No, this is not from my garden. I had my first CSA (community-supported agriculture) experience at Drumlin Farm today.
They warned us ahead of time that the first few pickups would be small, but that the bounty would increase exponentially as the season progressed. Therefore, I was only expecting maybe a radish or two, and a measly head of lettuce. Instead, I got a big bunch of ethnically diverse radishes, 2 bok choys, 2 big bunches of spinach, multiple stalks of rhubarb, and 4 (count ‘em, four) heads of lettuce.
Seriously? Four heads of lettuce, I asked? After all, have I eaten four heads worth of lettuce in my entire life? I think not. The woman running the tent assured me that, yes, four heads of lettuce was all they could give out right now per week. She and I are not well acquainted. I guess I’m going to be losing me some weight.
One thing about the sustainable farming that I’ve noticed this one time I’ve ever been involved is that the vegetables aren’t necessarily the most stunning specimens you’ve ever seen. The radishes themselves looked good, but the leaves, for example, were very bug-eaten. From the lack of pesticides, I’m guessing. Somehow, I failed to put two and two together on that one.
But, I can get over appearances. I was then informed that the spinach contained actual aphids, so I’d best wash it before storing it in the fridge. She said aphids, but what I heard was maggots. I was relieved to discover that aphids are much smaller and far less disgusting than maggots, but they are somehow able to achieve similar numbers. I stood over a stockpot of cold water trying to wash them off, but, boy, those little buggers really cling.
Husband suggested that the next time I pitch in with the farm work, I should sneak in a can of pesticide. I wonder how long it will be before I’m kicked out of the farmshare?
The first few weeks of a farm share are amazing - how am I supposed to use all those greens??? But you'll get in the habit and yes, probably lose a little weight* from eating such a vegetable-heavy diet. To get rid of the aphids, the spinach under water, then spray 'em hard. Then spin.
*Though god knows you don't need to.
Posted by: pyewacket | June 07, 2007 at 10:19 AM
Hey, you fixed the webby stuff! I can comment freely now!
I know - real organic garden produce is great in theory, but buggy and holey and splotchy in practice. (Of course, delicious in practice too - but you have to be a pretty tough guy during the clean-and-prep phase.)
I think you'll be surprised at the gross things that want to share your veggie plot with you, too. Corn worms (the yuckiest!) and tomato beetles and grubs of various sorts and spiders (and their webs.) Ewwwww.
Posted by: Heath | June 07, 2007 at 02:47 PM
Heath: Glad my site is finally able to perform the most basic of functions. Yes, ridding all that spinach of aphids was a little labor-intensive. Especially when I knew it was just going to cook down to a few spoonfuls. But, oh, what tender, delicious spinach it was.
Pyewacket: Do you know that I don't own a salad spinner? True story. Don't eat much salad. When I need to spin, I wrap up the lettuce in two dish towels and wheel my arm around real fast, like a windmill. Classy. The aphids just hung on tight and enjoyed the ride.
Posted by: Tammy | June 07, 2007 at 08:15 PM
The earlier posters beat me to it -- a salad spinner will send those aphids straight to centrifugal heaven. No fuss, no muss. But you've got to let them soak first.
Our garden produces a few heads of lettuce-like things each year (to steal your nomenclature, it's wife's job to plant them and know what they are) and the number of bugs hitching a ride is kind of crazy.
I'm sort of the mind, however, that cooking and eating a few aphids probably never hurt anyone.
Posted by: Fish Sauce Hater | June 08, 2007 at 12:56 AM
You are too funny. I can't wait to see how this CSA thing goes for you. Just wait till the tomatoes come -- you'll be so happy you're doing it.
Posted by: jen maiser | June 08, 2007 at 03:06 AM
Jen: Tomatoes and corn, baby. That's what I'm in it for. Tomatoes and corn.
Hater: I wasn't of that mind in the beginning, but after an hour of debugging, I was all, who the fuck cares? I just grated some black pepper on the cooked spinach and enjoyed the denial.
Posted by: Tammy | June 08, 2007 at 10:52 AM
Seriously. The corn. WATCH OUT for the corn worms.
Posted by: Heath | June 08, 2007 at 10:23 PM
You're freaking me out, Heath.
Posted by: Tammy | June 08, 2007 at 10:58 PM
Heath is right about the corn - there are worms and they are creepy. But here's the flip side: conventionally grown corn in New England is often sprayed as much as FOUR times a DAY during the later part of the growing season to maintain that perfect, worm-free state. Four times a day. I would rather eat the worms.
Posted by: pyewacket | June 11, 2007 at 01:00 PM