GlobalShift

Fresh From the Farm: Delivered to My Door

I woke up this morning to find a box of farm fresh fruits and vegetables on my doorstep. It caused so much excitement in my house, you might have thought Santa had come early. This was our very first delivery from Farm Fresh to You, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) project that distributes locally grown produce to neighborhoods all over Southern California.

I’d been looking for a farm co-op to join for more than a year but my emails to all the local companies always went unanswered. I found Farm Fresh To You after reading the Green Frieda blog that Susan Logoreci wrote about last week. On her recommendation, I looked up the site and a few mouse clicks later I was set to receive a box of mixed fruits and vegetables every two weeks.

The box I received today had juicy Satsuma Mandarin oranges, flavorful persimmons, the biggest leeks and fennel bulbs I’ve ever seen, silky baby bok choy, dark green kale, and more.

I do have a couple of farmer’s markets in the area but what I like best about the Farm Fresh to You delivery is that I don’t choose what comes in the box — they do. They send whatever is in season and freshly harvested. That’s exciting because we love to experiment and try new foods at my house but when I’m under the gun I always buy the same vegetables over and over again.

Now, I have an enormous fennel bulb, something I’ve never cooked with before, and I’m excited about the challenge. My box came with a recipe for a fennel orange salad that seems simple enough or I may get even more adventurous and look for a recipe online.

What’s even bigger news — I had one of the Mandarins for breakfast. I’m a notoriously terrible eater in the AM (Oodles of Noodles, anyone?) but I couldn’t resist the smell and feel of this fresh, certified organic fruit. I feel healthier already.

If you’d like to have farm fresh produce delivered to your door, or if you’d like to find a farmer’s market in your area, visit Local Harvest and they’ll get you pointed in the right direction.

Do you have a fennel recipe I should try? Leeks? Baby Bok Choy? Link me in the comments below because I am ready to get cooking!