Slow Food Cape Town CSA

SUMMER VEGGIE CSA 2010: WEEK 10

Posted by Kate | Filed under Reports, Summer 2010

Dear CSA members

This is week ten, the last week of the Summer 2010 veggie CSA. Tomorrow you will receive your last veggie bag.

MUSHROOMS

In your bag tomorrow you will find your last bag of oyster mushrooms from Foxenburg Estate. We hope you enjoyed receiving mushrooms in your bag this CSA, as this is the first time we have included them in a vegetable CSA.

FEEDBACK

As with past CSAs, we have set up an anonymous online feedback form, to help us gauge how successful (or not) different aspects of the CSA were from your perspective. It should only take a minute to fill out, and we would really appreciate your feedback.

THE FUTURE OF THE SLOW FOOD CSAS

As you all know, we have had our fair share of hiccups this CSA, and I have often been unhappy with the quality or quantities of vegetables in the bag. I have passed this on to Erick both during the CSA and now as we come to a close. I still believe that CSAs are good models, and would like to participate in and run future CSAs, but we need to know we are getting value for money (and not just helping an emerging farmer, regardless of the produce) in order for a CSA to be sustainable. In my discussions with Erick as to why we have been having these problems, his response is something along the lines of that old chestnut; “It’s so hard to get good help”. While I sympathise, this is his problem, not ours, and one that he needs to solve.

I am taking a two-month break from running CSAs with Erick, to give him time to mull over my feedback, and give myself a rest from the admin of coordinating the CSA. I have told Erick that I will consider running a smaller, shorter CSA in June, perhaps with one collection point and for a month, to see whether he can rise to the challenge and get his quality and quantities where they should be. Should this happen, you are all on our CSA mailing list and will be notified.

Slow Food Mother City, Slow Food Cape Town’s sister convivium (chapter) does have some other CSA projects in the works, dealing with meat and fruit. When these are ready, you will be notified. If you do not wish to remain on the mailing list, just drop me a line.

A FINAL PLUG FOR SLOW FOOD

This CSA is called the Slow Food CSA for a reason, and that’s not just because I volunteer with local chapters of the Slow Food movement! Slow Food is an international grassroots movement of ordinary people making informed and good choices in the food they buy, eat and enjoy. The motto is, “Food that is Good, Clean and Fair”, and if sustainability, small producers and family farms, protecting food traditions and cultures are important to you, you should get involved.

If you would like to be notified of events (farm visits, tastings, run by Slow Food in Cape Town, go onto Slow Food Mother City’s mailing list, sign up on the ‘news’ page of our website, www.slowfoodmothercity.co.za

Slow Food Cape Town’s website is: www.slowfoodcapetown.co.za

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: CREAMED SPRING ONIONS

Much along the lines of creamed spinach, only with spring onions (or baby leeks). A comforting side dish as we ease into winter. You can find the recipe on the blog, here.

Enjoy them!

Thank you for your support over the last ten weeks. We wish you well for the rest of 2010, and hope to see you at future events and CSAs.

Warmly

Kate & the CSA team

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Comments (0) | March 29th, 2010