I love fresh fruits and vegatables in the summer!  I understand there are many reasons for not planting your own garden.  My family lives in a condo, to me patio tomatoes and hanging strawberries are ok, but not my idea of a garden.  I want peppers, corn, lettuce, blue berries, mmmm…My family deserves these beautiful fruits and vegetables, instead of the processed or greenhouse grown ones!  

I found a website last year, www.localharvest.org they offer many different options for obtaining just about anything farm grown!  When your on that site check out the CSA tab or Community Supported Agriculture.  You pay a certain amount each year, depending on the farm and each week (usually the end of May until October) get wonderful in season fruits and vegetables.  FRESH from their gardens!

Here’s what the website said about the benefits for you and your local farmer:

Advantages for farmers:

• Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
• Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm’s cash flow
• Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow

Advantages for consumers:

• Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
• Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
• Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season
• Find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm – even veggies they’ve never been known to eat
• Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown

So, help yourself and your local farmer!  I’ll be picking up my basket of goodies starting in May!

See Brande’s bio on our writers page.