the happy part: farm share 2016

I think this is at least my family's fourth year of getting a farm share through Red Fire Farm in Granby, MA. My parents and I "split" the share. Which means that they pay for most it and I cook most of it. Without their "help" I'd never be able to afford it. This year I decided to document each week's share so that when ~~my mom is complaining about it being too expensive~~ I'm wondering if it's really worth all the money I can have photographic evidence to look at. I won't lie it's very hard to argue with all this beautiful photographic evidence. ;)

A few weeks into the season this year my mom and I were talking about what it really means to "join" a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm share. My take on it is that you have to remember that you are paying for a "share"of the farm's harvest that season. You are not walking into the store and grabbing what you want. It's a very different concept than most of us are used to.

As a CSA member, in my opinion, you really don't have the right to complain about the product that you've receiving because you are not out there working hard to grow it. It really pisses me off to hear people complain about the shares. One time, there was a mom and small child going through the pick up line and the child started grabbing at the fruit share grapes. Mom smacked the child's hand away and exclaimed, loud enough for the room full of paying share members to hear, something to the effect of, "No, mommy doesn't pay for that! She pays enough for all this other crap."

Bottom line: You and the farmers are at the mercy of the weather and such as far as the final product goes. It's a crap shoot; some years are awesome and some years are not. Again, it's NOT the grocery store and it's not for everyone. It's a totally different way of getting your food. Personally, I think it's awesome and I'm very grateful that my rents are into it too.

I'll update the post weekly until the end of the season with new pictures as we are not even halfway through and I'm full just looking at all that beautiful fruit and veggie love.

Enjoy the farm share fruit and veggie porn!

Week # 1