Meet Bronwen and Stephanie
Bronwen and Stephanie are dedicated CSA members. They have a large, blended family which includes three kids and a wonderful bonus parent.
They relocated to Bend from Washington a few years ago. Bronwen’s job at the Bend Parks and Recreation District has allowed their family to get to know the community better and to get involved.
Community involvement and supporting local agriculture is at the heart of who they are as family. Whether they are buying extras or stocking up on Double F Ranch soap, they love supporting our CSA community!
JOIN DATE
2019
CSA PICKUP LOCATION
Bend
SHARE TYPE
10# Share
LOCAL SUPPORT LEADS TO FINDING The CSA
After Bronwen and Stephanie moved to Bend they started the transition to buy local food.
Having grown up visiting her grandparent’s farm, Stephanie knew from firsthand experience that there was a big difference between store bought food and the fresh meat, eggs, and produce found on the farm.
For Bronwen, the impact of agriculture on the environment was at the forefront of her mind and before joining Double F Ranch Meat CSA she was considering vegetarianism as a way to stay committed to her values.
Bronwen and Stephanie admit that how they discovered the CSA was completely random. They found themselves discussing their efforts to source local food with a friend who then suggested they look into CSAs. They quickly took to the CSA model and found it to be the very food experience they had been seeking.
“In terms of where we’re spending our money, we like to be able to go into a business and see the people who are actually benefiting from it, rather than a big corporation.”
They are now a CSA household, having also joined a vegetable CSA as well!
THREE FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT THE CSA
Quality: After joining, Bronwen and Stephanie could tell the difference in the meat immediately. The CSA has helped them be more mindful about what they eat which has improved the quality of their cooking.
Environmental Impact: Supporting local farmers who take care of the land and the animals is one of the reasons they joined the CSA.
Connection: Bronwen and Stephanie love seeing Nathan and Katia every month. They love the connection and being able to share in this unique experience as a family and community.
“When we pick up our food, there’s something really nice to have those brief interactions with [our farmers]. We know that they’re putting themselves into the product that we’re buying from them, and I like that part.
I look forward to going and getting our CSA and seeing them. They are so friendly and it just feels like a community.
”
MEALTIMES BEFORE CSA VS NOW
Before joining the CSA they found it harder to plan meals. You don’t normally buy a month’s worth of meat at the store. But having a freezer full of meat has helped them plan more efficiently.
It has also helped them save money on their grocery bill! Grocery shopping is more about picking up supplemental food to help compliment the meat and veggies.
One of the joys of joining the CSA is that now Browen and Stephanie’s children are proud of the food that they eat. They all get to relish in the joy of a completely locally-sourced meal!
FILLING THE FREEZER
Having such a dedicated and hungry household means that stocking up on meat is essential. They love having the ability to purchase extra cuts to go along with their CSA share. It is one of the great perks about the CSA.
Some of their favorite extras include:
Beef Tri Tip
Ground Beef
Chicken Wings and Drumsticks
Carne Asada
Eggs
Ground Pork
Ham Steaks
Some of their favorite meals include:
Cooking a whole chicken and using the meat to make other meals like enchiladas.
Meatballs
Stuffed bell peppers
Homemade corn dogs, a huge family favorite!
TIPS FOR NEW MEMBERS
It is always refreshing to hear from other members about what was helpful in the beginning of their first CSA season.
Their advice to a new member feeling intimidated by the CSA? Take it slow.
They offered these thoughts on how to think about your share in the beginning:
It will make life more convenient.
It does not take up that much space.
It will help you be more thoughtful about your food and planning.
Another great piece of advice for new members:
“If you are going to have any houseguests, plan to buy MORE meat.”
In the beginning there were a few times that they would have guests and need to run to the store to buy extra meat. They adjusted quickly though and started planning ahead by buying extras at pick up to keep the freezer well stocked.
Great advice even for seasoned CSA members!
SHARING THE CSA LOVE
Bronwen and Stephanie came into the CSA family by word of mouth, and they enjoy sharing their experience with others in hopes that they too might learn more about CSAs.
“We’re proud of [the CSA]. We love when we have guests coming over and telling them about the CSA.
Honestly, before I had moved here, I didn’t even know about CSAs. A lot of people have never heard about it. A lot of people want to look into it. They want to see if it’s available in their communities.
I’m just proud of it.”
MORE THAN JUST FOOD
The also are both committed to the Double F Ranch artisan products. They exclusively use the soap made by Kathy and loved the December blog post about Kathy’s creative process.
“We just love the soap so much there’s no way we could go back to normal soap. It’s really neat to read about her story and how she makes it and see the photos. It’s beautiful and it feels so good on your skin.”
CHAIN OF FOODS
This past October, Katia had the wooden round tray of brightly colored fruit and veggie temporary tattoos sitting at the sign in table.
Their youngest had never had a temporary tattoo, so Stephanie picked one out to bring home. But those veggies were so cute, she grabbed some for the whole family.
When everyone was together, they each picked out a tattoo and placed it on their forearms and took a family photo.
This row of foods was so beloved by Bronwen that she’s decided to get a permanent tattoo of it herself. They decided to call it the chain of foods after their youngest daughter’s favorite Aretha Franklin song, Chain of Fools.
What a sweet CSA memory and moment of family togetherness!
Thank you Bronwen and Stephanie for sharing your CSA experience! -Rachel