How to Cope with CSA Stress

Posted by Erin Zimmer, August 4, 2009 at 5:40 PM

Has your CSA membership compromised your ridiculously wild social life? Do you find yourself staying indoors to make use of the okra piling up? Cathy Erway of Not Eating Out in New York can relate, but she's come up with some tips:

Beets last a really long time. Kohlrabi is not going to turn in a week, either. If you find that you simply have too much stuff to eat in a week (as I do often), go for the most delicate leafy greens first. Save the big heads of cabbage, potatoes, green beans and carrots for another week, and don’t worry about them.

She recommends eating the produce raw (pots and pans can be overwhelming), appointing a buddy to pick-up your share if you're too busy (and paying them in vegetables), and embracing mason jars (can it, jam it, pickle it).

12 Comments (1)

Tags: CSAs, farmers' markets, vegetables

12 Comments:

Take ten minutes to blanch and freeze some of your vegetables too.
Make a pot of vegetable soup. Roast the beets in the evening for tomorrow's salad or dinner. Don't panic. Just think ahead a little.

Really pressed for time- dice a few things and toss into ramen noodles for a quick dinner.

CJ McD at 5:50PM on 08/04/09

Hahaha, this is too funny. I was just telling my wife that the CSA was stressing me out. I wish salad greens would freeze well. That's my biggest challenge.

pbelardo at 6:42PM on 08/04/09

Oh yeah ... don't wanna be overwhelmed by a pot or a pan. That might get scary.

kitchenbea at 7:57PM on 08/04/09

@pbelardo try making a cream of salad soup with the excess lettuce. Giada has a yummy recipe for it.

penn00 at 8:27PM on 08/04/09

I just had to take a picture of my share last week for the BF (away at a summer job). It filled my fridge completely! I eat more than my fair share of veggies, but I will still have leftovers from this week. Thankfully, I'll have the SO to share with next week. But I agree (especially with a tiny 1940s kitchen), it can be stressful! Thanks for the tips

toasteebagel at 9:42PM on 08/04/09

Here I was hoping for how to deal with not getting enough from your CSA. You see them offering all sorts of stuff for sale at the farmer's market, like nice and big tomatoes and you get a box of cherry tomatoes in your share. I mean really, the two do not compare at all.

nitsuj at 9:44PM on 08/04/09

We're getting MORE kale today...my husband has had quite enough Caldo Verde, lemme tell ya...I swear we've had Kale for the last 6 weeks.

sammie at 1:24PM on 08/05/09

I was just thinking last night how much I have stock piled in my fridge from my CSA, and I admit to getting a little stressed last night. I have plums and peaches coming out of my ears and a totally random amount of veggies. I figured tonight would be dedicated to making a kitchen sink soup for the veggies and a large cobbler or pie for the fruit. I have a feeling all of my coworkers would be happy to feast...

meem21 at 1:50PM on 08/05/09

We opted not to renew our CSA for exactly this reason. I want to eat healthier, but I just can't build meals around leafy greens six nights a week. It got to the point where I just couldn't stand another armful of swiss chard, or spinach, or tatsoi, or I don't even know what this one is . This summer we're spending that $300 at the on-street market where we can choose what we want. It's slightly less quantity, but it's better value because we know we'll actually eat what we buy.

marzipanda at 1:53PM on 08/05/09

I had CSA stress last summer, especially over the salad greens (I will have to try that soup @pen00!). I'm not sure what happened this summer but the share seems to have shrunk dramatically. Part of that is probably weather but I am suspicious that when the CSA expanded to include more members...the produce quantity did not. So maybe we're sharing the same amount of produce over more members = less produce/person. For the same price. I'm pretty disappointed so far but maybe it will pick up, and even if it doesn't, I'll know what not to do next year.

littlestcapy at 4:21PM on 08/05/09

A CSA should be a joy and not something else to add stress to your life. If you don't enjoy it then drop out and spend the money at a farmer's market! You are still supporting the farmers because they often can get a slightly better price for their stuff at market. Plus some (but of course not all) CSAs have waiting lists so it gives other people the chance to try it.

Lastly, if you are lucky enough to have multiple farms in your area who have CSAs then look for one that is a better fit, some even set theirs up more like a market stand where you get a set weight and get to pick it from whatever is available that week.

swampyankee at 5:13PM on 08/05/09

Indeed...ours just gives you a big box at their farmers' market stand and just says, 'have at it.' 25 bucks.

greenolivemedia at 3:44PM on 08/06/09

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