January 2024:

The stillness of winter continues...

More/Less of in 2024

Below is a list from our friends at Certified Naturally Grown. What’s on your own personal more/less lists?

credit: Certified Naturally Grown's Instagram account

Is a CSA Right for You?

It’s the time of year when many farms (including us!) start CSA/veggie subscription/farm share membership drives. To help you decide if this is right for you and before you sign up for this seasonal commitment, ask yourself these 6 questions....

1. Is the relationship to the farmer important to you?

Being in a CSA means that you are committed to supporting a specific farmer through an entire season. You and the farmer share the risk and the rewards of the farm that year. Your decision to be a loyal member is what makes your local food system resilient.

2. Are you going to be out of town?

Our subscription runs June 12-October 23, with weekly pick ups on Wednesday evenings. It’s a commitment. What does your schedule look like during those 20 weeks? Does it make sense given your summer plans?

3. Do you value fresh, quality ingredients?

Our veggies taste different than what you'd get at the grocery store. That's because we pay attention to building quality soil that is rich in organic matter and nutrients. You'll also notice a difference in freshness with a CSA because you get it within hours of harvest; your product will taste better, last longer, & BE HEALTHIER FOR YOU.

4. Do you need control over your menu planning?

If you’re someone that planned for a meatless pasta dinner on Wednesday, will you be able to adjust and make a plan B, when your share doesn't have all the ingredients you need? Would you be able to pivot and make something else or substitute an ingredient?

5. Are you willing to try new foods? (Ok, but really?...)

You will discover new veggies you love, but you’ll probably also get a few veggies you "tolerate." Part of the CSA experience means getting exposed to a wide variety of vegetable cultivars, and giving your many chances to find ways to enjoy them. We put veggies in your share that you may have never seen before and we teach you how to eat them (and hopefully learn to enjoy them).

6. Are you willing to waste some food?

There will be many weeks when you have the best intentions to cook everything in your share... and then real life sets in, the veggies begin to pile up in the back of the fridge, and you start to feel like you're feeding your trash bin. It takes time to develop new habits and learn how to eat the CSA way. If you are committed to learning how, you can do it! We share tips, suggestions, and coaching on this every week in emails with our members, so you don’t feel alone or overwhelmed.

So how'd you do on the quiz?

Remember, CSA Membership is just ONE way off getting fresh farm food onto your table. For those who value the story, the journey, and the farmer relationship behind the food, it can be a great option that can change the way you eat forever.

But there’s no shame in passing on CSA and instead buying weekly from the farmer's market. That may in fact be a better fit to your style or needs.

We just want you to be in the RIGHT fit.

photos of each week's CSA share contents

Relish the Season

Admittedly, eating fresh, in-season produce in Western New York is a bit more challenging at this time of year. While there are greens still alive in fields and under tunnels, there isn’t much growth because of our short day length. Some items you find were harvested in the fall and are now being pulled out of cold storage for you to tuck into your meals. You’ll also see an abundance of citrus fruit from warm climates heading to WNY at this time - its harvest season for those crops. Below is a list of some of the items that can be harvested or pulled out of cold storage that you might be finding at WNY farmers markets.

Recipe Share

A digital index card with in-season, too-good-not-to-pass-along recipes.

Braised White Beans & Greens

This was shared with us by a CSA member who said it was an incredible way to enjoy greens and many of the in-season veggies that you find at this time of year locally. You can always use frozen greens and fennel if you aren’t able to find fresh.

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and small-diced

• 1 small yellow onion, small-diced

• 2 tsp minced fresh rosemary or thyme (if using dried, increase to 4tsp)

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

• 1 large bunch of escarole, kale, chard, or other leafy green with stem removed (10-12oz)

• 2 (15oz) cans of cannellini beans, rinsed

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

• salt and black pepper to taste

• 1 tsbp lemon juice

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)

• 3 tbsp parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add fennel, onion, herbs, and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Begin adding hand fulls of greens, cooking and stirring until leaves wilt

3. Add beans and black pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then heat on low and simmer, mashing some of the beans with a spoon until the liquid has reduced and thickened, 6-8 minutes.

4. Take the pot off the heat, stir in lemon juice, cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Divide into bowls and serve with more parmesan and toasted bread. Serves 4.

Featured Friends

WNY is home to many small businesses and community organizations. Each month we introduce you to 2 that we think you should know.

Farmer Pirates Compost

Did you know the average American family throws out 260 lbs or 31.9% of all the food they buy each year? So much of what gets wasted everyday is in fact NOT trash, but can be composted instead! If you don’t have a compost pile in your backyard or the desire to garden, you can still make a difference and divert your food waste away from landfills, where its the 3rd leading contributing cause of methane emissions (which is leading to climate change). Farmer Pirates Compost makes it simple and affordable for your FAMILY or BUSINESS to divert your food waste from the landfill and start composting NOW! You can sign up for their neighborhood drop offs or residential pick up service.

Goodwill of WNY

When I worked in community partnerships, one of my favorite organizations to connect with was Goodwill of WNY. Nearly a decade ago, their marketing director Linda, started working with the individual stores to rethink how thrift stores could appeal to more community members. She worked with college classes in fashion, business, and creative studies for years to support the organization in this effort. Yes, the organization is still a place for your unwanted, but still useable items. And yes, you can find wonderful pieces at Goodwill (admittedly its my favorite store to shop at). But, Goodwill of WNY also provides education, training, and career services for people with barriers to employment or are underemployed, with the goal of connecting their employees with permanent employment with another local business. January is Get Organized Month - so get organized and donate your items with Goodwill WNY. You can also shop online with ShopGoodwill.com, connecting with pre-loved items across the country.