Why did you join the Owl's Nest Farm CSA? I was lucky enough to meet Liz through my job at Fair Farms Maryland, a grassroots campaign working to build a more sustainable food system in Maryland. Liz is on our Farmer Advisory Council and she is incredibly passionate about creating a better food system that preserves our environment and makes healthy, locally grown food more accessible to everyone, regardless of zip code or income. I love that not only does she walk the walk on the farm, but she isn’t afraid to speak up for what’s right and ask our local policymakers to do the same.

What tips do you have for folks who might be trying a CSA for the first time?

Always ask the farmers for recipe ideas when you aren’t as familiar with an item or are getting bored of your usual preparation. Foster was great at this!
Learn how to store greens properly. They will last so much longer if you take a few minutes when you bring them home to get them cleaned and bagged up with a paper towel or dish rag.
Keep a list of what you get in the CSA on the outside of the fridge so nothing gets buried and forgotten. It’s always sad when you waste something – particularly when you know how much care went into growing it.

Please share your favorite recipe(s). One of my all-time favorite recipes, and one that is perfect for peak tomato and squash season, is this one for ratatouille with biscuits on top published in the New York Times many years ago. It’s so delicious – especially when you get the pork from farms that raise their pigs on pasture, like Cabin Creek Heritage Farms located not too far from Owl’s Nest.