IT'S ABOUT the JOURNEY
by PETER LATVIS

A strange feeling came over me last week. Something seemed like it was missing. I couldn't put my finger on it, until I looked in my refrigerator. While looking at the less than full shelves, I realized that my weekly routine had been thrown off, because I no longer had my Wilson Farm CSA Share each Thursday. The more I thought about it, I realized that it was more than just my weekly routine that had changed over the 20 weeks.

My shopping habits definitely changed. Before the CSA I would shop occasionally, buying scores of grocery items that I thought might be useful, and bought quite a bit of prepared foods (especially when I was hungry). With the CSA, I learned to patiently wait each week for the share, and shopped specifically to support the recipes I had in mind for the share. I know I saved some money shopping this way over the 20 weeks.

Home-cooked meals became a frequent occurrence, as my wife and I cooked quite a bit more. I don’t know whether it was the guilt of not wanting food to go to waste, or a new-found vigor for cooking, but over the last 20 weeks, we prepared many more home-cooked meals than we had in the preceding 20 weeks. We experimented with new recipes and expanded our list of favorites. We found some surprising new veggies that we didn't even know we liked. I never really tried kohlrabi before - but I really liked it, and even bought it again when it wasn't’t included in my share.

The funny thing about the experience is that I didn't really need to join the CSA to get Wilson Farm’s produce. As an employee, I’m surrounded by what we grow each day. So you might wonder why I joined. I joined for the journey that a CSA creates. For me, it was a journey that challenged me to shop smarter, eat healthier, and cook more. After 20 weeks, I’m sad that this part of the journey has ended, but I look forward to keeping the good habits I’ve picked up and am excited about a new challenge with next season’s CSA.

LIFE is BETTER WITH PIE
by YOUR MAN on the FARM

Right about now you're probably planning to cash in your CSA exclusive FREE PIE Coupon - just in time for Thanksgiving. While your deciding between Apple, Pumpkin, or Squash, we thought we'd share a funny (and somewhat truthful) story about our own homemade pies.

Local farm upsets area moms, with delicious pies

Wilson Farm didn't mean to do it, but we may have inadvertently upset many Boston area moms and grandmothers. Oft considered experts in pie making, many local moms and grandmothers have sampled pies fresh-baked at Wilson’s and are, frankly, feeling a bit nervous. One mom (that asked we protect her identity) claimed, “How can I compete with that?”, in reference to a Wilson Farm Apple Pie she just devoured. “It tastes amazing, with those big chunks of apple and that flaky crust”, she continued, “Don’t let my kids taste this - its so much better than mine.”

Other moms (perhaps pressed for time) were not nearly as threatened. Emily B. had this to say, “This is a totally awesome pie. I’m going to buy a bunch for Thanksgiving which will save me at least 4 hours in the kitchen.” Her 4 year old daughter, meanwhile, was reaching for yet another sample.

Wilson Farm, bakes fresh pies every day and is on pace to produce more than 6,000 of them before the end of the year. The variety of pies include: apple, pumpkin, blueberry, apple cranberry, lemon meringue, mince meat fruit, and apple crumb.

While many of Wilson’s bakery staff were sympathetic to the chagrined moms, Bakery Manager, Scootter had this to say, “Moms had a good run for what? - 10,000 years or so?” adding, “We use 2 pounds of apples from Carlson Orchards (located in Harvard, MA) in every apple pie. I’d like to see them try and do that.”

For now, Wilson Farm refuses to stop making their delicious pies despite the proverbial pie in the face to area moms, grandmas and home bakers alike.

~ HAPPY THANKSGIVING from the FARM