For her first dish, she made a stir-fry of asparagus, mushroom, radish, and spinach in a chili sauce. Her verdict? Delicioso!
May 10, 2011
Lancaster Farm Fresh: Reader Photo!
My friend who is splitting Lancaster's full share with me has graciously agreed to also photo-document her CSA experience along with me. This is great because she is a far better photographer than I am, so you're going to be treated to some real pro shots of the dishes she makes, versus my grainy, sad-looking photos.
For her first dish, she made a stir-fry of asparagus, mushroom, radish, and spinach in a chili sauce. Her verdict? Delicioso!
For her first dish, she made a stir-fry of asparagus, mushroom, radish, and spinach in a chili sauce. Her verdict? Delicioso!
Lancaster Farm Fresh: Week 1
Up until now, this blog has been sorely lacking in pictures, but fear not! The tedium of my words is about to end, and entertainment in the form of images is here! Unfortunately, I have a simple point-n-shoot so the pictures are only okay, but I'll still be providing my running commentary in order to give you the best possible comprehensive review.
So without further ado, allow me to present the share list.
Full Share
1 Bunch White Scallions from Friends Road Organics
1 Bunch French Breakfast Radishes from Outback Farm
1 Bunch Asparagus from Farmdale Organics
1 Bunch Chives from Noble Herbs
1 Bag Spinach from Autumn Blend Organics
1 Bunch Rhubarb from Country View Produce
1 Package Portabella Caps from Mother Earth Organics
1 Bunch Romaine Lettuce (farm unknown)
Note: The e-mail originally listed 1 Head Radicchio from Autumn Blend Organics, but when we opened the box, there was a small (seriously small) head of what looked like romaine lettuce. It was so tiny, it wouldn't have made a plate of side salad for one person. It was actually a little perplexing. Luckily, Lancanster provides a swap box, and you are allowed to pick out a different vegetable provided you put your rejected vegetable in for someone else to stare at how tiny it is. Anyway, we swapped it for a nice large bag of watercress, so it worked out.
May 4, 2011
Lancaster Farm Fresh: The Big Day is Here!
I received an e-mail this weekend finally announcing our first pick-up day (today). The e-mail included the address for the drop-up location and the time window for us to go get our boxes. Helpfully included with the e-mail is a link to Lancaster's member handbook, which includes a lot of useful information about what to expect when you receive your box and other guidelines for a smooth pick-up process.
Overall, I've been really pleased with the level of communication from Lancaster. They don't e-mail too often to be annoying, but always make a lot of information available to their customers in a timely manner, so you're never left wondering what's happening. If I had a negative thing to say, I would that they're not completely ready for the summer season, as the page for their Vegetable Field Guide is still under construction and lacks any useful information.
However, they are aware of this, and in their second e-mail this week, they included instructions on how to store the vegetables we would be receiving. The second e-mail I received this week is of a type I will be receiving every week in advance of my box drop-off. Lancaster calls it the shopping list, and it includes a list of the vegetables I will be receiving that week, which is great for someone like me, who likes to know things in advance so I can think about a meal plan. I like to ruminate on menus, so the more advance notice I get, the better. It also helps in that it allows to consider whether or not you'll need to supplement the CSA offerings.
There is no complaint about getting this shopping list only a few days ahead of receiving the box itself. This is because the vegetables are harvest shortly before they are delivered, so it only makes sense that Lancaster would only be able to provide the shopping list in a small time frame, when they know for sure what they'll be picking and what they'll have available for their customers.
I'm unspeakably excited for this first drop-off! I'll be posting pictures and a list of what I received soon, and hopefully, also a post about some of dishes made with the vegetables. Can't wait!
Overall, I've been really pleased with the level of communication from Lancaster. They don't e-mail too often to be annoying, but always make a lot of information available to their customers in a timely manner, so you're never left wondering what's happening. If I had a negative thing to say, I would that they're not completely ready for the summer season, as the page for their Vegetable Field Guide is still under construction and lacks any useful information.
