Trade your supplement for a CSA.

Want to do something great for your health? Ditch your supplements and use that money to support a local farm instead.

There may be freezing temps and snow outside, but the first day of spring is just two months away. Pretty soon all of those green buds will be poking their heads out of the ground and now is the time to think about joining your local CSA. They fill up fast!

If you’re not familiar, CSA stands for community-shared agriculture. The idea is that you buy a “share” of a farm up front, the farm uses that money to cover early costs, and then you reap the reward with a basket full of fresh produce each week during harvest season.

Some argue that supplements are essential because most grocery store fruits and veggies are mass-produced and rely on GMOs and over-utilized, nutrient-depleted soil. Growing your own or supporting a local farm seems the best way to counter that. (But, if grocery stores are more affordable/accessible, I would still argue that supplements are not regulated and it cannot possibly be better to take a pill that you may or may not know what is truly inside, vs eating an apple, which you can be sure is at least an apple, but more on my controversial opinion on supplements later).

Some may be nervous about the cost. It does seem like a lot to pay for all of your summer produce up front. But the benefits are tremendous. Buying local is better for the environment by supporting organic farming practices and eliminating gas emissions from the transport of fresh fruits and veggies. It can also improve your overall health by increased fruit and veggie consumption, exposing your gut microbiome to a wider variety than you may normally buy, eating in season, and increasing the nutritional content of your food since the produce does not have to be stored for as long to make it from grower->grocer->consumer.

So, I challenge you to join me in a weekly CSA adventure this summer. Let’s come up with ways to use everything in your box, together. I joined The Farm, in Woodbury, with the season running from June 13th until the end of September, and will be sharing the recipes I make each week. If you join a different farm and need help coming up with ideas to use your goods, message me, I’m here to help!

And if you’re worried about the amount of produce in your weekly bag being too much, find a friend and split the share, which is how I managed way back when in medical school with my dear friend Christine and our Spiral Path Farm CSA.