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NOXEN — Favorite way to eat potatoes?
“Mashed or baked,” said Lisa Fox of Plymouth.
“In pierogies,” said her friend Amy Ratowski of Hunlock Creek. And if you’re frying them, “you have to use a cast-iron skillet.”
As they talked about potatoes, Fox and Ratowski cut a pile of the Red Gold variety into halves and quarters.
“Make sure you have at least two ‘eyes’ in each piece,” Deb Shoval said, wielding a knife of her own at Fertile Grounds, the organic Community Sponsored Agriculture farm she founded several years ago.
By mid-July, Shoval said, she hopes to begin harvesting the potatoes and adding them to the boxes of vegetables that Fertile Grounds plans to deliver to its members every week of the growing season.
Drop-off spots include the YMCA in downtown Wilkes-Barre, The Lands at Hillside Farms in Shavertown, VIVE Health & Fitness in Kingston, Zummo’s Cafe in Scranton and Jaya Yoga in Clarks Summit.
Shoval said starting the first week in June, Fertile Grounds’ bright yellow van will deliver the boxes, each of which she estimates will contain six to eight freshly harvested, organic items.
Early in the season, a box might contain kale, mixed greens, scallions, garlic scapes, parsley and radishes. By August a box might contain potatoes, cucumbers, Swiss chard, eggplant, cabbage, dill and garlic bulbs. In October the box might contain lettuce mix, acorn squash, collard greens, cilantro, carrots, sweet potatoes and onions.
New crops with which Fertile Grounds plans to experiment this year include strawberries, artichokes and corn, she said.
Throughout the growing season, there will be scheduled events when members will be invited to do some “pick your own” harvesting or pitch in with farm chores. The cutting of the seed potatoes, which came from Maine, was the first such event this year.
The optional events give people a chance to be surrounded by nature on the 37-acre farm, Shoval said, or to show their children where food comes from.
As she helped cut the Red Gold potatoes Fox, who is new to Fertile Grounds this year, said she can’t wait for the produce deliveries to begin. “The herbs, the vegetables, it all sounds good,” she said.
“Last year we ate a lot more vegetables than normal,” said another helper, Julie Boyle of Dallas, who is a returning member. “You had to eat your week’s worth before the next pickup.”
Long an advocate of healthful eating, Shoval is glad to give consumers access to more organic, locally grown vegetables.
A few years ago, Fertile Grounds planted enough for 300 families and some would-be members had to be turned away. This year and last, Shoval said, the crew, led by Amy Butler, is planting enough for 500 families.
The sooner people sign up to be members, the easier it will be to make plans, Shoval said.
The way the CSA works, a family or individual can pay $540 for a season’s worth of produce or $270 for every-other-week delivery. There is also an option to pay for a season in five installments of $110 each. For more information, see fertilegroundscsa.com or call 570-262-3930
Checks may be sent to Fertile Grounds, 19 Firehouse Road, Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania 18618.