However, they are aware of this, and in their second e-mail this week, they included instructions on how to store the vegetables we would be receiving. The second e-mail I received this week is of a type I will be receiving every week in advance of my box drop-off. Lancaster calls it the shopping list, and it includes a list of the vegetables I will be receiving that week, which is great for someone like me, who likes to know things in advance so I can think about a meal plan. I like to ruminate on menus, so the more advance notice I get, the better. It also helps in that it allows to consider whether or not you'll need to supplement the CSA offerings.
There is no complaint about getting this shopping list only a few days ahead of receiving the box itself. This is because the vegetables are harvest shortly before they are delivered, so it only makes sense that Lancaster would only be able to provide the shopping list in a small time frame, when they know for sure what they'll be picking and what they'll have available for their customers.
I'm unspeakably excited for this first drop-off! I'll be posting pictures and a list of what I received soon, and hopefully, also a post about some of dishes made with the vegetables. Can't wait!
March 31, 2011
Tips for Choosing A CSA
Choosing a CSA can be an experience fraught with indecision and fear. You're plonking down a not-insignificant amount of money for a product you have yet to see while getting collared into a long term contract. It's worse than buying a car or a house. At least there you know what you're getting into. However, this is where the internet becomes your best friend, almost your only friend, unless you can get a personal recommendation from someone whose had experience with a CSA.
Here are some of the techniques I used to arrive at my decision this year.
Tip #1: www.localharvest.org Local Harvest is a great starting point in your CSA search. A website dedicated to local and organic food, they are a wealth of information on local CSAs, farms, and other food-related activities nation-wide. They feature a searchable registry of CSAs (and farms and co-ops, etc) that you can narrow by location and/or keyword. Each listing also has reviews for the CSA, but the numbers of reviews are pretty low and sometimes out-dated. This is a great place to start, but as any savvy shopper should know, we'll need to dig a little deeper.
Tip #2: www.washingtonpost.com Each year, The Washington Post publishes a list of local CSAs with contact information and prices. This year's (2011) list was published on February 22, which is really a little late to be signing up since popular CSAs will sell out very quickly. So go ahead make use of previous years' lists as well. Use the Post's own search engine or Google to find lists from previous years.
Tip #3: Google! Or Bing if you're a Microsoft lover. If you're still looking for CSA lists or recommendations, then search terms like, "CSA dc," will pull up some links for you (most likely the links I already gave you above), but if you've narrowed down your selections to a few likely CSAs, then I suggest searching for each CSA by name, also adding the word "review," and most importantly, try using Google Image search. Be wary of clicking on links with strange website names, but Google Image search is a great way to find pictures of CSA boxes, which will give you a good idea what you might be receiving in the coming months.
Tip #4: If the CSA has a website, use it! Read their "about" section, see how long they've been around. The more experienced a CSA is, the more likely they've worked out their kinks and can deliver a smooth service. They may have pictures, and will most likely list what kind of produce they grow. Call them or e-mail them about their CSA service. Make sure to include into your price calculations any extra fees for boxes or crates (some CSAs will charge a one time box fee) or taxes. Potomac Vegetable Farm charges a registration fees, a delivery fee, and taxes, which was not included in the main price listing on their website.
Tip #5: Visit the farm. Unfortunately, this was not a viable option for me. I didn't have the time nor, honestly, the inclination to visit all the farms on my short list. However, if you live near the farm you're considering or if you're passing through the area, most farms involved in the local and/or sustainable food movement are usually willing to allow a farm visit if arranged in advance.
Tip #6: Check with your produce vendors at your local farmers' market. You never know if they have a CSA program in place, and if you're a regular with them, you already know the quality of the produce you'll be receiving. I did not use this method as my farmers' market is pretty small and I'm of the internet generation. Google was my first and essentially only stop. However, farmers' markets are a excellent resource. Of course, if you're already a farmers' market regular, you probably don't need a CSA unless you like the challenge of not choosing your own produce each week and wish to invest the farm, which is a thrill in itself.
