…with my CSA.

(wait – whut? get your mind out of the gutter)

Now that we’ve gotten into the habit of WANTING fresh fruit and veg in the house in greater quantity than just a bag of stuff here and there, we were itching to see when the next veggie box program would kick off at work. Thankfully, it starts soon – but we may not make it that long.

As it happens, our local farm (which has the farmstand we visit frequently) has its own CSA. They’ve set up their share program as either a “full season” or “one at a time” box, so you can either pay in advance for all of the boxes, or you can call them up a few days before one of the two scheduled pick-up days and decide that you want the box that’s offered that week. The price difference is only $2 a box.

Pluses: VERY local farm (more local than what’s at work, since I work ~30mi from home, and the farm is less than 3mi from my house), and no schlepping a 15-20lb box from my office to my car (a distance of 1/4-1/2mi). Minuses: we won’t get the same variety as from the CSA we got last year (which culls fruit and veg from over 10 local farms), and I feel like I’m cheating on the other CSA.

Seriously? Cheating on a CSA?

Yeah, that’s me – feeling like a jerk because I’m trying another CSA. It’s very much like how I feel when I eat at the (relatively new) Szechuan restaurant in town. The Mandarin place we’ve been going to for the last decade is really quite good, but I grew up eating the spicier Szechuan style, so I eat there on random occasions when I want my Kung Pao Chicken with some oomph.

And I feel like I’m cheating then, too.

Honestly, what is WRONG with me? I’m patronizing local businesses, I’m spreading around what little wealth I have…why should I feel like I’m going behind one business owner’s back by going to a competitor? It’s not like I’m married to them or anything.

But still, I have these nagging feelings of guilt. Then again, with the CSA, it’s a little easier to justify. That schlep from office building to car really isn’t fun when you’re carrying a heavy box. It really would be nice to get that down to more like 50 feet.

So, I suppose it’s all well and good to nurse my guilt with kale chips or some other tasty produce…but I’ll have to keep you posted. The first pickup of the pay-as-you-go boxes from the local farm is this afternoon and I don’t intend to be late. Assume that this year’s Adventures in CSA will be a little different, since I may be switching up my farms. ‘Scuse me while I go drown my guilt in some fresh goodies…OMNOMNOM