Grocery Store

Wednesday was our last CSA pick-up of the year. In spite of the fact that I blogged that I don't want to do a CSA next year (and then chose to have last week's share donated to a food pantry because we did not have time to pick up the share during the week and I didn't feel the need to accumulate more vegetables in my newly weeded-out fridge), I spent a LONG time talking to our farmer on Wednesday about a 1/2 of a steer that my mom and I might purchase through him. We also talked a little bit about controlled substances. Namely, raw milk. Yes, he knows a farmer with a tiny dairy operation who is thinking of getting into the CSA business. No, that farmer does not sell raw milk to the public - nor should he, according to my farmer, because his herd is not in very good shape right now. But he could get into the grass-fed milk business. My farmer and I swapped information about where to buy real food (my grass fed milk at the grocery store, his recommendation of a CSA that is closer to my house for next year).No, I did not tell him I will not likely be back next year. Let's just say I may have spoken too soon about abandoning the CSA system. (Last week I ended up donating carrots, celery, leeks, and onions to the food pantry. Those are the kind of veggies I have been waiting all summer for. But last week was a crazy week.)

I mentioned something about making soup, or having been sorry that I'd missed the celery the week before, and my farmer sent me home with an extra bunch of celery because he had it. As we walked over to the part of the yard where the celery grows he said 'I can't guarantee how fresh it will be' and, since I don't really know him that well, I assumed that the celery had been picked but hadn't made it into anyone's share for the week. Nope. He was just joshing me. He pulled it right out of the ground. Beautiful. Then he told me a cute story.

Last week a customer was upset to see celery in his box. This was the second time we'd gotten celery. (I made broth with my first batch.) He said something like, "I've never tasted such strong celery. It was awful. I didn't like it at all. It was nothing like the celery I buy at the groc - "

Oh. He paused, dumbfounded.

Apparently the customer stopped being mad at the farmer sometime before the word "store" didn't quite make it out of his mouth. My farmer saw the light bulb go on in this guy's brain.

Nope, celery from the CSA is nothing like the celery you buy at the grocery store.

More soup is coming this weekend. Stay posted for pictures.