Friday, March 06, 2009

Garden/CSA advice

Last year, my vegetable garden was a major disappointment. I didn't do anything differently, but had lousy crop yields on some produce that I usually want (and in a normal year, am able to produce) in abundance.

So this year, I am going to let the pro's grow the bulk of my vegetables. I signed up for the Tantre Farm CSA -- I've bought their produce at the market and have been reading about their lovely weekly CSA surprise boxes from Kim and the Gastronomical Three ladies. I had a major case of produce envy last summer. I also really love the idea of a weekly surprise box -- I eat pretty much every vegetable out there so there really aren't any particular vegetables that I wouldn't be happy to see. And I like the idea of using the mix to jump start my creativity in the kitchen.

I will still be keeping my garden going and this will give me the liberty to grow fun stuff (pumpkins, potatoes) and stuff that we can never get enough of (peas, spinach).

So I'm looking for a little advice from those of you who have had Tantre CSA shares in the last few years: Are there some vegetables that you would grow to supplement your share if you had the space/time? What vegetables, other than greens like kale and swiss chard which I have heard are always in abundant supply, did you get a ton of or should I definitely NOT think about growing?

Here are some of the vegetables I'm considering for my three raised beds this year:
  • peas (can never have too many)
  • spinach (ditto)
  • potatoes (fun! store well)
  • pumpkins (kids should get a kick out of them)
  • basil (for annual frozen pesto supply)
  • shell beans (the kind you dry, because it sounds like fun and they store well)
  • lima beans (because fresh baby lima beans are so different from the mealy stuff we all grew up with)

Suggestions? Advice?