Garden and CSA Update

My birthday present.

This year my wonderful husband built me eight raised beds for my garden. It was what I wanted for my birthday and while some people may think it is boring, I couldn't be more excited. The raised beds have made a huge difference. My garden has never looked better. Some of my garden's success has been the incredible spring we had; however, the large part of its success is the grids we put in the raised beds. These have forced me to be organized. Normally I am not an organized gardener. Left on my own, I over plant and place plants in no particular order. The grid system forces me to be organized. One plant type per square. I mostly followed that rule.  I even drew it out on grid paper and decided which plants to plant where. Such fun. The planning kept me busy and happy all winter.

My tomatoes are ahead of schedule

Today I will be planting more beets, carrots, and lima beans. Our carrots and beets look great and I don't think I could plant too many beets and carrots. I love them. Katie is crazy about lima beans and just like the peas I think they will be mostly eaten in the garden. 

My beautiful carrots- a mixture of heirloom carrots

 In addition to my gardens, we joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) this year. Kansas University Medical Center has paired up with Good Natured Family Farms to create a CSA for its students, faculty, and staff. They filled 170 slots and have additional people are on a waiting list. I am so glad to be able to participate. I love the opportunity to support local farmers and feed my family fruits and veggies picked that day. It is good for Kansas City, the environment, and my family. Our first pick up is this Tuesday. I can't wait. 

Romaine lettuce

If you have never participated in a CSA- it is a program where subscribers share the risk with the farmers. Subscribers normally prepay for their share. This allows the farmers to buy seed and equipment for growing their crops. In return, each week during the program the subscribers get a bag of food. If it is a good year then you get more of a share. If it is a bad year then your bags are less full. I have participated in good years and bad years and have never been disappointed. I have participated in CSA where it was just fruit and vegetables. The current CSA is much more than that.

Lettuce from our garden- we went ahead and picked it because we should be getting lettuce this week form the CSA

Good Natured Family Farms is comprised of more than 100 family farms in the Kansas City area.They banded together so they could offer their products in sufficient quantities to supermarkets (and our CSA).  I think it is an incredible model. So our CSA- has fruits and veggies and dairy (milk and cheese) and eggs and beef and pork and bison and turkey and honey. I am so excited I can hardly stand it.

Squash plants- one per square foot

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I was concerned about us having too much food. Of course I will can, pickle, and freeze for the winter, but I did plant a lot. I love gardening; it in incredible to have your hard work pay off with wondrous fruits and veggies. Thankfully Kansas City has a Plant a Row for the Hungry Program  How great is that? If we have an abundance of food we can help others. I don't know about you but I really like the idea of growing food to help others. Here are the fruits and veggies they prefer because they keep:

·  Beets Broccoli ·  Cabbage  Cantaloupe Carrots Cauliflower Cucumbers ·  Eggplant ·  Green beans ·  Onions ·  Parsley Peas Peppers Pole lima beans ·  Spinach Summer squash ·  Tomatoes Turnips ·  Watermelon ·  Winter squash ·  Zucchini

I have enough pepper, squash, zucchini, and cucumber plants that we should be swimming in them. I thought about designating plants for Harvesters and I still might. I also need to check with our local food pantry to see if they want fresh produce.  

More squash

I will be blogging all this summer- what I get at the CSA and from our garden and what I make with it. We will be eating a lot of food-- but don't worry the lake is warm enough so we can start swimming across it and work off our meals. 

Our first "big" harvest of the year

 We made an incredible salad from our garden- with local eggs and bacon.

Chopped salad- made with ingredients within 100 feet and 30 miles from our house- there is a difference

The bottom line- supporting local farms is good for the environment, the local economy, and your taste buds.