Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA)
What is CSA?
CSA is to create an opportunity for communities to purchase locally grown, fresh produce. Some CSA's offer meat, dairy, and flowers as well. Instead of buying produce in a store from an unknown farm, it allows the consumer to know exactly where their food is coming from and what conditions it was grown in.
How does it work?
First, you must become a member of a local CSA. By becoming a member, you buy shares of produce from one of the local farmers. The farmer will drop off the shares weekly or bi-weekly to the local CSA drop-off location. The cost is usually from $400-$600 a season (from June to October). If that sounds too pricey, many CSA's offer scholarship grants and accept food stamps as a form of payment. They are usually very flexible with payment schedules.
Who is in charge?
In a CSA, everyone works together and everyone is an important asset to the chapter. Volunteers from the community of members give their time to organize and run their local CSA. They typically rotate their positions in the administrative department to keep things fresh and fair. The volunteers are responsible for recruiting new members, collecting payments, and planning events. By having a the team of volunteers working together, the farmers can focus on producing the best crop possible.
Is everything organic?
Obtaining an organic certification can be a difficult process so most CSA farmers will not have one but still grow organic crops. The best way to know is to ask the farmer directly. One of the great things about being apart of a CSA is knowing the farmers and being able to visit their farm to get a firsthand look at their techniques.
Why should I join?
The CSA communities are growing rapidly as more people become aware of how non-nutritious foods bought in the store are. You can never know exactly what was put on the food or what kind of fertilizer they used. By knowing the farmer and their methods, you can feel more secure in what you're buying and know the nutritional value is pristine. Also, by supporting these local farmers you are helping the community's economy and allowing the farmers to keep producing a great crop.
Most importantly, it binds the community together and creates a stronger network of people. Getting your family involved in learning about how the food is produced and meeting others of a similar mindset will allow the community to become stronger. The CSA will not only bring better health but also life-long friendships.
Sources
"WHAT IS CSA?" WHAT IS CSA? N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015. <http://www.justfood.org/csa>.
"Community Supported Agriculture." Community Supported Agriculture. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015. <http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml>.
"Where Can You Find Sustainable Food?" GRACE Communications Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015. <http://www.sustainabletable.org/566/where-can-you-find-sustainable-food>.