It's that time of year again! CSA farms all over the country will begin accepting deposits and applications for this year's harvest. If you aren't familiar with community supported agriculture then hopefully this post will serve as an intro to CSA, or rather CSA101.
CSA Definition: abbreviation for Community Supported Agriculture, also known as Local Harvest
What is a CSA?
A CSA is a farm/community partnership. Think of it like stock in a company. By making a financial commitment to the farm you become a CSA member or "shareholder". In return for your monetary contribution the farm provides you with weekly baskets of fresh produce during "crop season".
Why join?
Joining a CSA is a great way to get fresh, local produce and support your local farmers! The produce is usually cheaper than in the markets or stores. You'll also receive larger quantities, making it perfect for canning and storing for the winter! Local produce is fresher & healthier for you than shipped, store bought produce. Grocery stores buy the cheapest produce available, not the healthiest and not the closest. Why support a mondo farm in Florida when you can support Farmer Brown down the street?
How does a CSA work?
Now, I can't speak for all CSAs but our local farm requires a down payment (around February-March) so they can begin planning this year's crop. Once you make the down payment you are officially a member of the CSA. Each week, for the 20 weeks of April- August (NC crop season) we go to our assigned pickup location to receive our basket of freshly picked produce. Each week the basket contents vary with 5-7 difference items but this is an example of one week of a large share (2 adults 2 kids):
-2 lbs. organic strawberries
-1/2 lb. organic baby lettuce
-1 lb. local early tomatoes
- 1 lb. organic potatoes
-2 lbs. organic carrots
-2 lbs. organic broccoli
$28 value- you pick it up free with a paid CSA membership.
Our local CSA is a 100% certified organic farm but not all farms will harvest all organic crops. NOTE: FRESH LOCAL NON-ORGANIC IS STILL HEALTHIER FOR YOU THAN SHIPPED PRE-PICKED PRODUCE! And definitely healthier than frozen or even worse, canned. (bleck!)
How can I find a CSA near me?
There are over 2,000 CSAs in the United States. Find one near you by going to www.localharvest.org/csa
Here's a few questions to ask your local farmer before deciding on a CSA. (courtesy of LocalHarvest.org)
1. How long have you been farming?
2. How long have you been doing a CSA?
3. Are there items in your box grown by other farms, and if so, which farms?
4. How did last season go?
5. I'd like to talk with a couple of your members before I commit. Could you give me contact info for a couple of "references"?
For example: #3, our CSA sometimes has cantaloupes in the baskets but they do not grow cantaloupes. They are buying these from another local farm that uses the same environmentally safe farming techniques our farm uses. Good to know!
Check out a CSA near you this year and find out just how delicious buying local can be!
Do you have a question that I didn't cover? Don't be shy.
2 comments:
Thanks so much for giving us (www.BiteoftheBest.com) credit for the photo you're using. We appreciate that!
Bonnie
Absolutely! (and I LOVE your site.) :)
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