Fresh local organic vegetables
Everyone can get fresh vegetables and even fresh organic vegetables any day of the week these days. Sometimes you have to pay a premium for them, but they are available. Now that spring is here and summer is on they way, we’re starting to see the openings of the Farmer’s markets around town. Just last weekend, the Portland Farmers Market at PSU attracted 10,000 people to the opening day. WOW! What I love about a farmer’s market is that you are usually meeting the farmer who grew the crops. There is a personal connection there. After a time, you may even get to know the farmer and he/she will set aside the best for you.
Another option for fresh and organic vegetables from local farms is the “Farm Share” programs offered by local CSAs. A CSA is Community Supported Agriculture and is usually a local farm within the metro area that shares its crop with “members.” Members can be people who work the farm or people who pay for a share of the crop. When you purchase a share, that usually means you get a weekly take of the crop - usually a full grocery bag of fresh veggies (sometimes two bags.) You are also helping to support a local farm. We have done the farm share with 47th St. Farm twice in the past few years and have loved the veggies. Some weeks we have had to give veggies away because there was too much and we were getting a 1/2 share. These shares usually cost around $650-800 for the season. You can usually get 1/2 shares also for 1/2 the price. One other feature is you get to see the farm, maybe work at the farm and meet the farmers weekly. How cool is that?
Go here to get a list of local CSAs who offer farm shares and enjoy the garlic tops.
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Here is something else cool too. In this article, they talk about how Portland is one of the lowest users of fast food in the nation.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/12/magazines/fortune/pluggedin_boyle_fastfood.fortune/index.htm?cnn=yes
My family has been with 47th Ave Farm for four or five years now. We get a half share (which to echo you, is sometimes more than we need), and have a deal with another family nearby so that we pick up both theirs and ours one week, then they pick up both the next. We drop of the other family’s share on the way home, but only have to get it together to get out to 47th every other week.