Eating well with Groundwork!
Any reader who also follows Groundwork! on Facebook knows we eat well here at 1213 Purchase Street. In the past few weeks alone, we’ve enjoyed a member potluck; a farewell lunch featuring some magnificent sushi courtesy of now-alumni members, Pidalia; assorted snacks during regularly scheduled Coffee Hours; and some nifty treats from The Baker courtesy of our fearless leaders, Sarah Athanas and Dena Haden, during a video shoot.
Naturally, shots of us chowing down appear with regularity in our social media feeds. If New Bedford coworking in the gig economy requires copious amounts of fuel, Groundworkers are ready for blast-off.
Especially so because in between all the pop-up opportunities for good grub, members were able to avail themselves of participation in a CSA farm share program all summer long and now into autumn thanks to the foresight of those aforementioned fearless leaders.
For those of you unfamiliar with what a CSA is, here’s the 411: CSA is Community Supported Agriculture. It’s a way for shoppers to buy seasonal, local produce directly from area farmers. The farmers offer “shares” to the public – in this case, Groundwork! members. Each week a box or bag of veggies magically appears at the coworking space for pick-up by members who bought a share.
Apponagansett Farm
The local farm supplying the bounty here is Apponagansett Farm. It’s a “small, diverse family farm in South Dartmouth…dedicated to providing high quality, sustainably grown food to the local community,” according to their website, where you can find out more about them. Including, how you can grab yourself a winter share. (Non-Groundwork! members can pick up their weekly share at the farm itself.)
When the CSA share program was initially launched, this writer didn’t sign-up for it. As a single guy, I was concerned I would end up throwing out good food because, well, my Emeril Lagasse moments are more aspirational than actual.
Fortunately, fellow Groundworker Nicole Pupillo – a big fan of our CSA – persuaded me to get in on the greens by offering to split her share with me. Nicole enjoyed some vacation time and was out of the area, so I ponied up and picked up her deliveries while she was away. When she returned, we maintained the split arrangement – and my cupboard has remained bountiful rather than bare. And no, none of it went to waste, as I had initially feared.
Adventures with veggies
It’s been great to get healthy food to take home delivered right to my laptop each week – and a nice challenge. Discovering what we received – and determining what to do with it – has definitely led to some culinary adventure. It’s fun sharing thoughts on how best to prepare eggplant, for example, with other members, especially Nicole. So, chalk up another advantage to coworking: healthier eating!
As we head into autumn, I’ve discovered that those colorful gourds you see in Thanksgiving pictures are actually edible. (I split mine into quarters, brushed them with olive oil and sprinkled some sea salt on them before broiling.) And, the introduction of sweet potatoes and radishes has led to some colorful dishes being prepared in my kitchen.
Apponagansett Farm sends us a weekly newsletter letting us know what to expect – complete with recipes, too. Again, their winter share program is beginning and you can check out their website for more information.
Or, join Groundwork! and get it delivered right to your desk! Participating in a CSA share, supporting New Bedford’s Farmers Markets and the urban agriculture of our members, GROW Education helps fulfill the promise of New Bedford coworking in the best possible way:
The most amazing shared experience we’re enjoying is forging a new future together from the ground up.
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