July 24, 2013
July 13, 2011
Vol 13 No 28
Community Supported Agriculture
Around Town
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Most Beautiful Garden Contest
Recipe
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Elegant Entertaining
Join a CSA in your area for delicious locally-grown produce. For over 25 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Localharvest.org, an organization that supports local, sustainably-raised foods, offers the following information on CSA’s. Read on to find some CSA’s near you. “Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of ‘shares’ to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (a ‘membership’ or a ‘subscription’) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. This arrangement creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer. Farmers get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin. They also receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm’s cash flow, and they have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow. Consumers get to eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits. They are also exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking; they usually get to visit the farm at least once a season to develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown. Also, their kids typically favor food from “their” farm— even veggies they’ve never been known to eat. It’s a simple enough idea, but its impact has been profound. Tens of thousands of
families have joined CSA’s. LocalHarvest has the most comprehensive directory of CSA farms, with over 4,000 listed in our grassroots database.” Here are a few from our area: Terripin Farm: O’Fallon Brad and Jessica Whiston own a farm in Fowler Illinois, and they bring all their chemical-free produce to O’Fallon through their CSA. “Terripin Farm’s goal is to provide O’Fallon area households with fresh, high quality vegetables for as much of the year as possible,” says Jessica. “As a CSA member, you are supporting the farm by contributing a portion of the farm’s operating budget, and the farm and in return does its best to produce the tastiest and most nutritious vegetables possible. Shareholders can develop a meaningful relationship with us, while the farm is assured of a supportive community with which to share its bounty. We can then concentrate on treating the soil and the land in the most environmentally-sound fashion. The members thus share directly with the farm responsibilities of the longterm care of the soil, which shows in the quality of our food.” Sign up by emailing Jessica at terripinfarms@att.net or call 217.440.4678. Get more information at www.facebook.com/terripinfarms. Prices: family size full share $575, two adults half share $375 Healthy Harvest Cooperative: Cottleville Owners Rick and Marcia Rodriguez include locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs with each box from their seasonal CSA. Marcia says, “We support six
Photo courtesy of Terripin Farm
local farmers, and we pick up the locally grown produce from them on Fridays. We assemble the shares for pick-up on Saturday morning between 8am and noon. St. Charles County residents can sign up by visiting Rick’s Roadside Market at 5382 Guttermuth Rd. in Cottleville, going on to the website www.healthyharvestcooperative.com or calling 636.734.7420.” Prices: approximately 20 pounds of produce per week is $22.50/week (average $1.13 per pound). Members also get 10% off of eggs, milk, spices, soups, pastas, olive oils and vinegars and an additional 10% off of produce that is not included in the cooperative shares such as non-locally grown produce like pineapples and oranges. See CSA page 2
Lincoln County Life
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Crider Calling Tough Runners
School
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Mobile Lab Science Program
Pacific Rim photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Movie
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