Belly Up A big box of veg

A CSA share is like a surprise party for foodies. Basically a weekly vegetable subscription service, CSA, or community-supported agriculture, is a way of pairing up eaters who are willing to buy a share of a season’s crops with growers who live nearby. Participants know the thrill of opening their heavy waxed produce box each week to see what dirty delights await inside: ramps, sunchokes, garlic scapes, nasturtiums, celeriac—and more familiar vegetables, too—all grown in organic soil by local farmers. Some CSA farms also supply such treats as flowers, eggs, fruit, meat, and honey. But where are city dwellers to find such a farm willing to participate in this mutually-beneficial and eco-friendly arrangement? Why, at the 17th Annual CSA Open House. Sponsored by MACSAC (the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition), this free event allows visitors to gather information from some of the 35 MACSAC-endorsed CSA farms, meet farmers, and attend cooking demonstrations. The event runs Saturday, March 28, from 1 until 4 p.m. at Olbrich Botanical Gardens.

Fatsometer: 0. By the time you walk out, your cholesterol will have even dropped a couple of points just from thinking about your new vegetable-rich existence.