Farm School

Locally grown produce is da bomb. This summer I forced myself to get my veggies by joining the Farm School CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. For $ 600, I received a box chock full of all kinds of vegetables, from those I know (kale, onions, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, squash, blueberries, basil, etc) to those I don’t (gourds?, random greens?, I don’t know?). It has done a lot to expand my vegetable repertoire.
There was so much produce, I split the share with a co-​worker. We each cook for two people, and the amount of vegetables we received weekly has been more than sufficient. We more than got our money’s worth.
They also have a freezer on site where you can buy locally grown meats! yay! And they often have gorgeous bouquets of flowers for $ 6 or $ 7, and cage free eggs.
How does it work? Well you sign up in the winter, and indicate the day on which you would like to receive your produce, and where you want to pick it up. They have a drop off point in Watertown at the Arsenal on the Charles, which conveniently enough is where I work. They also have a drop off point in Cambridge, or you can go out to the farm in Athol.
CSAs are for people who like to cook, aren’t afraid to learn about new vegetables, and want to support local farmers.
CSAs are not for people who don’t like vegetables, cooking, or getting their food from nearby.
All in all, I am 100% positively absolutely definitely going to sign up for this CSA next year. There is some risk — if the crops don’t come in, you lose your money — but I think it’s well worth the chances. Hey, it’s gotta be safer than the stock market these days, eh?