Community Supported Agriculture
A new way to farm
What is CSA?
CSA is an organization that is a new take on farming. Created in the 1980's, this is a community and environmentally friendly way to receive fresh produce. Members of CSA in a community support a farm financially in return for shares of vegetables. There has been a major growth in this organization in the New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Many people can be a part of a community and a farm, the largest being 13,000 families supporting Farm Fresh to You in California. The reason for major growth in this idea is due to its great benefits economically and ecologically. Economically, the plan supports local small farms that make a profit from the members who pay for the produce at low prices. These farms typically use eco friendly ways of managing their farms, which is one of the most important aspects.
Goals:
Robyn Van En, a leading CSA advocate, says "The main goal of these community supported projects is to develop participating farms to their highest ecologic potential and to develop a network that will encourage and allow other farms to become involved."
A Step to a healthier environment
Fresh Produce
Direct Relationship with Farmers
Stay Green and Clean
CSA: Environment
With the fast-paced world as it is today, nobody is thinking about the future. With a population growing rapidly, hunger will become a pressing issue. Along with CSA's environmentally-friendly farming techniques, farming at a local scale and its delivery eliminates costly middle-men and fossil fuels are not released due to long- distance deliveries. Many farms don't use chemicals and fertilizers that can pollute water supplies.Along with using little or organic pesticides, farmers try to carefully tend to their land and maintain soil fertility with a diverse assortment of crops rather than global farmers found today that specialize in very few crops that will use up the same nutrients from the soil until it is no longer arable. CSA's major impact is its goal in reducing urban sprawl, or the areas of the world filled up with our waste, something that hurts the environment by creating pollution and destroying ecosystems. Trusted local farms that keep their land sustainable and not subject to urban sprawl.
Works Cited
"Community-supported Agriculture." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2015.
"CSA Programs and Leaf Night Market." Leaf Lakewood Earth & Food Community. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.
"Defining Community Supported Agriculture." Defining Community Supported Agriculture. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2015.
"Welcome to Farmers Fresh CSA." Farmers Fresh CSA. Farmers Fresh CSA, Inc., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.