CSA Community Supported Agriculture

The consumer (you) wanting good quality, safe food pay the farmer a one-time fee (or share) prior to the start of growing season. This fee is determined by seed cost, equipment maintenance, property fees, tools, salaries, distribution costs, etc. In return, you receive weekly food boxes either by delivery or at a pick-up location near you. A full share may feed a family of 4 in produce for a week, where a half share may feed 2-3. Each farm’s shares are different in size and cost. This type of program greatly reduces the waste involved in blindly growing food for an indeterminate number of people.
YOU, the consumer, support the local farmer. The local farmer supports the local economy by their local purchases, hiring locally, etc. Thus supporting your local CSA farmer causes a CASCADE EFFECT for the local community. This approach also helps the environment! The more local products that are purchased, the fewer products are needed to be shipped to the community, thus reducing harmful emissions from transport carriers. Every CSA is UNIQUE. The crops grown, the size of the shares, arrangements for receiving the weekly boxes of produce and/or meats, length of season, number of seasons and share costs vary from farm to farm. Contact the farms in your area directly for their specific membership information. While you enjoy your weekly share of the fresh, local, farm-raised food, you must also share in the lack of food should there be a drought, flood, pest problem or other issue that reduces the amount or quality of the food. You become one with the farmer in understanding and dealing with the ways of nature. Most CSAs grow organic food and provide a diversity of vegetables and herbs in season. Some farms also offer eggs and meat either as the CSA share itself or purchased separately. In general, CSA farmers are dedicated in using the land in a manner that will not deplete its nutrients or value for generations to come. HEALTHY soil produces healthy food.