What is CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an amazing initiative that has actually been around for the last 20 years but has recently become a popular way for savvy, green-conscious consumers to eat local, seasonal food directly from the farmer.
The idea is simple: you pay a farmer for a portion of the harvest and in return a box of fresh, in season, nutrient-rich produce is brought straight into your home!
Everybody Wins
Here are five fantastic reasons why you should consider a CSA:
Join a community of exchange and support. You help a farmer sustain his/her farm while you receive goods directly from the source. No trucking across states. No long-term storage in warehouses. Just you and the farmer. Goodbye middleman.- Eat what the earth provides. You receive fruits and vegetables that are locally available and in season. This is hands down the healthiest and most cost-effective way of eating!
- Gain the adventurous advantage. Surprise! When you open your box of produce, you will find your old standbys, but you will also be exposed to exciting and new produce that you may not have ever tried before. Routine is good, but variety is even better.
- Stay informed. Nothing beats a personal conversation. Get to know what you’re eating and how to best store your fresh produce by building a relationship with your farmer. (Hi Audrey and Cameron from Bending Bridge Farm!)
- Dig In. Some farmers welcome visits from customers. And while you are there, you may even get your hands dirty and pick some of your own produce. This is a live opportunity to educate yourself and your family about the value of caring for the earth. After all, it feeds us!
Where can I sign up?!
Check out Local Harvest and search by zip code to find a farm in your area.
Question of the day: Are you already a member of a CSA? Share your experience!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I joined a CSA last year but realized I had more fun just shopping the farmer’s markets. I don’t go to a regular grocery store and only to Whole Foods when I can’t find something I need at the FM — like organic lemons which aren’t grown locally.
I love the farmers market too but found that I don’t always have time to get there. My CSA farm saves me so much time and I love the excitement of waiting to see what this week’s box has hidden inside!
I actually use Washington’s Green Grocer… it has many of the benefits of a CSA, but I can exclude the types of produce I really don’t like, and can order “extras” of local eggs, meats, and produce. A small organic box, weekly delivered to my doorstep is only $37. Large is $44. So cost-effective!