Most of the farms involved in CSAs are organic.  This means shareholders eat greens when they are naturally available and may wind up with a shipment of rutabagas.

“We try to provide new recipes so our members don’t end up wasting,” Janda said. “But a lot of our members have never cooked with these vegetables before so it can be a challenge. You have to change your mindset to ‘what do I feel like making’ to ‘what can I make with this share.’ ”

Despite the limitations, participants in the CSA say they enjoy the community aspect of the experience. For many members it’s not just the food, but what the food represents.

“It’s more work to be in a CSA,” said Janda, who said mandatory volunteer shifts are festive and overwhelmingly positive. “But people who join realize they are helping something bigger than themselves.”

After the flood of eager shareholders collecting their last shipment of the season settled down to a trickle, Novet went back to cooking and chopping her parsnips, potatoes and whatever else she is going to add to her latest creation, something she said she is doing whenever she has a spare moment.

“For most people in the CSA it’s not just about getting great food,” Novet said. “It’s also about feeling like they are doing something to save the world.”