What is Community Supported Agriculture?
A little history: The acronym was coined in a recent decade by Robyn Van En, a farmer in New England who was looking into a way for small farmers to successfully and sustainably re-enter the agriculture scene. She and others realized it was no longer viable to sell grains and vegetables in a market that thought of food as just another commodity. Many vegetables in the grocery stores come from only a handful of corporations and are sourced from all over the world. So, as many documentarians and writers are asking nowadays:
Where is our food coming from? What are we all eating?
Joining a CSA farm basically means paying for a share of the harvest prior to the growing season, an investment used for seed and labor. This investment pays off in the form of a regular delivery of fresh vegetables straight from the farm in a box, a tote, a help-yourself cooler, or straight off the farm stand. There are many variations of CSA.
I checked out a few other farms’ websites to see how they defined CSA. I liked Tomato Mountain’s description of the CSA model as more of a “relationship-based approach” to the business of growing, selling and distributing food. Grass-roots at its best.
WHY DO IT:
Benefits to the consumer are many. First of all, it’s an easy way to get a good amount of vitamins, nutrients and anti-oxidants into your diet, not to mention a healthy way to source your calories. Freshly-picked vegetables have more nutrient content than those that travel in trucks and sit in grocery stores.
A real connection to your food and health is possible.
The CSA model can be rewarding because the consumer can actually establish a relationship with their farmer through farm visits, emails, recipes, notes on the website, and even tips on preserving your vegetables through the winter. Buying local reduces the chain of people and energy consumption between farmer and consumer. Want to know how your food is grown? Visit the farm to see. Worried about pesticides and disease? Ask the farmer directly. Know that your vegetables have been picked only a couple days before you get them for the most flavor and vitamin content.
It is rewarding for farmers, too. In contrast to farmers markets, CSA delivery is a sure thing, a secured income for farmers in the already volatile business of manipulating nature. The farmers truly appreciate their members and strive to give them the best selection possible.
I think it is a rich experience for all involved.
