The lush contents of a CSA box from the Finger Lakes area of New York State
Don't get me wrong, I love Southern California and our year-round sunshine and growing season, but I also have deep interest and appreciation for locally-sourced edibles in climates that experience true winter, spring and summer. My younger daughter, Theresa, is living and working in the Finger Lakes region of New York and will occasionally be sharing her CSA adventures with us. I love experiencing food and cooking through young, eager and well-meaning eyes and I'm sure you will too.
When I moved to Geneva, NY, there were a few things that I was worried about. 1) Living in a pretty rural town without a car. 2) Living in pretty rural town without a car or a job. 3) Furnishing (and paying for) an apartment without a car or a job. Ok, ok it’s not quite as tragic as it sounds!
Quick back story-- My boyfriend of 3 ½+ years lives in Geneva, NY. He makes wine at an incredible winery, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard where I have just recently started working as well (cross off no job). He has a car (cross of one half of a car-- and not because it is a mini cooper). His parents also have a lake house about 15 minutes away from our apartment that they frequent and have magically appeared every weekend since we moved in with A LOT of furnishings. We’re talking couch, dining table, dressers, book shelf, rugs, etc. (cross off basic furnishings). So one might think that my big worries are quashed! NBD! Easy peasy cross country move.
One of Hermann J. Wiemer's Vineyards
But let’s be honest-- my biggest concern of all time-- how do I survive 3,000 miles away from my parent’s kitchen and garden??? Every time I went back to college I would shed tears saying goodbye to the state of the art appliances, the never-ending plethora of ingredients always available, including an overflowing basket of backyard chicken eggs, and the lush and bountiful garden and raised beds teeming with greens and veggies coaxing me “yes! pick me! I am healthy and green and wonderful!” (what? Your garden doesn’t talk to you?). Oh yeah, and I also cry when I say bye to my mom and dad! After all, they are the creators and caretakers of this wonderful lifestyle.
The "goods" from Fellenz Family Farm
So what do you do when all of the sudden you are resigned to the “spring mix family pack box” from the local supermarket? You buy a share in a CSA from a local farm! And that is what we ended up doing! Fellenz Family Farm is a local organic operation located in Phelps, NY. We pick up a box of produce every Wednesday across the street from our apartment. I didn’t think it was possible, but the greens are huge (almost as big and delightful as the arugula and spinach that we grow at home!). They also have a variety of other vegetables including komatsuna (aka Japanese mustard spinach), hakurei turnips, sorrel, mizuna, asparagus, lettuce, rhubarb, and I am sure much more to come as the summer gets going! So basically I moved to Geneva, NY a month ago with a list of worries and a knot in my stomach. Over the past few weeks this knot has loosened and unraveled slowly but surely owing to the fun and excitement that goes into making a little home with the one you love, the generosity of others (thank you Buckley’s!), and the wise parents that raised me to know that the bigger and more peppery the arugula, the happier you will be! I miss you and love you M, D and C. (That’s mom, dad and sister Celeste- BTW.)
Theresa's new digs
Now if only our landlord would take this ridiculous red, white and blue bunting down from our front porch, Memorial Day is over and the 4th is still a ways away!!