CSAs great way to get veggies

One of the hardest healthy eating goals to accomplish, I think it's safe to say, is consuming five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables a day, especially the vegetables part.

Personally, I've never really counted how many I eat, but probably have achieved the low end of that range for most of the last decade. However, for the last month, my vegetable eating may be reaching an all-time high.

No, I'm not on some crazy vegetable diet. And, you may be surprised, I'm not purposely forcing myself to eat more as part of some early on-set mid-life crisis.

What's changed is that I finally joined a "Community Supported Agriculture" program, or CSA, which are springing up across the country to support local farms.

CSAs basically work like this: At the beginning of each growing season, customers purchase a "share" in the farm. The share usually consist of about a three-quarter bushel, a box full, of produce each week during the season. Just like a share of stock, the purchaser assumes the risks associated with the commodity. Hurricanes, early or late freezes, crazy pest infestations happen.

If they do and there is little to no harvest, you don't get a refund.

I've been wanting to join a CSA for several years, but as a single guy, couldn't justify the relative expense and the seemingly daunting task of eating the produce before it spoiled. I tried to get what I needed from the Mount Pleasant and Charleston farmer's markets, which are sometimes hard for me to get to or are picked over when I do.

Otherwise, I supplemented with grocery store produce shipped from California, Mexico or South America, or even New Zealand.

With a little push from my girlfriend this fall, we looked over a few local CSAs and chose Rita's Roots/Thackeray Farms on Wadmalaw Island because of their commitment to organic farming.

We split the cost of the $375 share for 15 weeks of produce. Although we are only in week five of the CSA, it's been an enriching experience in many ways.

I picked up the produce on the first week. When I opened the box, I was stunned by the bright colors and fresh smells of the bounty. I called my girlfriend to tell her about it. It was almost a real-life revelation of what we Americans are missing by supporting globalized, corporate farming.

Participating in a CSA also is a hands-on culinary learning experience.

Every week, Rita's Roots sends out an e-mail noting what shareholders will be getting, partly as a reminder for people to pick up produce at one of three respective drop-off sites on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The e-mails often have suggestions on what to do with certain, less-familiar produce and some humor.

For example, this week, she told us we would be getting some purple carrots and said, "Do not fear. Purple is the original color of the carrot -- an heirloom."

And every week, I get some vegetable that I have no clue what the heck it is. Again, I'm a bachelor.

This week, it was a striped, green thing that I suspected was in that vague gourd/squash/zucchini family. Rita informed us that it was a "Delicata winter squash."

"These babies are the sweetest of all winter squash," the e-mail read. "Slice them in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, place them face down on an oiled baking sheet, oil their skins, bake at 375 for 40 minutes, flip over for 10 and enjoy! They need very little added to them to make them taste great. They are great for stuffing too."

And from a health standpoint, I'm nailing the nine daily servings of vegetables with a wide range of produce. While we gravitate to eating it raw or steamed, the bounty has forced us to use Rita's cooking suggestions or pull out "The Joy of Cooking" to prepare.

Besides the purple carrots and delicata squash, we've received bok choy, summer and acorn squash, three kinds of beans (including purple!), edamame, Haikuri turnips, Italian heirloom green peppers, lots of arugula, Japanese eggplant, heirloom and cherry tomatoes, D'Avignon radishes, mustard greens, spinach, butterbeans, scallions, Swiss chard, kiwi, as well as cilantro, basil and dill.

Rita also made a connection with Wil-Moore Farms, located northeast of Columbia, to provide eggs from organic-fed, pasture-raised chickens for $16-$19 for a dozen eggs per week for four weeks. Her e-mail said, "You choose the price you feel is fair."

Ever heard a supermarket make that offer?

Since college, I've been among those who have lamented the loss of the family farm and what it meant to the health and wellness of America, as well as the people who are brave and tough enough to choose farming as a profession.

Most of us chalked it up as an inevitable side effect of the inevitable global economy.

CSAs may be a tool for turning it all around for the better. I'll be a repeat customer and hope more of us will put our money where our mouths are.

Reach David Quick at dquick@postandcourier.com or 937-5516.

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