Meet CSA Member Nadia!

Meet Nadia, a seasoned CSA member with plenty of experience cooking for a crowd. Nadia has a blended, multi-generational household that includes three children and her parents.

Her commitment to the CSA and her Belarusian culture plays a large part in her cooking choices. Being a part of the CSA has allowed her to cook more traditional dishes as well as provide high-quality meat for her growing children.

Follow along as you get to read this Meet the Member Interview in Nadia’s own words.

JOIN DATE

2016

CSA PICKUP LOCATION

Portland

SHARE TYPE

20# Share + monthly extras purchases

What led you to look for a meat CSA?

I just found myself being grossed out by the supermarket meat. I don't know how that happened or maybe I watched some kind of documentary. You know how it happens to people. I watched a documentary about commercial meat production.

I just ended up going to the grocery store to buy something for dinner and walking up and down the meat aisle. I wasn’t able to pick up anything at all. I would look at something and I would just have this aversion. It's hard to explain. 

I ended up having my husband go buy meat. I would cook with it, and I wouldn't feel good about it either. I was a vegetarian for a while. But then after I started cooking for the whole family, I couldn't really remain vegetarian because I'm cooking meat.

It was very natural for me to search for better options, and I heard of people buying half a cow. But it just felt like too much.

I remember reading in the blog Katia wrote, that you just needed a regular freezer for a 20-pound bag of frozen meat. So, I thought that will work!

How did you first hear about the CSA?

I actually had to do quite a bit of research. I asked around my social circle and nobody knew anything about a meat CSA. I did a vegetable CSA. I really liked that sort of concept. I wanted to do a meat one and I couldn't find anybody. I even asked on Facebook and nobody knew anything.

I just started Googling. Then came across some kind of research paper that Katia participated in. I read about it and I'm like, “OK, those people look legit.” At the time there were no reviews on Yelp or elsewhere.

There are so many farms doing the CSA model today though. I feel like, even six years ago, it wasn't as common.

I just emailed Katia. As it happens, I used to work on the east side. So, the pickup was literally a 12-minute drive from my work. I was like, oh, this is very convenient. This is meant to be. 

How did you choose your share size?

So I started with a full share (20# share) initially. You know, that wasn't enough because, with so many men in the family, they all want to have at least one meal a day with meat. So I moved on to two full shares.

I sort of realized that there are some very specific types of cuts that I'm wanting to cook with. So what I end up doing now is, I have a full share and then I order probably an equivalent to a whole share from the online store.

It is more expensive to order so much from the online store, but it gives me more control. I have more control over the meat and the type of meats that I have, so it works better for me that way.

What qualities of the CSA do you enjoy the most?

• The CSA basically allows me to cook cultural foods that I wouldn't be able to as easily make. I'm always asking Katia for some special cut like beef tails or liver or pork fatback that is hard to find in a grocery store.

• I like the fact that I don't have to go to the grocery store every time to get meat. Even though sometimes I get a cut of meat and I am like “what do I do with that?” But at the same time, it sort of encourages me to be creative and to learn things.

• I have learned so much from cooking the CSA meat that I wouldn't normally bother to learn, consider, or try. There is not a lot of variety when you just go to the supermarket. I like the variety and ability to expand my cooking horizons. Being allowed to experiment and try. 

• I like the personal touch, almost concierge service. I can tell that Katia is attentive to the needs that I have to feed a whole bunch of people.

  It doesn’t always work out to have just one cut of something because it's not enough for a whole meal. So, I noticed her putting two cuts of something that should normally only have one cut. I appreciate that because it is so nice. She's actually paying attention.

• Of course, the quality is great. I cannot complain. I can't compare it to anything. I have tried buying meat at the farmer’s market but it was different.

What do you look forward to EVERY month when you pick up your share?

I always make sure I review Katia’s, “What’s in my share.” That way I can order the extras in addition to that. Every once in a while, there is some new cut of meat that I haven't tried before and I'm like, oh, that would be cool to try.  

It’s always good to see Katia and Nathan. It was way better when we could hang out, have a snack and even maybe a glass of wine. I was kind of looking forward to that. It’s kind of comforting to see familiar faces and to know everything is still working as it should. That my meat is coming.

I remember during coronavirus at some point they were saying, we are going to run out of meat because all the chicken plants have to shut down because there are no workers. I remember thinking good thing I have my little CSA. I am not going to run out of meat at least this month. I think it's comforting to have that.

What are your favorite cuts and extras?

I stock up quite a bit on ground beef because we have two teenagers, and they like to have meat. They are not happy with just a little tiny bit on the side. As a result, I end up getting a 10-pound ground beef bulk order almost every single month that feeds them. 

I also purchase larger cuts that would serve the whole family, like a roast or a pork shoulder. We like pork chops. Every once in a while, Katia has some random cuts that I'm interested in trying.

I also buy quite a bit of country sausage and Italian sausage. Those go well with lasagna, which is also an economical way to feed people.

What are the meals that you cook regularly?

We use ground beef a lot. It doesn't excite people that much anymore, but of course, the burgers turn out great, very flavorful.

I've been feeding everyone beef short ribs and put them on polenta. I was essentially raised with cooking whatever is in the fridge. People are happy with that and then I use different kinds of roasts, pork shoulder, or any kind of large piece of slow-cooking meat.

I rotate meals because I have to cook after work. I don't have a lot of time to spend creating different dishes. My ideal dish is something that takes half an hour or less to prep and then cooking and serving another half an hour or so.

I don’t enjoy those elaborate dishes where you have to go to the grocery store and buy a whole bunch of ingredients and then chop them all up. I am still doing it but with what I have in the fridge.

I use recipes that I know. Dinner’s not going to be a flop. Every once in a while, it's good to experiment. But I've learned not to do it on weeknights at least. Sometimes I do it on the weekends when I know we can order pizza if it doesn’t work out.

On weeknights, I like sticking to tried and true meals that I know are just going to come out reasonably well and feed the people. 

I make beef stroganoff and goulash. They both can go on rice and pasta. I slice up meat like cube steak to put on top. I usually do the cube steak because it's relatively inexpensive. The butcher tenderizes it so you don't have to worry about over-cooking it. If you start slicing it while it's still a little bit frozen then it's way easier to slice it finely.

I have used several different cuts of meat for the stroganoff. A lot of them take a while to cook. I need something that cooks up pretty fast like the cube steak.

I also do the vegetable CSA and it limits me on what vegetables I use. I try to use up my vegetables and my meat at the same time. I end up having to be creative because I try not to go and buy extra ingredients for my dish.

It's almost like a puzzle. You have to use up the vegetables before they go bad, pair them with the CSA meat, and try to arrange the meal in a way that people like it too. Takes a little bit of mental work to figure it out. 

In the wintertime, I get quite a bit of sausage because I end up cooking a lot of meals with roasted vegetables and pieces of sausage. Then in the summertime, I end up with lots of leafy greens. I end up either marinating meat and making steak salads or having a big green salad with some protein on the side like a chicken breast or fried up chicken thigh.

What is the #1 reason you stay in the CSA?

FINAL THOUGHTS

I'm very grateful that I found the CSA. I am just amazed how well it is being run. I'm just happy and grateful to be part of it. I am thankful for all the hard work and dedication that Katia and Nathan put into it and the many people supporting it. I'm looking forward to getting back to connecting with everyone because this is a community effort.

Thank you so much Nadia for sharing your CSA story with us! ~Rachel