The Best Money Ever Spent

Some months ago, a friend of mine asked if A. and I wanted to split a family share at a local CSA organic farm. It didn't take us long to jump at the opportunity. Organic produce every single week from May to whenever it peters out in the fall for $200? We're in! And it was easily the best $200 we've ever spent. Although the weather's, well, sucked for most of the summer, the abundance of produce has been astonishing. The share is split three ways, and yet we still tend to end up with more food than we can eat (hence my recent canning craze).

The whole idea is great--swing by on your appointed day, toting baskets, clippers, and bags, help yourself to your share of the produce in the farm stand, and then take to the field to collect flowers, fruit, herbs, and more veggies. The raspberries and blackberries are coming into season now, which gives us a little something to dress our cereal up with every morning. It's a great thing; it gives those of us with no time, space, inclination, or talent for gardening all the benefits of fresh-grown produce with almost none of the work. And, it gives me something to look forward to on Wednesdays (our appointed day). I never check the farm's website to see what's on offer--I like to be surprised. Every Wednesday's like Christmas morning now.

In season this week: the aforementioned berries, heirloom tomatoes (mmmmmm), watermelon, and dill, among other things. I grabbed the dill on a whim, I'll admit, and now I'm trying to think of things to do with it. I think I'll do a veggie dip with some plain yogurt and snack on it at work next week. What do you think?