Friday, May 08, 2009

CSA First of the Season

Below is our first CSA it contained arugula & salad greens, green garlic, kohlrabi, black seeded Simpson lettuce, parsley, radishes, strawberries, sweet potatoes and tatsoi. Each week we also get a menu plan and shopping list to help us figure out how to eat our box of veggies.

We cooked the half the tatsoi and green garlic last night using my standard greens recipe. Greens (Swiss Chard or what ever) add minced garlic and minced ginger to taste to the cast iron skillet with olive oil. Add greens cook until wilted, add soy sauce to taste and cook another minute.

Even though we have a garden, Meg and I decided this winter we'd sign up for a CSA. For those of you that don't know what a CSA is it stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You sign up and pay in advance of the growing season for a box of vegetables every week picked up at an assigned location every week (ours is 22 weeks). Our CSA is provided by Harland's Creek Farm they are a certified organic farm that has been providing CSAs for years. We buy organic when ever possible anyway.

One of our clematises planted 3 years ago. this one is growing very well. Lost the tag so I don't know which one it is.

Years ago I bought this spiderwort, it has been neglected for years. Two years ago we gave it a new home in better soil. It is very happy now!

OK any guesses on what this is? it is an exuviae from the larva of the Common Green Darner dragonfly. Must have emerged from the pond last night. In the next few weeks after 10PM (usually) these larva will climb our of the pond and cling to blades of grass or whatever and emerge into an adult dragonfly, this takes about an hour. An earlier post here shows the dragonfly breaking out of the exuviae it is the second photo.

11 comments:

Ginger said...

The CSA spread looks great - it's so varied!
I love the clematis, too.

Meems said...

Those veggies look good... I like the idea of the CSA. The dragonfly exuviae looks like copper. Very interesting. There's a flying critter over at my blog I'd love for you to take a peek at --- I bet you know what it is right off.

Very pretty purple clematis -- I just tried spiderwort for the first time this year... a great native plant.
Meems @ Hoe and Shovel

Heather said...

I did not know what the CSA was but now I do! I so happily would have participated in that type of thing before I grew my own. What a great idea!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I think we have CSA around here in the valley near us. I know of people that get their veggies there.
That larva is fascinating. it almost looks like it's made from some type of metal.

Chandramouli S said...

What a thoughtful idea of CSA! Wish we had one here too. It's brilliant!
Love your Clematis... Ahhh... Is it my illusion of is it really happening? Whereever I go, I see gorgeous blue blooms... Over at Catherine's, now yours.... [sigh]... Reminds me of my Cornflowers that never made it! LOL! Do I sound like a lover who lost his darling?

Unknown said...

I did wonder what CSA meant but I'm glad you explained. Wonderful idea! I love the clematis and the last photo is fascinating!

Just Jenn said...

CSA's are great! So glad you're getting a weekly box. Pretty cool too that they include recipes!

JRandSue said...

Yet another rewarding Blog for my eyes to feast on.
John.

Q said...

My husband and I are thinking of joining a CSA. I have a list of farmers. After reading this post I think I will sign up!
Sherry

Aaron said...

Randy & Meg,

Just stumbled upon your blog and I love it! I too just started my CSA with Double T Farms and it's been a real treat to say the least.

Best regards,

Aaron www.carolinagardens.org

Wayne Stratz said...

wonderful photos here. The dragonfly exuviae caught my eye as they came up this past week as I taught about the evolution of the threespine stickleback fish