It was a gorgeous day at the Los Angeles County Fair in 2011. I was wandering around with my husband and our good friends, running my hands over the growing baby bump in my midsection like they do in movies. I perused cheap silver jewelry, and not-so-cheap silver jewelry, oohed over the fancy cooking gadgets and wished that I had a place and a budget for installing a complete outdoor kitchen.
Tucked in the corner was my find of the day. Actually, my friend Anna's find of the day: A community-supported-agriculture service. You know, a farm box! Delicious, organic fruit and vegetables delivered to your very own door! My imagination danced with visions of making soups, stews, steaming fresh veggies, learning new recipes for things I'd never eaten before!
It wasn't just a purchase, but a statement about who I was! About the kind of person I wanted to be! About the kind of MOTHER I wanted to be! Just imagine, steaming my own organic veggies and pureeing them into healthy, preservative-free and delicious baby foods?
Unlike similar services I'd investigated before, you could choose from a number of options: Mostly fruit, all vegetable, quick-grab snacks on the go. I could cancel or delay my box, and I could make a list of things I didn't want delivered -- gross things, for example, lettuce -- and they would give me something else.
I was thrilled with my first box, and gorged on delicious plums and berries. They sent me chard -- and I'd never eaten chard before. I sauteed it with garlic, shallots, onion and olive oil, and it was delicious. For a time, I had it sent to a friend whose husband was battling cancer, and whose diet was very limited.
In time, it reverted back to me. I shrunk the box down to the $30 per month option, and had it delivered only once a month. Anna, who also signed up when I did, cancelled hers after a single delivery.
"I wasn't thrilled with it," she said, practically, pointing out that she could get more vegetables and fruit for less money at the local farmer's market. But, I persisted, arguing with myself that were it not for the miracle of my surprise produce box, I never would have tried chard. Convinced this was enriching my life in some integral way, I kept paying for my monthly box.
I'd leave the house for work in the morning, and nearly trip on the cardboard box waiting for me in the shade of the porch. Hastily, I'd lug it inside. "Produce box is here," I'd say to my husband, if I had time, and maybe fish a peach out of it. Then, it would continue to sit on the counter all day until I got home. Sometimes, if we had time, we dutifully put the produce away and made plans for it.
But, last week, I looked at dismay at the fennel wilting on the counter, along with a leek that was past the point of edible. And then I remembered the beets that suffered the same fate. And the radishes I only ate half of.
I loved you, farm box, and your superior CSA service. But, farm box, you are out of my budget and my life. Thanks for introducing me to chard, the one leafy green vegetable I will deign to eat.
How I did it: I googled Southern California and CSA, because I couldn't even remember the name of the company I was giving $30 a month to. I'm not going to mention their name here, because this could be construed as bad press. However, just as I told the customer service rep, they really are a great service, and if I ever got a similar service again -- I would definitely go with them. But Anna was right. (I should just go ahead and trademark that phrase.) I can get more and cheaper at the farmer's market.
Savings: $30 a month.
Total monthly recurring savings so far: $65.
Ah! the tyranny of the vegetables !!! Yes, I swear I used to hear them cry as they wilted away. One more thing about which to feel guilty.
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