CSA 101

Joining a CSA farm offers you the opportunity to connect more deeply with the food you eat, the land on which it's grown, and the people who grow it. CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture." It's a way for farmers to sell local, seasonal produce directly to customers in their community without any middle-man. The farmer offers a certain number of farm shares to the public, who support that year's vegetable crop by paying money up front for a membership. In exchange, members receive a weekly share of freshly picked, local, seasonal, and (in our case) pesticide/herbicide-free produce during the summer season. This arrangement creates a mutually beneficial way for farmers and customers to grow and eat.

CSA Benefits to Members:

• Fresh vegetables at an affordable price, grown using all organic practices
• Diversity in your diet with new varieties of vegetables to try
• The adventure and deeper connection of eating with the seasons
• Increased health benefits due to eating more chemical-free veggies
• The assurance of safe and sustainable growing practices
• Getting to know your farmer!
• Social events and being part of a community
• Information about vegetables and access to creative recipes
• Opportunities to pick your own flowers, herbs, and other crops

CSA Benefits to the Environment and Community

• Open spaces and agricultural landscapes preserved near highly developed areas
• Money put back in the local economy
• The nurturing of a healthy farm ecosystem; soil, water, air, flora, and fauna
• A reduction of energy required to get food onto members' tables - less greenhouse gases

CSA Benefits to the Farmer:

• A reliable income at the start of the growing season, when it is most needed
• Marketing is done in the winter so that in the summer, the farmer can focus on growing
• A guaranteed market for everything planted - less food waste
• Members share in the risks and rewards of farming, insuring the farm's future
• A relationship with the people you feed
• A feeling of community spirit