Garden of Eve Organic Farm & Market

We bought a mega combo share (fruit, veggie, egg and flower share) and we really wanted to like this CSA. Unfortunately, the quaility leaves much to be desired. You really have to pick through the available produce each week to make sure you don't pick rotting/wormy items. While the cucumbers are good, the zucchini many times is very bruised so you really have to be careful. The basil is so overgrown (flowering) that it's hard to get enough basil leaves to even cook with. The corn has been spotty, at best. It seems to be riddled with worms and we end up having to cut off at least half of the ear before cooking. Good side: what you can eat of the corn is really good. Melons: be careful to really look at what you're picking as most available have rotted spots, however, if you get a good one, the flavor is really great. This week was the first time eggplant was available and it was soft and wilted, which tells me it was picked quite a while ago. The fruit is good (but not their own) however not handled well. Picking through, most of what you have availalbe to you is severely bruised. We have given this enough weeks to make sure it wasn't just a one week experience - so far, each week we've had the same problems. We were told to get there earlier for the best quality, so we've been making sure to get there right at 10 AM. Didn't make a difference. I feel as if maybe the veggies that can't be sold in the market or aren't shipped to other CSA locations due to subpar quality are the ones left for the Riverhead CSA members. After all, we've already paid our share and are locked in for the season. I can't figure out another reason as to why produce like this would go out to the CSA members.

Postive: Eggs are good, but 1/2 dozen eggs doesn't make up for the amount of produce that goes into the compost each week.

First and last year with Garden of Eve for us unfortunately. We're already scoping out other CSAs for next season. We learned the hard way to make sure you visit the farms before you commit to a CSA share. Maybe it's a bad year for them, not sure but we aren't willing to risk another $1000 next year. The owners seem really nice, so giving an extra star for that :)