Should You Join a CSA? (Part 3)

I've received two shipments from my CSA so far this season and I am very pleased with the quality and quantity of the vegetables. So in this installment of our mini-series, I'll provide some information on the variety of CSAs available in this area. Before I get started though, let me just tell you what's in the photo to the right.

This week I received:

• 2 pints of strawberries
• 1 bunch of carrots
• 1 bunch of radishes
• 3 sweet Walla Walla onions
• 3 summer squash (6 inches long)
• 1 head of red lettuce
• 2 bags of sugar snap peas (1.5 lbs total)
• 1 bunch of pea vines
• Broccoli (3 decent sized crowns)

Here are a few of the many local CSAs in our area and a few words on each.

• Tiny's Organic: Tiny's has had a strong presence at the farmers markets for years. Their CSA runs for 22 weeks starting in the middle of June. They choose 10-15 varieties of fruits and vegetables each week for you. Full shares are designed for a family, while a half share is designed for 2 people. They have a wide variety of pickup locations, but you cannot specify what is in your bag each week. They are sold out for the year, for both full shares and half shares.
• Nash's Organic Produce: I often buy from Nash's. They have consistently good quality and fair prices. Their CSA runs for 25 weeks and contains 10-12 items per feek. They also supply recipes with each weekly box. They have a few less pickup locations than Tiny's. 
• Full Circle Farm: Full Circle Farms is one of the few CSAs that allow you to sign up for as little or as much as you'd like. You can join for a few weeks or for a few months. They will let you change box sizes or even take a few weeks off. They also allow you to choose the items in your box. Since they run all year, some of their produce may not come from Washington state. During the summer months, they grow most of their produce on their own farm, but during the winter, they will outsource as close as possible. They also offer a green grocer program to allow customers to order things such as chocolate, coffee, and eggs.
  
• Growing Washington: (disclaimer: This is the CSA I belong to) Growing Washington is a relatively new organization, coming together last year. They offer two size boxes, a full share with 15 items per week and a half share with 11 items per week. I have found that the half share is perfect for 2 people. They offer a handful of pickup locations (primarily at farmers markets) and will do home delivery as well. You can customize your weekly box online, picking zero, one, or two of each item they offer that week.

Topics: General , Local Food