We are expecting the first frost tonight here in Upstate New York and while I was outside all day picking and rescuing all of the basil and green beans I could, I was for the most part on the farm by myself.
For those of you not familiar, I am a member of a CSA and part of my share is produce that is too labor intense to be picked, so we have the opportunity to pick for ourselves. Sometimes the yield of certain crops is just so phenomenal in a particular season that the farmer will just open fields to everyone to pick unlimited amounts. Needless to say that that is an immense bargain right there, because you can truly pick to your hearts content and freeze anything that you can’t use right away for the winter months.
What is a bit strange is that in my experience with different CSAs over more than 10 years now, there is usually just a core group of members that will pick produce themselves, the rest never take advantage of this bargain. In my 200 member CSA - I would venture to say there are about 40 people more or less that will pick, and I think I am being generous here - the rest would rather not. Why? I have no idea!
And that brings us to a rather solemn point - whilst writing this there are literally 100s of pounds of green beans that will die tonight and the amount of basil that will freeze tonight would make enough pesto to supply all the restaurants of Manhattan for a month. Why does it have to go bad - I guess nobody really appreciated the amount of work and the resources that went into producing their share of basil and green beans - so they just let it rot…..
4 comments:
Hi there
I just discovered your blog, while looking for granola bar recipes. I really like yours, and I'm looking forward to trying it out later this week.
I might not be a vegetarian, but lots of what you say about eating wisely really resonates with me.
I hope you don't mind if I link to you from my blog? I'd like to read some more of what you have to say!
Hi!
All are welcome, even occasional vegetarians!
Please fell free to link and I have to check out yours.
Thanks!
Hi. Just discovered your blog, in desperation. I've been a kinda but not really vegetarian for years but need to take the full vegetarian plunge. Just saw some really disturbing sites on how animals are treated--made me literally sick. My problem always has been that I am allergic to soy and that cuts out a lot of meat substitutes for me (lactose intolerant as well) and then I live in a household of nonvegetarians. So, forging ahead anyway and hoping for the best. I just now for the first time ever joined my local CSA and I'm really psyched! Terrified, too, that I won't know what to do with all those veggies. I'll keep your blog bookmarked so I can find you quickly in my most desperate moments. Changing how I eat and how I cook for my family feels really scary. I don't know why that is. But thanks for being out there for me to glom onto when I feel truly desperate!
Hi Martha!
Delighted to welcome you and please ask any questions you may have. Feel free to ask anything - believe me - I have been there! I am a self-taught cook and have learned through trial and lots of error. Bummer about the soy, but at least you know about it - it takes years sometimes to identify an allergen. I would highly recommend quorn - especially while transitioning - although it can be pricey. I am allergic to wheat - which takes a lot of products out of my diet because of the wheat-gluten - even seitan - which you should try to make - I have a recipe on the blog and it is very easy and affordable - and soy free! Use Bragg's Amino Liquids to season, instead of soysauce.
Lots of Luck! And check out the section on how to get your kids to go veg! You can find it under the tab "kids".
Moni
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