I hope these tips give you the start you need to start exploring CSAs! For me, I am eagerly anticipating my first CSA delivery. I'm looking forward to figuring out how to use the vegetables I'll be receiving and possibly even pickling any extra. It's going to be such an adventure.
Here are some of the techniques I used to arrive at my decision this year.
Tip #1: www.localharvest.org Local Harvest is a great starting point in your CSA search. A website dedicated to local and organic food, they are a wealth of information on local CSAs, farms, and other food-related activities nation-wide. They feature a searchable registry of CSAs (and farms and co-ops, etc) that you can narrow by location and/or keyword. Each listing also has reviews for the CSA, but the numbers of reviews are pretty low and sometimes out-dated. This is a great place to start, but as any savvy shopper should know, we'll need to dig a little deeper.
Tip #2: www.washingtonpost.com Each year, The Washington Post publishes a list of local CSAs with contact information and prices. This year's (2011) list was published on February 22, which is really a little late to be signing up since popular CSAs will sell out very quickly. So go ahead make use of previous years' lists as well. Use the Post's own search engine or Google to find lists from previous years.
Tip #3: Google! Or Bing if you're a Microsoft lover. If you're still looking for CSA lists or recommendations, then search terms like, "CSA dc," will pull up some links for you (most likely the links I already gave you above), but if you've narrowed down your selections to a few likely CSAs, then I suggest searching for each CSA by name, also adding the word "review," and most importantly, try using Google Image search. Be wary of clicking on links with strange website names, but Google Image search is a great way to find pictures of CSA boxes, which will give you a good idea what you might be receiving in the coming months.
Tip #4: If the CSA has a website, use it! Read their "about" section, see how long they've been around. The more experienced a CSA is, the more likely they've worked out their kinks and can deliver a smooth service. They may have pictures, and will most likely list what kind of produce they grow. Call them or e-mail them about their CSA service. Make sure to include into your price calculations any extra fees for boxes or crates (some CSAs will charge a one time box fee) or taxes. Potomac Vegetable Farm charges a registration fees, a delivery fee, and taxes, which was not included in the main price listing on their website.
Tip #5: Visit the farm. Unfortunately, this was not a viable option for me. I didn't have the time nor, honestly, the inclination to visit all the farms on my short list. However, if you live near the farm you're considering or if you're passing through the area, most farms involved in the local and/or sustainable food movement are usually willing to allow a farm visit if arranged in advance.
Tip #6: Check with your produce vendors at your local farmers' market. You never know if they have a CSA program in place, and if you're a regular with them, you already know the quality of the produce you'll be receiving. I did not use this method as my farmers' market is pretty small and I'm of the internet generation. Google was my first and essentially only stop. However, farmers' markets are a excellent resource. Of course, if you're already a farmers' market regular, you probably don't need a CSA unless you like the challenge of not choosing your own produce each week and wish to invest the farm, which is a thrill in itself.
I hope these tips give you the start you need to start exploring CSAs! For me, I am eagerly anticipating my first CSA delivery. I'm looking forward to figuring out how to use the vegetables I'll be receiving and possibly even pickling any extra. It's going to be such an adventure.
March 29, 2011
Lancaster Farm Fresh: First Impressions
Website: http://www.lancasterfarmfresh.com
Details for summer 2011
Full share: $700
Half share: $425
Duration: 25 weeks
Notes: Fruit share and flower share available. Offers a Community Supported Medicine (herbal supplements) program and a Four Season Harvest program (other foods and goods available for purchase, to be delivered with CSA box).
Overall, the website is easy to navigate and nice to look at, which is all one can really ask of a website. They have descriptions of what they provided in a full share last year, which is very useful when making a decision, although pictures or links to a customer's pictures would be even better. They are also all fully certified organic, which is over all a good thing, although I have been skeptical of the label having read horror stories of less-than-scrupulous farmers following the letter but not the spirit of the law. Nevertheless, I prefer to believe that trust is not a bad word, and so although I have not gone to visit any of these farms in person - the ideal situation - I am going to trust these are farmers who are following the spirit of the law.
