Here, our spring has been persistently wet and cold. However, I have hope. I know that one day soon this weather will turn a corner, and when it does the crops will begin to come in. Yum to fresh garlic scapes and the tender leafy greens that thrive in our wet weather. And double yum to the delicious berries that will follow them in the summer time, berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Other crops will make their way down from a nearby warm area. Crops like peaches, plums, and even cherries will be here in abundance.
How do I get all of this delicious local produce? While I can find good deals at the grocery store sometimes, many of the apples are last year’s, and much of the produce is flown in from far away. The best way to get local, organic produce is to connect with those who grow it.
“But I don’t know any farmers!” you lament. Sure, you might not know any right now. However, this is where a farm share can come in handy. Look up Community Supported Agriculture on a site like Local Harvest, and if you’re anywhere within a couple of hours of farmland, you’ll quite possibly find a farm where you can share the bounty. A CSA share is a share in the risk and the benefits of a farm. You put your money down in the early part of the year, and all summer you get a box of fresh, delicious veggies.
If you live within a short drive of a group of farms, check to see if they will treat you and your friends as a buying club. Every year I drive out and get almost 1000 pounds of blueberries from a local farmer. We buy her harvest for the day, then I split it up amongst our friends, all of whom pay me for the berries plus gas. The berries are delicious, we support a local farmer, and we all have packed freezers without having to buy teeny tiny packages of berries at the grocery store.
Also, urban agriculture is becoming all the rage. Even if you live in a city, you likely have urban farmers around you. They garden in urban spaces such as community gardens, and many of them are beginning to start their own produce businesses. Imagine if apartment-dwellers could get their produce from neighbors with unused lawn space that is tended by others in the community. It’s happening at organizations such as Will Allen’s Growing Power.
Become an urban forager and fill up your freezers! Watch for a column on supplies for preserving coming up this week.
Image courtesy of Michaellaw at Stock Exchange.