A few weeks ago, I was scrolling on Instagram in the evening (as I am wont to do) and I saw a post from a friend I’d gone to high school with about a farm called New Roots Cooperative Farm. It’s the first immigrant-owned co-op in Maine, based on 30 acres in Lewiston, and the post was about how it was at risk of losing 65% of its yearly income, largely because the United States Department of Agriculture canceled a program called Local Food Purchasing Assistance.

The LFPA, which would have provided $1.25 million to Maine over the next three years, pays small farmers to grow produce specifically to donate to food pantries and directly to community members in need. Personally, I think that’s a great use of government money — assisting small farmers and giving people access to healthy food who would not otherwise be able to afford it. But someone’s got to pay for tax cuts for the rich. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether the Trump administration hates small farmers, immigrants or low-income people. (My guess is all three.)

According to the Good Shepherd Food Bank, the loss of the program means the loss of between 500,000 and 600,000 pounds of fresh produce a year. Supporting food security and growing healthy, fresh produce for the community is a huge part of New Roots’ mission. It recently received the “eat more fruits and vegetables” award from the Maine WIC and farmers market nutrition program for being the number one redeemer in Lincoln County for the 2024 growing season. Which is impressive because the farm isn’t even in Lincoln County. (I am, though!)

Fortunately, Allison (thank you, Allison) also posted that New Roots was still accepting orders for CSA shares. CSA stands for “community supported agriculture” and it means you pay up front at the beginning of the growing season (so the farmers can pay up-front costs like supplies and labor). In return, when the plants start sprouting you get a weekly bag or box of them. New Roots in particular has two “seasons” for CSA shares: July-August and September-October.

Now, for important context, I’m in what I call the “very hungry caterpillar” stage of pregnancy. According to all the books and apps, most of my baby’s major organs and bones have formed, and now it’s all about building mass. And boy my appetite is reflecting that.

I’ve also noticed that my pregnancy cravings aren’t showing up as the stereotypical “weird flavor combinations.” (I don’t like mixing sweet and salty, much less pickles and peanut butter or whatever.) What they show up as is complete lack of self-control where food is involved. As Ariana Grande once put it: “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it.” So I immediately purchased a full-season CSA share. My wife said, “You know that CSAs give you a ton of greens, right?” To which I pointed out, “You’ve been buying me two boxes of arugula per week.”

This is one of my better impulse buys. Cooking is difficult for me, but so is planning. Part of the reason I tend to eat the same things all the time (when left to my own devices — thank God for my wife!) is because I just get overwhelmed with the amount of choices and options in the supermarket and my brain shuts down. The CSA share busts down that barrier in my brain by giving me a variety each week. I don’t have to pick and choose. It’s presented to me.

And we have to figure out a meal from what’s presented to us because like heck are we letting this go to waste. It’s enabled me to try new things I might not otherwise have. It turns out I like sauteed Swiss chard and greens! The cost for a two-person, 16-week share was $480, which is a big chunk of money up front but which breaks down to $30 per week, which is pretty food for two people’s (well, maybe two and a half, technically) worth of organic local vegetables every week.

And the vegetables are good. A potato is a potato pretty much wherever it comes from, but I find that when it comes to leafy greens and veggies, local and fresh makes a huge difference when it comes to flavor. I did accidentally ruin the entire first week’s batch of kale in a disastrous kale chip making attempt.

Plus now I’m super into going to the farmers market, which does make me feel older. And mom-like. Once I partied. Now I say things like “Honey, we have to get to the farmers market early this weekend or else they’ll run out of eggs.” But you go just to pick up your bag and then you see ooh, someone has fresh tomatoes and we are currently out! Ooh, a box of sugar snap peas would make a great snack! Ooh, the German bakery lady is selling something called streuselkuchen, which looks like sweet bread and coffee cake had a baby and I need a giant slice NOW.

We even brought Karma to last week’s market and she was wonderfully behaved, except for when she mistook a baby for a small dog. Nobody’s perfect.

The farmers at New Roots are helping me nourish my child. He’s getting big and strong. (I can tell by the force of the kicks directed right into my bladder.) I feel so lucky that I’m able to access this produce, and I think everyone should be able to afford fresh local food, grown by well-compensated farmers, regardless of income.

Being lucky and blessed shouldn’t have anything to do with it. But if you are able to get to a local farmers market, or participate in a seasonal CSA, I absolutely recommend it. And if you see me heading for the streuselkuchen, clear a path.