CSA: Your Town

First things first:

What is CSA?

CSA is an acronym for Community Supported Agriculture. CSAs offer “the food buying public” (that’s us) an opportunity to build relationships with local farms that offer programs where we can purchase their (usually organic) produce. This differs from most store-bought produce in that the fruits and veggies you find at the supermarket are picked green and ripen in route to the store.

Most CSAs require a financial commitment up-front to secure your “share.” It is a subscription, and commitment, to the farm with which you choose to work. Some farms also require their “shareholders” or “subscribers” to help out some on the farm, as well.

One benefit of committing to a CSA program is that you get to know where your food came from. You get to know the families who grow and harvest your food each week. You may even have the opportunity to learn more about farming.

Best of all, when we purchase goods from locally run businesses, we are directly impacting growth in our own community.

When we buy local, we are reducing the amount of carbon emissions needed to transport the food.

Most CSA seasons last from late spring into the early fall, but some also have extended shares that go on into the winter. In the past 18 years, the estimated number of CSAs in the U.S. have grown from a mere 50 to more than 1,000.

About the Author:
Michelle Andrade is a full-time mom and writer with a background in marketing, who dreams of changing the world one kid at a time.