McDougal’s Farm Challenges CSA Members to get Creative in the Kitchen

(Click here to view this news article from WJFW-Channel 12)

When you go shopping for produce, you normally take a list and pull straight from the store shelf.

But at one Deerbrook farm, you buy a season’s worth of vegetables without knowing what you’ll get.

It’s called Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and it constantly challenges members to get creative in the kitchen.

“You have to be spontaneous and not afraid of change because that’s what it’s all about,” said Deborah Bent, a CSA member.

Buying your produce from Jerry and Maydene McDougal is far from the typical shopping experience.

The McDougal’s do all the thinking during their nearly 18 week growing season, all the members need to do is pick up a box once a week.

“Every week, I would get something in the box that I think hmm…what am I going to do?” said Renee Wink, another CSA member.

But members aren’t entirely on their own.

“That’s where our newsletters come in that come with every box every week, and they have recipes that go with what’s in the box, so we try to help,” said McDougal’s Farm Owner Maydene McDougal.

About 10 minutes down the road in Antigo, Sweet Thyme is always changing their menu based on what they get from the McDougal’s.

“We might have radishes that come in. We might have kohlrabi that comes in, and so sometimes a salad will get a little infusion of all those kinds of different things and it changes it up,” said Sweet Thyme Owner Tanya Selden.

That kind of connection members have with the farm is something the McDougal’s can appreciate.

“Something beautiful bloomed. It’s really a nice feeling,” said McDougal.

Though putting food on the table for others feels good for the McDougal’s, it’s their members that are feeling better about themselves.

“We only have one body to live in. You need to take good care of it,” said Bent.

Between flowers, herbs and produce, the McDougal’s grow 400 varieties.

Right now, broccoli and cherry tomatoes are ripe for the picking and carrots will soon be on the way.

For more information on CSA and McDougal’s Farm, click here.

Source: WJFW-Channel 12