Growing and Eating Green with Community Supported Agriculture

Posted by lindseyshoe

What is CSA- Community Supported Agriculture and how does it work as well as benefit its community?

Jessica enjoys fruit trees and grape vines on her property but doesn’t have allocated space or time for growing her own vegetables in this season of her life. Yet her kitchen is full of locally grown greens, herbs, melons and root vegetables from spring through fall. In this case, her garden bounty is delivered right to door. Jessica and many others in her community are buying and eating locally grown produce through Community Supported Agriculture or a CSA.
What is a CSA?
A CSA is a group of families and individuals who commit to supporting a farm operation that becomes a “community farm.” CSA may be formal and legal in which members become shareholders of the farmland or garden and they share in the cost of the raising the food and also enjoy sharing the bounty produced on the community farm. Often CSA members are required to pay for their anticipated harvest for the year up front although some CSA groups offer monthly payment programs referred to as subscriptions.
Other CSA arrangements may be less formal and more of a community than a legal arrangement where community members may pledge labor and/or money to support growing produce and again share in the seasonal harvest.
Either way, members or subscribers are encouraged to get to know the farm where their food is grown. Most CSA farms host community days or picnics on the farm where everyone can join in labor of the farm and learn more about the products. Often CSA farms will include cooking tips or recipes for the foods.
Members of a CSA often receive or pick up a basket or box of either on a weekly or monthly basis typically from June through October. CSA offerings may include:
*vegetables
*Fruits
*Eggs
*Meats
*Flowers
Farmers benefit from being involved in a CSA because they have the financial support needed to continue to operate the farm. Farmers will enjoy better prices for their crops and farmers also have a guaranteed direct market for sales and are relieved of the additional duties of marketing their crops. CSA members will share in not only the benefits of food production, but also share in potential risk of poor harvest that may result from uncontrolled pests or extreme weather.
Many CSA farms use organic growing methods. Most organic foods are much higher in costs to buy in stores. With a CSA, the “middleman” is cut out which means that farmers get better prices and members may still enjoy lower prices than they would expect to pay in an organic food market.
Benefits CSA members enjoy:
*Eating locally grown produce
*Buying food harvested within the last 24 hours
*Reconnecting to the land where their food is grown
*Supporting organic or biodynamic farming which protects the local environment
*Keeping America green with undeveloped farmland
The idea of community supported agriculture is growing exponentially. In the past decade, the number of known CSA programs in the United States has risen from 50 to well over 2000. Many consumers have made a commitment to CSA as part of an overall commit to live greener. It is becoming more and more apparent that buying produce or fruit that has been shipped across the country leaves an incredible carbon footprint on our earth. Buying locally is so much more eco-friendly. Others have been attracted to CSA products after becoming scared of the risks of eating food of unknown origins. After cases of e coli illness and deaths from contaminated lettuce and spinach, many families are willing to pay a premium price to know where they food has been.
You don’t have to live in rural America to become part of a CSA. Many CSA programs are thriving in big cities. Farmers offer pick up at convenient agreed places or in some cases even deliver.
CSA programs are helping Americans eat healthier and greener and to support more eco-friendly farm use. As a favorite bumper sticker reads, “Farm land lost is farm land lost forever” so supporting these farms helps keep greener pastures in America.