Spring is here which means that I still have to wait just a bit longer until my CSA shares kick in. Last year my husband and I shared a membership with another couple and every week we looked forward to the mystery that was our produce pick-up day. Every Tuesday my husband would ride his bike to a neighborhood pick-up spot and bring home a mountain of vegetables. Beets, kale, potatoes, bitter greens (lots and lots of bitter greens), squash, asian pears and more came to us every week from July until November. Soil clung to root vegetables and our greens needed a through washing to get rid of the dirt, but it was a small price to pay for a weekly delivery of local organic produce.
What's a CSA? Well, it stands for Community Sponsored Agriculture and it offers consumers a way to support local farmers in return for a supply of the crops—and it offers farmers an early cash flow so that they can start planting. CSA members become shareholders and pay for a share of the farmer's seasonal produce before the growing season begins. This helps the farmer get an early start in planning their fields, buying seeds and budgeting for the upcoming year. In return, members enjoy the tasty benefit of a variety of freshly picked and in-season produce along with getting a chance to participate in the growing process. For a well-run CSA, it's a win-win situation.
When you consider that your average supermarket groceries travel between 1,500 to 2,000 miles before they make it to your plate, the price of tomatoes from Mexico at your supermarket can be deceptive. With a CSA, you get to know your farmer and support the local economy while eating delicious fresh food. Good food without the guilt is a tasty thing.
Curious about joining a CSA in your area but need more information? Find out more from Local Harvest, an organization that can connect you to find farmer's markets, family farms and CSA programs near you. While some farms already have reached their limit for new CSA members, there are still farms out there looking for members, so do some research and find a local farm to support in your area.
Sent from James' iPhone
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