I grew up in a small town called Winchester, right at the base of the Sewanee mountain, where most folks recognize me because I look just like my mom. Back home, a CSA is just a cardboard box of veggies passed between coworkers from backyard gardens because someone’s tomato and squash plants had been producing more than they could eat.
This summer was my first not living at home, and I was bummed knowing I wouldn’t get to eat as many of my favorite things from my dad’s garden this year. But thanks to a CSA box from a local farm, I’ve been getting to enjoy the same kind of foods my parents always taught me to appreciate.
This season, Athena’s Harvest Farm in Santa Fe (it’s pronounced Fee) has been the fix to my need for heirloom tomatoes and yellow squash, and thanks to them, I’ve been able to stash my pizza rolls in the back of the freezer and channel my inner Ina Garten at the same time.
Athena’s Harvest is run by husband and wife Jesse and Athena (hence the name). At the Richland Park Farmers Market (my pickup point), Jesse gave me the grand tour of box number one, and inside, I saw baby carrots, lettuce and a basket of tiny strawberries. Instant relief—I know what those are and, more importantly, what to do with them. Then I came face to face with some things I wasn’t as well-acquainted with—starting with Harukei turnips and French breakfast radishes. To follow was garlic scapes, Swiss chard and fresh herbs like dill and oregano that this girl has only ever seen dried in a bottle.