CSA

Veg Out: A primer on community supported agriculture

csa box

Although there's plenty of winter left — remember, as the wise Prince sings, sometimes it snows in April — this is the perfect time to start thinking about tomatoes. And cabbage, and green beans, and kale...

 

Whether you've made a New Year's resolution to eat healthier or not, maybe this is your year to consider a share in a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm. I'm pretty biased on the subject, since my partner Karla and I have a farm that runs a CSA, but since we're taking this year off, it's my last chance to sound somewhat objective so I'm going for it. 

 

Read more »

Embrace local farm bounty with giardiniera

giardiniera

All winter we dream of these months, when farmers market tables pile high with an array of vegetables, and CSA boxes get heavier and more diverse, boasting everything from kohlrabi to radishes.

 

It's no surprise, then, that I find that I'm eating a ton of vegetables lately, and not just boring, broccoli-as-a-side-dish vegetables. I love pickled vegetables, and giardiniera is one of my favorites.  

 

With its Italian roots, giardiniera is also known as "sottaceti," meaning "under vinegar," and is usually eaten along with antipasto selections like cured meats, various cheeses, and olives. The simple mix shows up on Italian beef sandwiches in some places, particularly in Chicago, and can be used in a muffuletta sandwich, a swoon-worthy creation that originated with Italian immigrants in New Orleans.

 

Read more »

More Than a Box o' Vegetables: Tips on Choosing a CSA

July CSA box from Loon Organics

Well-known farmer and author Joel Salatin once said, "Don't you find it odd that people put more work into choosing a mechanic or contractor than into choosing the person who grows their food?"

 

Let's change that.

 

There are many ways to create connections with local farmers, from shopping at co-ops to frequenting farmers markets that feature locally grown produce. But to really get to know the people who grow your food from seed to harvest, consider a community supported agriculture (CSA) share. (For a quick primer on CSAs, zip over to this article for a CSA 101 description.)

 

Read more »

Farm to Fork, A CSA Series: Too Busy to Cook

This is part 8 of a summer long series about our CSA boxes and what we do with them. Recipes for Roasted Delicata Squash, Quick Stovetop Greens, Everything Radish Salad, and Sweet Roll Dough with Mashed Potatoes follow.

 

I’m going to be honest with you. I had a busy week and didn’t cook at home as much as I would have liked to.

 

Read more »

Farm To Fork, A CSA Series: Warming Recipes For Fall

This is part 7 of a summer long series about our CSA boxes and what we do with them. Recipes for Citrus Beet Salad, Stuffed Peppers, German Sausage Chowder, and Apple, Cheddar, and Walnut Quick Bread follow. 

 

It’s finally starting to feel like fall in Fargo.

 

Read more »

Farm to Fork, a CSA Series: Fattoush Salad Recipe

This is the first part in a bi-monthly series featuring the CSA vegetables we receive on a weekly basis.

 

It is sort of like getting a care package from your best friend...who happens to be a farmer. In February, my fiancée and I signed-up with Bluebird Gardens of Fergus Falls, MN to receive weekly half-bushel share boxes. We paid just $395 for the whole season!

   

Read more »

Globally Aware: Learning About Food Issues From Another Hemisphere, Part 3 with Recipes

I was excited to see an article in this Sunday’s local paper entitled “Alimentos, Por que no saben como antes?” (“Food, why doesn’t it taste like it used to?”)

 

The article discusses fruits and vegetables and the fact that what is available today does not taste like what was available in the past. In an optimistic tone however, it goes on to say that there are alternatives to return to the pleasure of the flavors of the past, and highlights various options such as seeking out organic and local agriculture, saving seeds to grow your own, eating seasonally and generally restructuring or re-prioritizing one’s philosophy of life. 

 

Read more »

A Return to the Fields: Immigrant and Refugee Farmers Find Refuge at Big River Farms

Big River Farms Farmer in Training

 My most recent local food discovery commences at the Wilder Forest located in the Marine on St. Croix. From within the forest, one will find a quaint non-profit organization known as the Minnesota Food Association (MFA).

Read more »

Resolutions From A Food Lover In Fargo

As a grade-schooler, emerging as a type-A adult, I carefully crafted New Years resolutions of all types and crossed them out when attained. I thought I had all but given up on New Years resolutions--until I moved to Fargo. For the first time in 15 years, I compiled a list of 2012 New Years resolutions, all of which revolve around food.

 

In 2012, I will learn how to create the following in my humble apartment kitchen:

A working list

Read more »

In Search Of a Nut: A Locavore Goes To Texas

Leaves had fallen and forecasters told ghastly stories of a fast-approaching cold front with resulting snow. While the neighbors switched out their wardrobes, strung their Christmas lights and tapped in their snow-markers, we were busy packing our bags full of t-shirts and summer pajamas. My family was heading out of town, we were going down south for two weeks. Houston, Texas was the get-away destination.

 

Read more »
Syndicate content