Community Supported Agriculture - Farm Share Friday

Hi there! Today I am mixing it up a bit and bringing you some information about Community Supported Agriculture (also called CSA or farm share). If you live in the United States, chances are there is a farm share program in your neck of the woods that you could be benefiting from. How? Let’s dive into it..

What is CSA/Farm Share?

A CSA is a group of people who are supporting a local farm, and in turn sharing the risks and benefits of that year’s growing season.

For example, my local farm asks for a one time fee at the beginning of the growing season, and in turn I receive 17 weekly deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the spring/summer/fall. This guarantees fresh, local, and organic food for me, and a steady income for the farm.

There are several varieties of farm share programs, as nearly each farm does it differently, but some offer different pickup or delivery schedules and different varieties of fruits/vegetables/cut flowers, etc. I recommend doing a simple google search for farms in your area that offer a CSA program to find one that works for you.

Benefits

The benefits of a CSA are so many, these are just a few!

Helping a local farmer

By participating in a CSA, you are supporting the farm ahead of time, ensuring they can purchase the necessary items needed to grow and maintain their farm.

Save money

Cost can seem significant up front, however make sure to break ti down over the entire time frame that you would be receiving share boxes. I figure my farm share costs around $30 a week, which is less than I would spend on fruits and vegetables at the store.

Eat Local, Eat Organic

To me, this is very important. Store bought produce often comes from across the country, or even a different country, and was picked over a week prior. Who knows what the sanitary conditions were where it was grown, or how it was transported to your local store. Often times, pesticides and waxes are applied to the food to enhance appearance.

Fresh Food = More Flavor

We all know that garden tomato tastes very different from the one purchased at the store, there’s a reason behind that!

Variety and Quantity

Some people see this as a downfall, if they are not open to trying new/different vegetables, however I look at it as a challenge. Eating what’s in season might require googling some new recipes or cooking techniques, but that’s all part of it. The large quantity of vegetables can also be overwhelming, but sharing with friends and freezing or preserving portions for future use is always an option.

Risks

As with anything, there are risks involved, but I believe the benefits far outweigh them.

Growing Season

A nasty pest or terrible weather pattern can wipe out a crop for the season, and with purchasing everything up front you run the risk of this happening (if no alternate or indoor facilities are used at your local farm).

Vacation/Out of Town

Some farm's will let you choose an alternate date for pickup, but generally if you are out of town or otherwise unable to pickup your weekly share, you miss out. This would be worth looking into when choosing a CSA to support, and usually an alternate person could pickup your share for that specific occasion.

My local farm starts their program next week, and I am looking forward to seeing what is in my share box. I am planning to post photos/information regarding my share box each Friday, along with the occasional recipe for those tricky vegetables. Make sure you are following along on Instagram for ‘Farm Share Friday’, especially if you are interested in learning more about this type of program.

These posts are not sponsored, but I do believe there is a lack of information out there regarding CSA programs and would like to share my experiences.

Well I am off to find a couple rhubarb and asparagus recipes for next week, and do some planting of my own. Thanks for stopping by the blog today!