces to soup mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Cut up the carrots from the crockpot and add to the soup mix

5. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes

6. Add egg noodles and continue to simmer for 10 additional minutes or until noodles are done, careful not to overcook them! Check taste and add salt and pepper again if needed.

Boom!

Dinner is served