We have been getting a lot of calls and questions about our CSA programs. I thought I could answer some of the questions by showing a sample week of our Winter program (which is sold out) and demonstrating how it works. Of course, Summer CSA means our produce, organic produce, and chemical-free produce from quality local growers.

Last Sunday was the first week of our Winter CSA program. Every week we include a healthy, tasty recipe that we try to keep simple. We started off with one of the favorite soup recipes of our CSA members. Most of the ingredients were included in the package.

CSA programs use the money paid up front to buy materials for planting — and in return customers benefit with reduced prices and the satisfaction of supporting a quality grower to avoid dealing with short term loans to cover planting costs.

We have already begun to buy seeds and supplies for this year’s growing season. Our CSA membership covers our planting costs so the sooner members enroll, the sooner we get started and the more we can produce for the members.

Thanks again for your interest,

Ron and Barb

Canterbury Creek Gardens CSA Program:

Every week our CSA Members receive a summary of their CSA produce items — the retail cost — and their savings.

Here is the list of last week’s Winter CSA box. We also emailed the information about split peas, and the recipe below, to our Winter CSA Members last weekend.

2 cups US crop Organic split peas $4.99

1 lb Organic carrots $1.99

1.5 lbs Organic potatoes $2.99

1 bunch Organic celery $2.99

1 lb Organic Satsuma Mandarin oranges $2.99

3 Organic red grapefruits @ .99 $2.97

1 lb Immunity Builder Salad Mix$14.00

Total Value $32.92

Members paid $25.00

Members saved $7.92

Percent savings 24.06%

Members saved $7.92

Percent savings 24.06%

We pay attention to detail so you don’t have to —

ex. we choose our beans and peas carefully

We know that everyone today is too busy to understand all of the crop problems and labeling loopholes (like US product vs US crop) associated with every food item they buy.

We think your food retailer should address these problems for you so you don’t have to research every piece of food you buy and feed to your families.

Almost all organic split peas sold at chain stores are from a Chinese crop, although they may say product of US on the label — and that US non-organic legumes are commonly sprayed with Roundup.

US crop

Our split peas are organic split peas from a US farm. It took us years to find organic split peas that were grown in the US — same as organic black beans and organic pepitas. Calling a Chinese crop a product of the US because it was packaged here is a labeling loophole that you should be very careful about because of an almost total lack of farm inspection in China.

Roundup free

Split peas, like lentils and dried beans are also very important to buy organic because Roundup is often used on them as a “ripening agent”. This results in higher Roundup levels in the food than even “Roundup Ready” GMO crops.

We also know that more Americans fail to meet their daily requirements of fruits than vegetables, so we include a special fruit selection every week.

What is better than a hot bowl of hearty soup on a cold winter day!

Definitely try this recipe and don’t be intimidated with the number of ingredients. It only takes a few minutes of prep and 1 hour of cooking — and don’t forget the oregano. You will never use a ham bone again.

It is also a great organic soup at a fraction of the price of buying prepared soup.

We make a double recipe at home and have it all week. It doesn’t take much longer than a single recipe. If we have any extra at the end of the week, we freeze it.

It is a protein and fiber packed soup — very hearty and filling. It you want to improve the protein quality, serve with a hearty, whole grain bread (gluten free if you prefer)!

Old-Fashioned Split Pea Soup

Makes 8-12 servings

2 cups, sorted and rinsed, organic split peas

4 tbsp. olive oil

2 small to med size onion, chopped

6-8 stalks organic celery, chopped

6 cloves organic garlic, chopped

4-6 large organic carrots, chopped

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. sea salt, or less

1 tsp. black pepper

2 cup organic potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 quart organic chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

Smoked bacon, cooked until brown and crisp, optional garnish

Organic frozen peas — 1 cup

In soup pot, sauté on low temperature onion, celery, carrots and garlic in olive oil until barely tender. This creates a mirepoix.

Add oregano, salt and pepper and cook for additional 1 minute. Add potatoes, split peas and chicken stock.

Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes to one hour, or until peas are tender. Add frozen organic peas and let sit for 5 minutes.

Taste for salt and pepper and garnish with bacon, if desired.

Split pea soup is an excellent source of fiber and vitamin A, and a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Folate, Phosphorus, Copper and Manganese.

According to Nutrition Data.com, split pea soup is 65% nutritionally complete with a protein score of 97. It is also low calorie (180 calories per cup) and low on the glycemic index.

With everyone recommending more legumes, it is an easy way to add these to your diet,

Benefits of our summer CSA program for the environment and future generations:

Nutritional, clean, fresh and seasonal meals.
Simple, quality, delicious recipes.
Sustainable growing practices mean CO2 is absorbed from the air instead of released into the air from conventional industrial soil management practices.
No groundwater pollution from pesticides and fertilizers, which ensures better drinking water for us and future generations.
No damage to the fish population from pollution caused by the runoff of fertilizers that feeds oxygen-depleting organisms and throws off the balance of our fisheries, lakes, ponds, and streams.
Good soil management practices. This means the soil remains productive for this generation and those to follow.
Elimination of the hidden environmental and health care costs of pesticide and fertilizer production on the community. This is an almost 10 billion dollar industry!
Our produce is from our farm and from award winning high quality local farms.
Taking that Big Ag industry money away from large corporations and putting those dollars, instead, into the local economy and quality growers.

Canterbury Creek Gardens — 2020 Summer CSA Program

Our Summer CSA program is designed to provide members with the best food possible — make shopping and meal planning easier — and save members money.

Our growers are pulling CO2 out of the air instead of spewing it into the air — big difference!

In 2020, we will be starting our CSA program 2 weeks later to allow for the availability of more of our produce and local produce. Total benefits will remain the same, just dispersed differently — a little more each week.

2019 was another bountiful year for us and our CSA members shared the bounty. Some even asked how we could afford to have such big weekly packages for the cost. This is what a CSA program is supposed to be all about. By sharing in the costs of production, members get to share in the harvest. Some weeks, after we have our package set, we end up harvesting more than we think we can sell or more than we thought we would harvest. The extra is split up between CSA members.

2020 Summer Program

You Pay

$475.00 — cash or check only

Guaranteed Value

$522.50

Healthy recipes using the weekly ingredients will be included every week

Here are the results of our Summer 2019 CSA Program,

$475.00 invested

$662.64 received

Savings $187.64

Savings Percentage 28.3%

But the best part was getting clean, nutrient-rich foods — supporting quality farmers — and trying a few new foods and a few new recipes.