CSAs, Farmer’s Markets and ‘Going Local’

I’ve got a history, you see.  It’s a history that involves illness, weight issues and misunderstandings about the very nature of food. Part of my problem was learned, part was genetic predisposition, and part of it was coming to terms with what food does to my body.  My genetic family tree is not a pretty one:  rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, the list goes on and on. But beyond  the possible genetic health risks, there were other risks that I wasn’t even aware of, most notably, loads of processed and chemically treated food.

                We are taught to go to the grocery store at a very young age, walk up and down the aisles, and select from the myriad possibilities the ones that suit us best. But, nobody ever told me that maybe the selection in the grocery store wasn’t about choosing the best for me. Instead, it was about choosing the best of the limited, processed, mass-produced, preselected selection.  In saying this, I do not mean to imply that I never set foot in a grocery store. I’d like to be able to say that, but healthy eating and the trials of daily life are sometimes mutually exclusive. So, grocery stores and I have an understanding. I go there when I am short on time or money, when I need certain snack foods or cooking supplies, or when the local produce is out of season. Also, I have a four-year-old, who loves homemade baked kale chips, but also likes Froot Loops just as much every now and then.  What, then, is someone who wants to try local, healthy food, but who can’t always find the time to grow a garden or eat exclusively organic to do? Well, there are plenty of options for trying to get the healthy back in healthy eating, and I’ll briefly share some information and links to a few.

                If local and chemical-free vegetables interest you, you could look into a CSA, or community supported agriculture. Community supported agriculture is a group of people who come together and pay a fee to a local farmer at the beginning of the spring growing season to take part in a “share.” A share is a weekly harvest that varies depending upon the time of year and the weather. Items in a share include: potatoes, tomatoes, herbs, onions, shallots, spinach, and a variety of greens and other seasonal produce.  In our area, Jack’s Farm in Pottstown http://www.jacksfarm.net/, and Kimberton CSA, in Phoenixville http://www.kimbertoncsa.org/  are two good options.  

                If you’d like to eat healthier, but don’t want to make that kind of weekly or monetary commitment at first, you could start by checking  out the local Farmer’s Markets in Phoenixville http://www.phoenixvillefarmersmarket.org/ and Collegeville http://www.collegevillefarmersmarket.org/ . Here you will find local vendors, and some from outlying counties in PA who come to share their organic, minimally processed, super-fresh and even, special need (think Gluten free!) goodies. Collegeville opens for the season Saturday, April 30^th, and Phoenixville starts its weekly markets Saturday, May 7^th.

                ***Oh, and by the way, in case you’re interested in the kale chip recipe (but beware, they are very, very addicting): Take one bunch of washed and well-dried kale, tear the leaves into bite size pieces (keep the stalks to use in soup stock if you are so inclined), put them on parchment paper lined baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Old Bay, and bake in a 300-325 degree oven for  5-12 minutes, checking periodically. Pull them out when they are crisp and ENJOY!