After months of preparing the fields and after weeks of planting and tending to our crops, it’s finally time for our first harvest at the one acre site!
This summer, we’re piloting a Campus Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that is open to Penn State faculty, staff, and students. We model our Campus Supported Agriculture program after the common Community Supported Agriculture model, which provides shareholders with a unique opportunity to directly support a local farm. As part of this model, members purchase a share at the start of the season when the farm needs to purchase seeds and supplies for the year. It’s a commitment of support to the whole farm, so if a crop fails, then CSA members won’t receive that item for the season. Of course, farms have many strategies to keep everything growing strong, but it’s imp
ortant to understand that potential risk.
In addition to supporting a (very!) local farm, the Student Farm at Penn State, our 2016 shareholders’ membership helps support hands-on learning for students through internships and courses, as well as workshops and other events that are open to the community. For our first summer and fall alone, our goal is to engage at least 400 students on the farm! We’re very thankful for our members!
Our first CSA basket includes:
- kale
- arugula
- lettuce mix
- parsley
- radishes
- cucumber
- tomatoes
- eggplant
One of our favorite ways to use cucumbers and radishes is to slice them thinly and season with lemon juice and salt. We also think that this Marinated Chickpea Salad with Radishes and Cucumber recipe looks pretty delicious, too! Try it out and let us know what you think!