Many of you might remember my Tuesday CSA (community supported agriculture) photos and posts from last summer. I loved participating in a program that allowed me to feed my family high-quality, organic produce that was grown at Sisters Hill Farm, less than 8 miles from my home. So we are participating again this year, and I am really looking forward to our first farm share, the Tuesday after Memorial Day. We also are lucky to live within short drives of some great Hudson Valley Wineries, as well as very close to small farms and farm stands that sell their own eggs and chickens, cheeses, jams, breads, and jerkies.
There are many benefits to eating local foods, so I was really excited to read about the One Local Summer Challenge. From Farm to Philly:
We’re pleased to announce that for the second year, Farm to Philly will host the One Local Summer challenge (June 1, 2009 through August 30, 2009)! The registration period is open now – the last day to register will be May 30, 2009. The rules are simple: cook up one meal each week during the challenge using locally grown ingredients (exceptions: oil, salt and pepper, and spices). Post about your meal on the blog, or email it to your regional coordinator – we’ll detail your meal here every Tuesday!
I will count myself as an unofficial participant this summer because of the birth of Baby Girl on June 3rd. I hate to be incomplete when I sign up for these kinds of things and I know I’ll miss the first week or two. But once I’m up and around after my C-section, I plan to take part in this. After all, it takes very little in the way of employee screening to get to know your local farmers. Just talk to them about the stuff they’re growing! And you know that they are dedicated to providing you with nutritious food. I just thought I’d pass this info on in case anyone else is interested (I’m looking at you, Dara!)
That’s such a neat thing! Our CSA starts in June.
I love the idea of that challenge, but honestly I find it challenging enough incorporating my farm share into something the kids might eat! There is a new CSA forming in my area that I’m going to write about soon, from http://www.mypersonalfarmers.com/ that will deliver local cheese, meats, bread, and so on in addition to vegetables and your share. They gather from a bunch of local farms/producers. That would make the challenge easier!