CSA article

A new revolution has begun. The rise of CSA is upon us! No, it is not the Confederate States of America but a co-op group called Community Supported Agriculture; a union if you will, of local farmers and consumers who work together to plan, grow, harvest, distribute, and consume locally grown produce, eggs, and meat.

CSA is a shared financial agreement between the farmers and consumers that benefits both farmers and consumers. The farmer receives financial help to offset the cost of growing his crop and the end consumer receives fresh, healthy, local produce, usually on a weekly basis. Each CSA group works on its own to best meet the needs of its community and the products it provides vary by state and region. Some CSA’s provide fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat, while others provide produce only.

A typical CSA is made up of three groups: the farmer, a core group, and the community. The farmer is responsible for planning and harvesting the crop as well as determining the final cost for the crops, which includes investments for seeds and supplies, salaries, and distribution costs. The Core group is also involved in the planning process and helps develop the CSAs distribution process. The community or “share holder” pays a yearly fee based on the final cost for the crop divided by the number of end consumers involved in the CSA. The final distribution process varies by CSA but can include home delivery, pick your own, working shares, and weekly pick up points.

The idea for CSAs originated in Japan in the early 1970s and migrated to the United States in the mid 80s. The first U.S. CSA started in Massachusetts at Indian Line Farms in 1985. Today there are over 1,500 CSA’s spread across the United States and

Canada and their number continues to grow.

There are additional benefits to CSAs other than just providing fresh fruits and vegetables:

1. They build a sense of community between the farmers and local consumers. Many CSAs provide crops for local food banks and provide employment opportunities for the local homeless community. CSAs offer the opportunity for families to visit and participate in picking their own fruits and vegetables instead of just signing up for the CSA delivery or pick-up system.

2. CSAs are stewards of the land and most, if not all, farm organically, meaning they don’t using herbicides, pesticides, or artificial fertilizers, to produce a safer, healthier source of produce. Organic farming also protects the ground water supply from toxic runoff, resulting in a healthier environment for all of us.

3. CSAs serve as educational outlets and provide apprenticeships and training for people interested in becoming involved in the farming process.4. CSAs provide the farmer with a guaranteed market for its crops and boost the local economy by infusing the community with local food dollars.

5. Many CSA’s publish newsletters that list produce news and recipes, as well as social events happening throughout the year that help connect the shareholders to the farm.

Sources including Local Harvest, NewFarm Farm Locator, and Local Food Directories are great places to start your research on CSA if you’re interested in getting involved with a nearby participating farm. So do your homework, find a farm near you that participates in a CSA and go local, go green, eat better and it may also be fun!

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