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14 Hudson Valley Parent n April 2017 By KYMBERLY BRECKENRIDGE B ecoming a member of a CSA (community-supported agricul- ture) models the very behavior many of us hope to cultivate in our children: environmental steward- ship, civic responsibility and the val- ue of healthy eating. Unfortunately, when the CSA box arrives with yet another mystery ingredient too often our best intentions in advertently end up in the trashcan. There are myriad reasons why the art of home cooking with fresh ingredients has fallen by the way- side in modern day life, but with the growing number of CSAs, and other purveyors of locally-grown and raised produce and meat, we are a bit trapped by the desire to do right by our local farms and our fami- ly's nutritional health, but lack the knowledge of how to prepare some of the food that arrives in the weekly basket. To help, many locally supported farms respond to the needs of their members by offering help on how to deliciously prepare the bounty of the Hudson Valley. The concept of the CSA is an import of rural Europe that started to gain popularity in certain areas of the United States in the 1980s. It's an idea - really a culture - that is now facing increasing competition from organic supermarkets and big chains offering to deliver groceries to your doorstep. The newest threat to CSAs is the inception of the meal delivery kits that can be found online, i.e. Blue Apron, that come with specific ingre- dients and directions that seems to all but cook the food for you. Capitalizing on hectic modern-day lifestyles, these companies recognize that people are clearly willing to pay more to worry less about what to cook and how to cook it. Small CSA farm blogging sites express worry that they are losing members who feel bad by the food they waste because they don't know how to prepare it and the farmers believe CSA cooking education is key to the future of local, small-scale farming. Inspired by veggies Great Song Farm in northern Dutchess County is one of those local CSAs that has decided to do something about our society's lack of kitchen skills and enthusiasm for fresh vegetables. "My goal with cooking is that vegetarians and meat eaters, alike, Too many tomatoes Turning your CSA share into dinner Carrots in a rainbow of colors are just one of the many crisp, fresh and locally-grown crops produced at Great Song Farm in Dutchess County. Members of the CSA can learn about different ways to integrate the different varieties into their meal-making. Show us your best DADDY AND ME photo for a chance to win tickets to see the Hudson Valley Renegades! Contest begins April 24 Contests.HVParent.com