It’s not uncommon for me to be making my way through the produce section at our local grocery store while grumbling under my breath. I’m sure the other shoppers think I’m nuts. The thing is, it’s increasingly difficult to find fresh and local produce (forget about fresh, local, and organic… not happening!), and if I can find it, I feel like I’ll have to mortgage my house to pay for it. It’s infuriating to see shrink wrapped organic bell peppers from South America that are about one day away from being moldy and rotten when I know of a farm around the corner growing their own.
Living in Pennsylvania, I can’t get fresh and local produce all year long… But, for the months of the year that I can, I do my best to take full advantage of it. I’ve done my best to turn my anger with the local grocery store (and it’s really not their fault… it’s our culture and the entire food system) into productive energy to find better solutions. And, I have. So, today I thought I’d share a few of my tips for finding fresh and local (and often even organic!) produce on a budget. I hope it will work for you, too!
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Whenever I talk about the CSA that my hubby and I belong to (either here on the blog or with friends and family), I get a lot of questions. So, I’m hoping to clear a few of them up here today. And, since the majority of the produce we eat comes from our CSA, it’s also a big part of my fresh and local produce strategy.
There are a lot of different types of CSAs, but the general concept is pretty simple. Basically, a CSA is an arrangement where a farmer sells shares of the produce from his farm for a season. CSA members receive a box of the produce from the farm each week throughout the season. It’s fresh, and it’s local, and it supports a local farm.
This will be the fourth year that my hubby and I belong to our organic vegetable CSA (for those of you in Central PA – Spiral Path Farm), and we love it. We get a large box of produce each week, and I estimate that we probably pay only about half of what it would cost to buy it at the store (assuming we could even find it at the store). We don’t get to pick what veggies we get, but I always enjoy the surprise of discovering what’s in our box from week to week.
It’s not only veggies, either. This year, we also belong to a low/no spray fruit CSA and an organic apple CSA. I may never have to go to the store again!
Interested in a CSA of your own? Check out Local Harvest… You can search for CSAs in your area and find one that will work for you. Even though the season may have already started, many CSAs will allow you to join mid-season at a pro-rated price.
Farmers’ Markets
If you’re not sure that you’re ready to commit to a CSA for a full season, a farmers’ market is another great way to find fresh and local produce at a great price. More and more people are paying attention to the food they are feeding their families, and I’ve noticed more and more farmers’ markets popping up as a result.
While we get a lot of our produce from our CSA, I do like to visit the local farmers’ market as often as I can. (For those of you in the Hershey, PA area, don’t miss the Farmer’s Market in Hershey!) It’s a great way to find a few extra items to round out what came in our CSA box. And, there are also lots of other great local and homemade goodies to be found. I buy everything from local meats and cheeses to wine and pastries.
Not sure where to find your local farmers’ markets? Keep your eyes open! You’ll probably see signs advertising them throughout the summer. You can also find advertisements in the local paper or search online. Be sure to ask your friends and family, too!
Gardening
Last but not least, I have to mention gardening. Of course, unless you’re a much better gardener than I am, you may not want to rely 100% on your own gardening skills to provide produce for your family. Otherwise, you might be dining on nothing but pumpkins and jalapeño peppers for the year. At least, that’s what we’d be eating at my house!
Even if you’re not the most accomplished gardener, I think having a garden is a great experience. There’s nothing better than growing your own food. My garden is certainly nothing to brag about. I tend to opt for things that are easy to grow. My favorites include herbs (which are expensive to buy at the store, and relatively easy to grow!), peppers, tomatoes, and squash. You don’t need a lot of space… Start out small with herbs or veggies that will grow well in containers. As you get more comfortable with gardening, you can expand!
What Works for You?
These are just a few of my tips for staying on a budget while enjoying fresh and local produce… But, I’d love to hear your ideas! Feel free to leave a comment letting me know how you go about feeding your family healthy food on a budget. And, feel free to share any of your favorite farmers’ markets or CSAs (with a general location)… Someone else in your area may be looking for a recommendation!
I’ve never been part of a CSA before, but I love attending farmers markets and (even more exciting) this year I’m growing my own!
I have thought about joining a CSA, but for now, I shop at the Farmers Market or small shops that feature local produce. My husband and I live in an apartment for now, so I can’t grow my own, but I dream about the day I can start a garden…
I don’t like having to buy fruit and veggies in the winter around here because they are never local, rarely fresh and always expensive.
Always look forward to the local farmer’s markets opening up in late Spring until late Fall as the produce is local, fresh and much less expensive. Thank God I live in a farming community.
I totally agree with you – farmer’s markets are the way to go! I’d also add preserving to your list, so that you can enjoy a taste of summer all year round. :-)
I to also live in pa. I really enjoy shopping at Wegmans! Find the closest store and give it a try! They have the best produce I have every found at a grocery store! Also very good prices. Bananas are 49 cents a lb.!! Give them a try!!
I can’t wait to start going to the local Farmer’s Markets! My boys and I are also trying our hand at growing some of our own veggies – peas, zucchini, peppers and carrots– fingers crossed we’ll be able to eat what we grow! Thank you for the post!
I go to farmers markets every week during the summer, and I love shopping fruits and veggies there, as they are fresh and taste better compared to the grocery stores. It doesn’t hurt that they are cheaper too :).
Great article! I also go to farmers’ markets to get fresh produce – but there are only a few months in which we can do this in Minnesota. What I like to do is find fresh fruits and veggies on sale, chop them up, and freeze them for later use. I also shop the frozen food section, and I have been known to go from store to store to find the best deals.
Some great ideas here Jen.