sure-ur-rightdancer
02-16-2009, 10:08 PM
so I just got my CSA renewal and I am having a few second thoughts.... maybe its just winter and I can't imagine sending in a check for something I won't see for 6 more months:lol:
the price went up again this year and this past summer I wasn't entirely happy.... my first year I loved it! I worked from home and so I was able to go pick my veggies and chat and help out - now I have to go to an office most of the time and I can run there on lunch but its not as convenient, also I wasn't as happy with everything this year -
I felt the tomatoes (one of my favorite parts of the first year....still warm from the garden tomato salad) were tasteless (apparently they bought a new field or greenhouse and I think it was done a bit different so maybe it was just learning curve)
it was way too green based (I love chard, collards and kale and stuff but it felt like that was like 50% of my share every week)
I felt that the quality of the produce over all wasn't as good (maybe because it sometimes had to wait outside in the heat until I got home at 6 instead of right in a fridge at noon when its dropped off / I got the left overs cause I was lat to pick up)
also we didn't get as much (8.18 lbs vs 8.48 each week....so not really a lot but I could tell before I saw the numbers) and there was a bit of drama with the farmer's truck (2-3 breakdowns caused lighter deliveries)
I did like being "forced" to creatively cook (though I have to admit to tossing a bit more at the end of the weeks this time) and always knowing it would be there for me on tuesday night (like a surprise every week waiting for the online site to up-date with this weeks picks)
there are like 3 farmers markets with in walking distance of my house so getting fresh veggies isn't an issue.... but the same farmer mainly goes to them --- so I would be able to get stuff often (mon, wed and sat) but the selection while good is more conventional - not so may "exotics". I think the pricing at the market is a maybe a bit higher (set up, labor etc) but I think that it would come out pretty even cause I won't be getting some of the stuff that I end up giving away/ wasting anyways
I guess my question is go you think that there are benefits for using a CSA vs farmers markets (either way)? do you think that I just had one "eh" year and I should just relax and see how it goes next year?
the price went up again this year and this past summer I wasn't entirely happy.... my first year I loved it! I worked from home and so I was able to go pick my veggies and chat and help out - now I have to go to an office most of the time and I can run there on lunch but its not as convenient, also I wasn't as happy with everything this year -
I felt the tomatoes (one of my favorite parts of the first year....still warm from the garden tomato salad) were tasteless (apparently they bought a new field or greenhouse and I think it was done a bit different so maybe it was just learning curve)
it was way too green based (I love chard, collards and kale and stuff but it felt like that was like 50% of my share every week)
I felt that the quality of the produce over all wasn't as good (maybe because it sometimes had to wait outside in the heat until I got home at 6 instead of right in a fridge at noon when its dropped off / I got the left overs cause I was lat to pick up)
also we didn't get as much (8.18 lbs vs 8.48 each week....so not really a lot but I could tell before I saw the numbers) and there was a bit of drama with the farmer's truck (2-3 breakdowns caused lighter deliveries)
I did like being "forced" to creatively cook (though I have to admit to tossing a bit more at the end of the weeks this time) and always knowing it would be there for me on tuesday night (like a surprise every week waiting for the online site to up-date with this weeks picks)
there are like 3 farmers markets with in walking distance of my house so getting fresh veggies isn't an issue.... but the same farmer mainly goes to them --- so I would be able to get stuff often (mon, wed and sat) but the selection while good is more conventional - not so may "exotics". I think the pricing at the market is a maybe a bit higher (set up, labor etc) but I think that it would come out pretty even cause I won't be getting some of the stuff that I end up giving away/ wasting anyways
I guess my question is go you think that there are benefits for using a CSA vs farmers markets (either way)? do you think that I just had one "eh" year and I should just relax and see how it goes next year?