Getting kids to enjoy eating vegetables is a top food concern for almost every parent I know. In a world where unhealthy food is everywhere, how do we get kids excited about eating a healthful diet full of fresh vegetables? Our family has discovered the answer to this question by becoming members of CSA.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has helped us eat locally, teach our children about where their food comes from and introduce them to a variety of foods they never would have otherwise tried.

Becoming a CSA member means paying a fee to a local farm in exchange for receiving a portion of what the farm produces. These portions, called shares, are picked up on a weekly or bi-weekly basis directly on the farm or at a neighborhood pick-up location.

Our family of five chooses to receive a share of vegetables weekly, and every week feels like Christmas! Depending on the season, the selection is always different and we thrill in digging through the bags to see what’s arrived.

Some of the more familiar foods, like tomatoes and peas, are gobbled up right away. Others, such as kale and celeriac, take a bit more planning and creativity. But, before we knew it our kids were enjoying kale smoothies…

Spinach, onions and carrots were making their way into our meatball subs…

Our kids had to guess how many vegetables were in my cheddar cheese soup…

And we learned that pumpkins were not just made for carving.

Not only do the farms supply the vegetables, they also supply members with an understanding of our food system. Many farms provide education, events and tours that help teach kids that food doesn’t just magically appear on the store shelves. Our kids were certainly amazed to find out that popcorn actually does come from a cob and not from a plastic bag!

Joining a Wisconsin CSA provides an opportunity for anyone seeking a fun, cost-effective way to support local agriculture while expanding their family’s enjoyment of seasonal produce.

The FairShare CSA Coalition is an excellent resource for information related to CSA. You can find them online at http://www.csacoalition.org/.

Today's guest post is brought to us by Jessica Burfield. Jessica has lived in Wisconsin her entire life. She is raising three kids while working in public relations from her home. When not working on creatively sneaking vegetables into her family's diet, she can be found trying to discover her creative side. She has recently found a love of knitting, blogging, and making her own natural products.