...with our first CSA box.

This year my husband and I (okay, mostly me) decided to join a CSA, which is community supported agriculture. A CSA is a way for people to buy local, seasonal food from local farmers. How it works, is the consumer (me) buys a "share" and in return receives a box of produce from the farmer each week of the growing season. There are fruit and vegetable CSA's (probably the most common), meat shares and even honey and egg shares!

Since my husband and I are only two people (no way!), we actually are splitting a full family share with a friend of mine and her husband. We paid at the beginning of the season and each week for 26 weeks, from May to November, we will get a box of certified organic produce that is growing at the farm that week!

Last Friday, we picked up our first box. We split the contents of our box with my friend and then washed and cleaned everything.

Our first few weeks will contain a smaller amount of produce, as the growing season is just under way. I was actually surprised at the amount we received in our first box (and thankful that we are splitting a box - there's no way the 2 of us could have eaten all the produce from the whole box in one week!).

Here's what was in our first box (our half of it):

asparagus

parsley

1.5 lbs potatoes

radishes

arugula

green leaf lettuce

.75 lbs of rhubarb

green garlic

At first I was hesistant to join a CSA, because I knew we would get vegetables that I have never cooked with before and don't like. But, I decided this would force me try out new things! So far, so good!

Since neither my husband nor I like asaparagus, I cooked it up for Elena...the little guinea pig! Actually, she quite enjoyed it mixed with squash!

Stay tuned for a few new reciped I cooked up with the green garlic, radishes and rhubarb!