It might seem crazy to think about summertime produce at the end of January, but believe it or not, now is the time! CSAs offer the most seasonably-appropriate fruits and veggies available locally - you won't get corn in April or strawberries in October. Each week, you'll get tasty new veggies to try, like kohlrabi, chard or crazy kinds of squash, along with newsletters and recipes to guide you.

To get a great deal on peak-of-ripeness, locally-produced fruits and vegetables in 2008, sign up today for your favorite farm's CSA. Don't have a favorite? Here are a few of mine.

Blackberry Meadows
Connect with nature on a weekly basis as you journey to the Blackberry Meadows farm in Natrona Heights! If you're interested in helping your children connect the food they eat with the land it comes from, this is the CSA for you. This certified-organic, 20-week subscription asks members to visit the farm each week to select their own fruits and vegetables from what's in season, as well as purchase freshly baked bread, free range eggs, humanely-raised poultry and sustainable goods from Frankferd Farms. At $475, the farm's basic subscription comes out to about $24 a week in fresh, seasonal produce, in quantities that should easily feed a family of four. Other subscription options are available as well. Subscribers receive a weekly newsletter and invitations to special farm events. Subscribe now with a $10 deposit.

Kretschmann Farms
Don and Becky Kretschmann have been providing organically-raised produce to the Pittsburgh region since 1971 - that's way before organic was cool! Located near Zelienople, the Kretschmanns cooperate with several nearby farms to provide greens, fruits, summer vegetables and storage crops for winter. They'll pause your subscription while you're on vacation or donate your unclaimed veggies to the Pittsburgh Greater Community Food Bank. A small share - enough for a couple with two young children - is $525, and lasts for 25 weeks, from early June to Thanksgiving ($21 per week).

Penn's Corner Farm Alliance
Ready for fresh veggies as soon as possilbe?  The Penn's Corner Farm Alliance offers two CSA subscriptions that start with greens and other spring veggies as early as April. A cooperative of several local growers, Penns Corner offers one of the widest selections of products in its subscription packages, including fresh pasta, locally-harvested mushrooms, berries and free-range eggs at seasonally-appropriate intervals, dropped off at several convenient Pittsburgh locations. Although not all Penns Corner affiliates are certified organic, most are committed to natural agricultural practices. A 30-week subscription for 2-3 people starts in April and lasts through October for about $23 a week ($690 total, with smaller options available). Subscribe immediately for early bird discounts.

Keep in mind that the #1 reason people cancel CSA subscriptions is that they can't eat all the vegetables! If you're worried that you won't be able to finish everything each week, follow my lead and enlist a friend to share your share. It cuts the cost and pick-up duties in half! I'll be using my CSA veggies as the basis for my cooking throughout the season in 2008, and supplementing my take with regular visits to the farmer's market.