This past summer, we joined a CSA for the first time. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You basically pay for a share of the farm and the farmer will give you part of the harvest. You hope that you will have a good year, as that effects the amount of food that you receive. We truly enjoyed being a part of our litttle farm. She sent newsletters every week with details of the farm life, and we received a box of certified organic produce, wheat berries, and eggs delivered to our house.
Our original purpose for joining was to take advantage of cheaper and somewhat locally grown food. Our CSA is a bit of a drive, and therefore, they do not expect you to put in time working there as other CSA's might request. But, it still beats food coming from California to the Midwest. The variety that we received was incredible. We tried a few new items like Gooseberries and Delicata Squash. I made a gooseberry pie for the first time, and it wasn't bad! They were a little too sour to eat alone, but I did enjoy them. Our shares included loads of zucchini, onions, squash, and tomatoes. I chopped, roasted and froze as much as I could. It felt good to know that my son would be getting food through the summer and winter that was grown with care. His joy in eating their green beans made it all worth it to me! This has got to be one of the best ways to get a toddler to eat their fruits/veggies. If they are this fresh, they will enjoy them!
I found over time, that aside from getting great organic food, for a great price, we were really helping to be stewards in so many aspects. First, and most obvious, we were supporting an organic farm. They take care to grow their produce organically, and this is very good for the environment. Another great bonus, is that they collected compost from everyone who was willing to save it for them every week. I was able to save bags of food from entering our landfills every week. In fact, now that our CSA is done for the year, I'm at a loss with what to do with our produce scraps. Our homeowners' association does not allow bins in the yard but now I feel guilty throwing it all away!
The "lightbulb moment" that I barely had recently, though, is that we are helping to support a locally owned farm. So many farms are reaching corporate production levels that family farms are really hurting, especially during bad years. You might argue that government subsidies help but it really doesn't do enough to support a farmer's livelihood. I don't know why this never crossed my mind this summer. After sending an email saying that we would join for the next year, Marie emailed me back with a "Bless you!" Suddenly, it dawned on me that this wasn't just like buying from a grocery store. Everything we do with this farm affects their well-being and ability to make a living. Our current check was going to help them build some new areas on their land for growing seeds and protecting the plants from harsher weather. You might want to think about joining one in the coming year to see if it is good for your family. We will see next summer what the CSA might bring, but even if the proceeds are meager, I will feel that I am doing my part to support someone else's livelihood and the stewardship of the land.
