Winter CSA

I have enjoyed my summer CSA so much that I am joining the winter Avalon Acres CSA. It's only every-other week in the winter, and most of the food is preserved or frozen. So this is a great way to get into a CSA without the panicked "I have to cook all of this before it goes bad" mentality. What would you get in the winter, you ask? Well, there are several packages. I am getting 1/2 the preserved harvest package as well as free range meats and eggs.The preserved package includes a lot of the summer produce they have canned, such as canned corn, canned green beans, canned tomatoes, and homemade tomato sauce (picture above from Google). They are also growing vegetables this winter for the first time. If that goes well, we'll have root vegetables such as sweet potatoes. The package also includes local sorghum, honey, preserves, apple/pear butter, pickles, popping corn, cornmeal, and homemade pastas. The farmers are very open that they usually have a financial buffer going into the winter, but this years' farming hardships is causing them to head into the winter relying mainly on the winter CSA. If you are into buying free range, organic, natural, local, or you just like to cook and appreciate good food, check it out. It's some of the best meat I have ever eaten. Fresh really does make all of the difference. They are also selling Thanksgiving farm fresh turkeys and hams.

We vote with our food dollars. Where we spend our money is how it's decided what is in higher demand... fast food or local restaurants, produce in the grocer that traveled 1500 miles or local produce. I am well aware that cost, convenience, and availability play into those decisions. I choose my battles with things I can buy local, but sometimes I just have to drive through Chick-Fil-A and that's OKAY. And sometimes, I just want junky Cheetos. And I am not a place in my life where I can afford to buy the local, $18/bottle wine to support the local winery. And we all know I am not above a Dr. Pepper. But it's not an all or nothing concept. It's about making little switches, as/if you are able, to be more conscious about who you are supporting with your food dollars. If you can make one small switch where you can buy something to support a local farmer who practices TRUE farming, it can make all the difference in that families life and in the local economy and your health. If you aren't in Nashville, check out Local Harvest to see what your options are.