Although there were other CSAs who made the short list, we decided to go with Lancaster because I found a lot of reviews online, either from Local Harvest or from independent blogs who featured pictures of weekly boxes. The pictures were especially useful because it gave me a sense of how much produce I could expect in a full size share and of the variety of produce I would potentially receiving.
Another aspect of Lancaster that appealed to me is its co-op nature. As a cooperative of 75 farmers, I expect that they will be able to provide a greater variety of produce since they have a group of 75 different farms from which to draw. Of course, most CSAs will list on their website what their harvest schedule is like and what vegetables they grow, so if you find that a single farm CSA grows what you like, there's no reason not to go with a single farm CSA.
Finally, Lancaster has been quite good in the customer service department. Their e-mails are friendly and informative, and not incessant. Furthermore, they're very prompt in answering questions. There was a typo in an e-mail I received from them, which stated that I had a half share although I had signed up for the full share. A quick exchange cleared that up, and I'm so far quite satisfied with the level of communication from Lancaster.
Below are a few links to independent blogs and websites I've found that have pictures of Lancaster's CSA boxes. Hopefully, you'll find them as useful as I have!
http://harlemcommunityfarmshare.wordpress.com/category/5-share-lists/ - Full and half shares from 2010. Full shares are called pantry shares, and half shares are renamed full shares.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4770090384/in/set-72157624197656436/ - one customer's flickr photoset of her shares.
http://farmtophilly.com/index.php/site/C13/ - Pictures from 2010 deliveries, also has pictures of other CSAs.
Details for summer 2011
Full share: $700
Half share: $425
Duration: 25 weeks
Notes: Fruit share and flower share available. Offers a Community Supported Medicine (herbal supplements) program and a Four Season Harvest program (other foods and goods available for purchase, to be delivered with CSA box).
Overall, the website is easy to navigate and nice to look at, which is all one can really ask of a website. They have descriptions of what they provided in a full share last year, which is very useful when making a decision, although pictures or links to a customer's pictures would be even better. They are also all fully certified organic, which is over all a good thing, although I have been skeptical of the label having read horror stories of less-than-scrupulous farmers following the letter but not the spirit of the law. Nevertheless, I prefer to believe that trust is not a bad word, and so although I have not gone to visit any of these farms in person - the ideal situation - I am going to trust these are farmers who are following the spirit of the law.
Although there were other CSAs who made the short list, we decided to go with Lancaster because I found a lot of reviews online, either from Local Harvest or from independent blogs who featured pictures of weekly boxes. The pictures were especially useful because it gave me a sense of how much produce I could expect in a full size share and of the variety of produce I would potentially receiving.
Another aspect of Lancaster that appealed to me is its co-op nature. As a cooperative of 75 farmers, I expect that they will be able to provide a greater variety of produce since they have a group of 75 different farms from which to draw. Of course, most CSAs will list on their website what their harvest schedule is like and what vegetables they grow, so if you find that a single farm CSA grows what you like, there's no reason not to go with a single farm CSA.
Finally, Lancaster has been quite good in the customer service department. Their e-mails are friendly and informative, and not incessant. Furthermore, they're very prompt in answering questions. There was a typo in an e-mail I received from them, which stated that I had a half share although I had signed up for the full share. A quick exchange cleared that up, and I'm so far quite satisfied with the level of communication from Lancaster.
Below are a few links to independent blogs and websites I've found that have pictures of Lancaster's CSA boxes. Hopefully, you'll find them as useful as I have!
http://harlemcommunityfarmshare.wordpress.com/category/5-share-lists/ - Full and half shares from 2010. Full shares are called pantry shares, and half shares are renamed full shares.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4770090384/in/set-72157624197656436/ - one customer's flickr photoset of her shares.
http://farmtophilly.com/index.php/site/C13/ - Pictures from 2010 deliveries, also has pictures of other CSAs.
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