From the September 2020 issue of @Home with Coldwell Banker Tomlinson.  Written by Abbey Parsons, CBT West Plains Branch Manager.

Kohlrabi - I had to GOOGLE it; I had no idea what this vegetable was, until a bag of fresh produce showed up on my doorstep in early May of this year.  Our family decided to try a Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA) subscription.

You can join these programs as a community member by paying for a share of the harvested produce.  We paid for our share up front in March and we receive a weekly delivery to our door.  This has expanded our vegetable choices while supporting a local family business that keeps money in our community. 

COMMUNITY IS KEY

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is a farm marketing model that allows the consumer to buy shares of a farm's harvest before the growing season starts.  Thus, delivery through the winter months may include beets, corn, broccoli, onions, turnips, radishes, carrots, cilantro, kale, mustard, spinach, basil, lettuce and, of course, kohlrabi!  There are also such frozen options as blueberries, peaches, berries, and peas.  Customers may also choose from prepared foods, ingredients for which are raised on local farms, such as hummus, soups, sauces and jams.

FARMING IS THEIR PASSION

Courage to Grow Farms is a first-generation, family-owned urban farm that practices zero-waste regenerative agriculture and employs organic methods.  It was established in 2018 with the idea of teaching their community, particularly its youth, techniques of sustainable agriculture on small parcels of land.  In only two years, they have created, worked and mentored six urban farms in the Spokane area, all of which are now being run successfully by people eager to learn the trade.  In cooperation with other farmers throughout the Pacific Northwest, they now offer much of the Spokane region a bountiful, locally-produced fresh box throughout the year.

GIVING BACK

Since the community keeps them going, they are eager to give back to the community.  Since 2018, they have donated hundreds of pounds of wholesome food to the Farm to Food Pantry Program, Catholic Charities, Food For All, as well as providing their packages free of charge every week to families in need.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED

Twenty consecutive weeks of deliveries are available for $800.  For more information, call or text (509) 270-7264 or visit their website at www.couragetogrowfarms.com.