Cooking Together: Annie’s Story

When Annie heard about PNWCSA’s Cooking Your CSA class with Chef Cameron Dunlap, she thought it might be just what her family needed. Her three kids had been eager to learn how to cook, and she wanted to build her own confidence in the kitchen, too.

The kids saved their own money to buy tickets, and Annie joined them for an evening of making fresh pasta and seasonal sauces from scratch. Simple, nourishing food and a shared experience that brought them closer together.

Annie said what she valued most was cooking alongside her children, not just sitting down to eat together. It sparked their interest in joining a CSA to keep exploring seasonal ingredients at home. And a few weeks later, Annie shared that one night, while she and her husband were working late, their middle child cooked dinner entirely from scratch—no cans, no shortcuts, just what they’d learned together.

What began as a single class became the start of a new rhythm in Annie’s home, one filled with confidence, curiosity, and connection.

Stories like Annie’s remind us that food education is more than recipes; it’s about nurturing confidence, connection, and curiosity across generations. When kids have the chance to cook with fresh, local ingredients, they build lifelong skills and a deeper appreciation for where their food comes from. At PNWCSA, we believe every family should have access to experiences like these that bring people together around the table and help them make the most of their CSA abundance. If you would like to help us continue this work and share the joy of local food with more households across the region, you can donate here.