Great Basin Basket CSA

I just joined the Great Basin Basket CSA for the first time this summer. I got my second basket last week (I signed up for both the fruits and vegetables). As mentioned in the earlier review, you pay in advance for the summer and receive a «basket» every week for 14 weeks of fresh produce from local farmers. We share both baskets with my parents as it’s too much for one couple to eat.
POSITIVES: You get REALLY fresh fruit and produce every week. We eat more fruits and vegetables than ever before and it forces me to try new recipes. Instead of buying the same thing every week I am getting creative and having a BLAST doing it. The fruits and vegetables really are some of the best I’ve ever tried. You also get a variety of fresh herbs. This last week we got Sun Jewel Melon which I’ve never even heard of! Not to mention, it feels good knowing that you are supporting local farmers!
NEGATIVES: It’s pricier than if you were to go to the local farmers market and buy the same amount of produce. We pay $ 32.15/week for vegetables and $ 20/​week for fruits. For $ 52/​week we could go crazy at the Saturday farmers market and be buying from a lot of the same growers! Also, because we can’t pick up the items until after work (5:30ish) they’ve been in the heat/​sun for a few hours and unfortunately require a lot of TLC to be able to save them for a few days. We are forced to eat a lot of it in the first couple of days (as they are ripe NOW) and then end up buying produce at the store to last the rest of the week anyways.
Overall, I am really enjoying my purchase. I’m not sure I could afford to sign up again next year, but since I’m prepaid for 14 weeks I am going to definitely enjoy the fresh produce and exciting variety I receive each week. If you don’t have to watch your money very closely and like the idea of trying new items while supporting local business then I highly suggest you sign up for the CSA
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This is my second year participating in Great Basin’s Community Supported Agriculture Basket. I think it’s a wonderful program. It’s a weekly basket of local, seasonal, sustainable produce You prepay for the season and each week you pick up a big box full of a variety of goods. Sometimes you get nuts and fruits thrown into the mostly veggie mix. I split my pickup with two other friends as I am single and mostly cook for myself I could never finish one box in a timely fashion.
I’m enjoying the Spring Basket which is 10 weeks of various salad greens, garlic, green onion, fresh herbs, radishes, carrots, garlic and so much more. Summer is 14 weeks of bountiful produce (just take a look at their website to see all that’s included!) with beautiful Fallon melons and the occasional basket of raspberries or strawberries that made me alarmed at how delicious the fruit can be. (I literally said «omg, these strawberries have so much strawberry flavor!!» because I had become used to those huge but bland or tart berries from the grocery store). I chose to participate in this instead of going to the weekly farmers markets because this way I’m forced to try new things I might not pick out on my own. It’s been fun to try new veggies and get these beautiful mostly organic heirloom varieties as well. Each week they send out a newsletter keeping you updated as to what’s being harvested and what to expect in the coming week so you can menu plan. They also include recipe suggestions each week. At the end of the season they hold a potluck «Day at the Farm» at Lattin Farms which was neat to meet others and go on Hay rides and corn mazes. The organizers and participating Farmers are gracious and good at taking feedback. I’m surprised at the variety of things that are grown in northern Nevada (or nearby) although there was quite an abundance of zucchini, tomatoes, and melons every week.
Overall it’s a great program and I’ll likely continue to participate as long as they offer it. They are expanding their pickup points and times and also offer a flower basket too.