The challenge begins: the 2010 produce list

The email I've been waiting for arrived this week: this year's breakdown of what the CSA farm is growing for our produce box this summer!

One of the features that attracted us to the CSA we use is the ability to tailor our boxes a bit to our family's tastes. At this point in before the season, we can say we want less or none at all of any of the items. Why have something delivered that we know we won't use? We can also pick up to five items that we would like more of. I learned my lesson last year--when we were overrun with cucumbers and watermelons--to only ask for more of items that can easily be preserved. Because when you tell the farm you want more, it gives you MORE.

The list doesn't show three full flats of berries we'll get or the 50 pounds of tomatoes and peppers we go to the farm to pick, all of which are also included in the share.

So what are we getting this year?

• ¼ lb basil x 8 deliveries (I asked for more)
• 1 bunch parsley x 3
• 1 bunch celery x 3
• 2 lb. green beans x 8 (I asked for more)
• 1 bunch beet greens w/small beets attached x 3
• 2½ lbs. beets x 4 (I asked for less--no one in our house is that fond of beets)
• 1 lb. broccoli x 4
• 2 cantaloupes x 4
• 2 lbs. carrots x 4
• 1 bunch cilantro x 4
• 12 ears corn x 5 (I asked for more)
• 5 slicing cucumbers x 10
• 1 lb. lemon cucumbers x 8
• 1 small head cabbage x 4
• 1 head Napa cabbage x 2
• 1 head cauliflower x 2
• 5 oriental eggplants x 7 (I asked for less--also not fond of eggplant)
• 1 lb. elephant garlic
• ¾ lb. ground cherries x 6
• 1 honeydew melon x 1
• 1 Mai Quing (Bok) Choi plant x 4
• ½ lb. kale x 5
• ½ lb. Swiss chard x 4
• 2 kohlrabi x 2 (I asked for less. One kohlrabi is challenge enough for me.)
• 1 lb. leaf lettuce blend x 17
• ¼ lb. arugula x 3
• 1 large bunch green onions x 4
• 4 leeks x 2
• 1 lb. sweet onions x 5
• 5 lb. keeping onions x 1
• 2 lb. sugar snap peas x 5
• 2 Anaheim peppers x 7
• 2 Ancho (Pablano) peppers x 6
• 2 bell peppers x 6
• 6 jalapeno peppers x 3
• 5 lbs. potatoes x 4
• 2 pumpkins x 1
• 1 bulb fennel x 2 (I asked for less. I can't stand the taste of fennel.)
• combination of summer squash (green zucchini, yellow zucchini, pattypans) x 9
• 2 each winter squash (butternut, acorn, spaghetti, sweet dumpling, Delicata) x 1
• 1 lb. tomatillos x 6 (I asked for more. I love me some tomatillos.)
• 5 lbs. tomatoes x 9 (I asked for more.)
• 2 lbs. cherry tomatoes x 7
• 1 watermelon x 5