Community Supported Agriculture

A few months back, I got an email at work stating that all employees at Union Pacific had the opportunity to participate in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program. This would allow employees to enjoy fresh produce while supporting the local Nebraska farm economy. And the best part is that the goods would be delivered to us right at work! Each week for 15 weeks we would get a bag of things like asparagus, broccoli, radishes, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers and much more!

 

The program is through Tomāto Tomäto, which is a year-round indoor Farmer's Market that carries locally grown, raised and made products. When I told Trent about the program, we were both excited to have the opportunity to support the local economy and farmers and to start bringing in more fresh produce into our home to eat. Also, a lot of their products are natural or organic, which was also a big plus for us. And since we don't get to pick what we get in our bag each week, this would be an opportunity for us to possibly try some new things that we may not have bought ourselves at the grocery store. (Scary!!)

 

Yesterday was the first delivery of produce to UP. There was a little welcome letter in the bag along with an explanation that things may be a little sparse for the first few weeks but we will get more than our fill of produce as the weeks go on (and when it stops snowing radomly).

This week our bag had:

- Beefsteak tomatoes from Garden Fresh Vegetables

- English cucumbers from Garden Fresh Vegetables

- Romaine lettuce from Pekarek's Produce

- Local raw honey from It's All About Bees

- Fresh corn meal from Clear Creek Organic

Along with the goods in the bag, was a couple recipes with some ideas of how to prepare what was in the bag. There was a recipe for a tomato and basil pasta, a cucumber salad, and corn bread. There was also a little information about the raw honey and its benefits. Like that eating a spoonful of the local honey a day, which means the pollen was collected from within 50 miles, can help to treat allergies to those plants and flowers that are giving a person troubles since those are most likely where the bees are producing the honey from.

Some of those spoonfuls out of there may just be helping Trent's allergies :)

Right away when I got home, we got to eating what we received. Trent had chicken breasts and potatoes on the grill, so I cut up the romaine lettuce to have some salad with supper. I also whipped up the corn bread recipe and we had corn bread for dessert. It was an awesome supper if I don't say so myself!

 

 

I should have taken a picture before I stuck my fork in it,
but I didn't think that fast :)

I am thankful that everything we got this week was "safe" and they were all things I am not afraid to eat! I am definitely looking forward to what the coming weeks will bring!