Are you geared up and ready for the abundant growing seasons? Crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, cool cucumbers, Oh My!
With spring just days away, all across our region fields, high tunnels, raised beds and greenhouses have been sowed, and it’s got a lot of folks excited.
CSA CSA CSA! CSA’s seem to be the buzz word around town these days! But, what’s a CSA you ask? Let’s take a few moments to buzz through the basics…..
A CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is a food production and distribution system that directly connects farmers and consumers. In short: people buy “shares” of a farm’s harvest in advance and then receive a portion of the crops as they’re harvested.
This upfront payment helps buy the seed and other inputs needed for the season and provides the farmer an immediate income to begin the season. By paying at the beginning of the season, CSA members share in the risk of production and relieve the farmer of much of the time needed for marketing. This allows the farmer to concentrate on good land stewardship and growing high quality food.
Each CSA season offers a limited number of memberships that are pre-sold for a share in the coming harvest. Members receive a weekly bounty of fresh produce according to seasonal supply.
Shares include a vast array of produce but can also offer artisan products, value-added, bread, meat, dairy, cut flowers and eggs.
Members reap the benefits of eating healthy, sustainably produced food and have the satisfaction of knowing where it came from and how it was grown.
Want to know more about how to get involved with a CSA? Just ask around! Farmers and farmers markets are a great start for sourcing a CSA in your region. CSA’s can vary upon the individual farm, so choose a farm (or CSA program) that represents the ethics and values that fit your needs.
Is a CSA right for you? …..Well, do you like vegetables?
