You can do all of these things simply by becoming part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in your area.

What Are CSAs?

CSA farms operate as partnerships between farmers and members of thecommunity who buy shares in a farm's harvest each growing season.  Eachshare contributes a fee to cover the farm's yearly operating costs,and, in turn, purchases a share of the yearly harvest.  Typically, theresult of each share is a weekly supply of organic produce at the peakof ripeness, though some community shared agriculture can includeflowers, fruits, eggs, milk, and coffee in its weekly allotments.

Thisinnovative model of sustainable agriculture has been steadily gainingpopularity over the last twenty years.  Around 1985, the practice wasfirst brought to the U.S.  from Europe, where it was originallyinspired by the biodynamic farming methods of the Austrian philosopherRudolf Steiner.  The first two CSA farms in the U.S.  formedindependently in 1986, as the Indian Line Farm in Massachusetts, andthe Temple-Wilton Community Farm in New Hampshire.  In 1990, there werearound 50 CSA farms in North America.  Today's estimations vary wildly,with reports of at least 1,300 CSA farms, and as many as 3000.

A typical CSA is a small, independent family farm.  After communitymembers sign up to purchase shares, a yearly budget is drawn up by acore group of members, determining what the production costs will befor that year.  The budget is then divided by the number of members forwhich the farm will provide.  This determines what the cost of eachshare will be.  Then a detailed plan is devised, stating the types andvarieties of produce to be planted, according to the preferences of theCSA subscribers.  Members either buy their shares up front, or arrangeto pay in installments throughout the season.  The close proximity ofthe farm to its members strengthens local economy by keeping local fooddollars circulating within the community.  This financial investmentfrom its shareholders creates a stable market for the farm, towardwhich all of its time and energy can be safely spent.

In a CSA, farmers can concentrate on producing the highest quality product rather than investing their time in search of possible buyers.  In return, the community reaps the benefits of the harvest once a week, for the duration of the growing season, usually from late spring to early fall.

Distribution

As crops rotate during the season, the community produce boxes vary insize and variety.  Each week they are distributed to neighborhoodlocations, or for an additional fee can be delivered directly tomembers' homes.  Some CSA's offer different share sizes to accomodatesmaller families and single people, and also offer the option ofworking on the farm in exchange of part of their share.   It is to theenvironment's benefit that CSA's are gaining in popularity.  Not onlyis the focus on care of preserving the immediate environment throughorganic and biodynamic methods reducing chemical pollution in the airand soil, the upsurge of CSA farms are also beginning to reduce thedistance required to get food in the U.S. from the farm to the table.

When we rely on the conventional method of buyingproduce in the supermarket, we are buying food that has traveled anaverage of 1,300 miles to reach us.  Not only does this practice lessenthe nutritional value and flavor of the food when we finally do eat it,it also contributes to global warming because of the fuel it requiresto transport the food such a long distance.

More CSA Benefits...

Shortening the often long-distance relationship between yourself and the food you eat has numerous personal benefits as well.Aside from the obvious fact that your food will taste better, knowingthat you are taking part in the process that creates it will make youfeel better too.  By eating foods only when they are in season, youattune yourself to the seasons themselves and bring yourself closer tothe rhythms of nature.  Many people who have become part of CSAs alsosay that they eat a much wider variety of vegetables than they did whenthey bought their produce solely at the grocery store.  Forinstance, perhaps they had always passed by the turnips when they wentshopping, not really sure how to cook them into something delicious. However, when turnips showed up in the weekly delivery ofvegetables, they found themselves more motivated to figure out how toutilize them in dishes.

Most CSA farms send out weekly newsletters that keepcommunity members abreast of distribution times and places, cropupdates, and often include recipe and menu suggestions for the foodsthey'll be receiving.

The degree of involvement in being a part of a CSA, while it helps tore-establish the lost connection between people and the food they eat,also provides an opportunity for individuals to connect on a local andcooperative level.  CSA's encourage communication and foster a sense ofsocial responsibility, while not only ensuring the survival of thatendangered species, the farmer, but also providing a sustainablealternative to the destructive cycle of commercial agriculture as weknow it.

Article Contributors: Julie Reid