On Gardens and CSAs

I've tried to be a gardener many times over. We have the tumbling compost bin in the backyard. I get the Burpee catalogues every January and dream up the perfect garden. I've done container gardens on the back porch. I have all the tools (and bags of old soil) piled up in the garage. I have a local business saved on my phone that'll coach you on Raised Garden Beds 101 (and even install them in your yard for you - yes please!). Every winter I think, "this year I'll do it right! I'll actually plan it, figure out what I truly need to maintain it, and grow some beautiful vegetables for us to enjoy." And yet, to date, I think I've managed to grow about 3 green peppers, 3 cherry tomatoes, and a handful of peas... not exactly a plentiful harvest.

Am I doomed to a life of garden failure? When do I admit to myself that, although I have some passion for it, I just might not have enough drive to follow through with the hobby? (Side note: maybe part of the problem is that I consider gardening a hobby when it's more like a second job) Rather than trying to plow straight through and make my garden grow with sheer willpower, I'm thinking I'll scale back on my efforts this year and turn to a local CSA for fresh produce.

We've participated in a CSA for the past two summers. Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) is a great way to support local farms and get a steady supply of delicious vegetables, fruits, herbs, and more. As a family of 3, we usually order a smaller share - a "half box" of produce is more than enough for us each week. The CSA season starts around Memorial Day and lasts through Labor Day. Throughout the season, we eat as much as we want and freeze what's left, so we have plenty of produce for the rest of the year, too. The only downside that I can think of for a CSA is that it's a high cost up front - often hundreds of dollars for a family-sized share. I'm willing to pay that price because a) it's fresh produce, grown only a few miles away from me; b) when you break it down by the number of boxes, it's about the same price as you'd pay in a grocery store; and c) it supports local community members and small agricultural businesses.

If you search for local CSAs, you'll often find several within a reasonable distance! These are just a few that are local to my area:

• Prout's Jollyview Farm (Oley, PA)

• Tomorrow's Homestead (Gilbertsville, PA)

• Toad Stop Farm (Pottstown, PA)

I'm not sure which one we'll end up joining this summer, but I'm sure I can't go wrong with any of them. If I think of it, I'll even update this post with pictures of our boxes, and some recipes we try with the produce!