Much like a beautifully baked pie, Vancouverites are a little bit flaky. We lament our status as a “lonely city,” yet there’s actually a term – the Vancouver Intention – for our habit of saying to friends that we want to hang out, without ever actually intending to. Party planners will also note that, when it’s raining, when it’s not raining, and on any day ending in “day,” about 20 per cent of the people who RSVP for an event simply won’t show up. So, it’s safe to say that Vancouverites prefer to eschew commitment for the ability to remain spontaneous.
Thankfully, for food lovers at least, there’s a CSA for that.
CSAs, or Community-Supported Agriculture boxes, are boxes of fresh, local produce pre-paid for by the consumer. The farm sees the money at the start of the growing season, and the home cook gets a steady stream of produce from a specific farm. But what if you don’t want fresh food every week or month, and what if you want to see some variety?
For the past few years, Vancouver’s own Harvest Community Foods (243 Union St.) has been offering its version of a tasty compromise: curated bags of in-season produce from around the province, available every two weeks at the shop, that you can buy if you want to, when you want to.
“The idea behind [it] was we’re doing something a little different from the classic CSA,” says chef/owner Andrea Carlson. “In a traditional CSA you sign up for the full season, so this is something where you can have it week to week, skip weeks if you don’t need it. It’s also smaller, which is a bit more suited to the neighbourhood that we’re in, of single families, couples, that sort of thing.”
The program originated in 2012 as a way for Carlson to keep fresh produce going for Vancouverites in the winter, dovetailing nicely with the growing trend of having groceries pre-packed and/or delivered. Past suppliers include North Arm Farms, Hazelmere Organic Farms, Klippers Organics and forager Lance Staples. It allows you the freedom to say, hey, I’d love to surprise my guests this weekend with sea asparagus from Vancouver Island. And it puts new local producers, many of whom aren’t represented at farmers’ markets, in front of engaged foodies.
“This past week’s bag we purchased from Cherry Lane in Richmond, Klippers Organics, we frequently use Food Pedalers – a local sprout company that delivers by bike – and rice from Masa [Shiroki] at Artisan SakeMaker,” says Carlson. “He’s the only person to be growing rice this far north in North America, and he grows it for his sake production, and when he has extra he sells it to a few restaurants for culinary purposes.”
Summer fruits are currently making their way into the rotation, as are assorted lettuces, radishes, cucumbers, Japanese turnips and garlic scapes.
Carlson, the same acclaimed culinary mind behind Burdock & Co. on Main Street, tailors the program based on her 20 years of experience bringing high-quality producers into her kitchens.
“I just think it’s a great opportunity for people to get a diverse bag of produce that isn’t exclusively from one grower,” she says, noting that about 35 people take part in the program each week.
A bi-weekly newsletter offers a peek of the upcoming contents, as well as recipes to help you get started. You can sign up for the newsletter or order your next bag ($35) at harvestunion.ca/csa-boxes.
