I've known about Farmer Fred Miller for several years now through my friends Tony and Elizabeth Voiers who have been members for years. So it's a little ironic that this year, when it is only me at home, I decide to join the Hilltop Farms Organic Community Supported Agriculture Farm Share. I mean, seriously, what was I thinking? All that produce and only me to consume it.

Well the main thing I was thinking is that organic produce is sky high in the market. Most vegetables don't even look as if they are grown in dirt, they are so clean and all I practically eat in the summer is fresh veggies, so why the heck not? I don't regret a moment of it.

My CSA works like a mini Farmer's market where I get to choose exactly how much I get and what I want each week. There are sometimes limits on some veggies (and strawberries when they were in season) but so far I have never felt as if I haven't "gotten enough." Each week, Fred posts on his website (Hilltopfarms.org) what's in this week. Then I show up at my assigned drop spot during the two hour window and "shop" to my heart's content. My location is a mile up the road in the Temple Beth Meyer Synagogue parking lot. When it rains or it is blazing hot, Fred brings his tent and sets up shop right out of the back of his truck.

I love "shopping" with the other members and we talk about what our plans are for this week's bounty. Fred usually passes out samples for those who want them and it is like a fresh veggies tasting bar. The consumate business man, he knows what he is doing, for I have never seen someone take a samle and not add a few to their take home bag. This week, he was passing out cucumber samples. One member said he didn't even like cucumbers, but he sure liked these.

I was tickled when I saw the patty pan squash. The adorable little flying-saucer-shaped squash are as delightful to look at as they are to eat. (Just slice and saute them in a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, Yum!)

I've been a bit jealous reading about Beverly's abundance of tomatoes (click here to read Bev's blog), so I asked Farmer Fred when our tomatoes would be in. He said starting next week and to hold on because they were looking good.

I've started paying closer attention to the weather, hoping for rain when it got so dry and hot so early and hoping for sun when the rain didn't seem to want to stop. But all in all, I'd say it's been a great growing season so far.

I have averaged about $17 worth of produce each week that is charged against the $475 I paid at the begining of the growing season. While that was a chunk of change in April, I feel like I am already in the black even though I have hundreds of dollars left to spend. I have so enjoyed my abundance of veggies, the surprise of what's coming to harvest this week and feeling like once again I am connected to the earth in a way I haven't felt since I was an 8-year-old helping out on my grandfather's farm.

Stay tuned as I share some of my favorite ways to prepare my veggie abundance and more chapters of my CSA experience.