St. Rose's CSA

 My senior year is turning out to be very different from the first three years I've spent here. One major change that occurred this year is that I moved from a traditional double-occupancy residence hall room into an on-campus apartment  with three other roommates! It is so exciting to have my own kitchen to cook my own meals in because I like being able to eat what I want whenever I want. While cooking for myself was an exciting endeavor, I worried about my expenses and about how I would be able to afford the healthy food that I wanted to eat. Luckily, I learned about a program that took all of my fears away!

Last year, members of the Fordham community came together and started St. Rose's Garden . Through St. Rose’s Garden, members worked hard to start a CSA program on campus. CSA, which stands for community supported agriculture, supports local farmers and allows students to have access to cheap, organic, healthy, and delicious produce. I had never joined a CSA before and was intrigued by the different types of produce you could pick up each week. For $160 ($16 a week for 10 weeks), one can buy a share that will provide them with 6-8 lbs of fresh produce every week. When we did the math, my roommates and I realized it would only cost roughly $5 per person to receive more than enough health fruits and vegetables. Ultimately, two of my roommates and I decide to pool our money and buy a share together. The local farmers send whatever produce they have freshly harvested that week, so our weekly bounty will change and we will likely receive new fruits and vegetables we've never tried before. To me, this element of surprise is the best part of the CSA.  

Our first shipment of produce! Tomatoes, turnips, greens, bok choi, green beans, peppers, and carrots!