Fresh, local produce
We have a dream here at aHa! Modern Living. Our dream is that all of the produce we consume will be fresh, organic, and locally grown. If we don’t grow it ourselves, we want to know exactly where it comes from. Ideally, we’d even like to have a relationship with the farmer, and the opportunity to visit his or her land. Sound like a far off and starry-eyed hope? Well, by participating in CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, it can be a reality rather than a distant dream.
Becoming a member of a CSA is an excellent way to ensure that you will have a steady supply of fresh produce, as well as to support a local farm. Therefore, it is a great way for you to maintain a healthy diet, try new foods, avoid giving your money to large farming corporations, and bolster your local economy all in one.
When you become a member of a CSA, you make a financial contribution to a local farm, therefore becoming a member or shareholder. In return, you are supplied with a season’s supply of fresh food from the farm, (with a season typically running from late spring through early fall.) Check out this video to learn more about how CSAs are formed, and why they matter:
To find out if you have a CSA in your area, you can visit the Local Harvest website and type in your zip code in the space on the right side of the screen. CSAs have gained popularity in recent years, so it is likely that you can find one near you. While in 1990 there existed only approximately 100 CSAs in the United States, today that number has grown to over 1,000.
7 Questions to Ask When Joining Community Supported Agriculture:
- What does the farm grow? Ask for a harvest schedule and a list of crops. Make sure to consider that you may also find farms that offer meat, eggs, dairy, herbs, and/or flowers.
- What is the farm’s season? Most farms do not harvest during the winter. But depending on where you live, you may find one that does.
- Is the farm organic? Some farms practice organic farming, yet do not undergo the costly process to receive legal organic certification. Decide ahead of time what your standards are in regards to organic farming, and find a farm that meets your standards.
- Does the farm offer delivery? Most farms deliver produce on a weekly basis to their shareholders. Find out if you will receive home delivery, or if you will need to pick up your food at a local headquarters, such as a Co-op. Make sure that delivery dates, places, and times fit your schedule.
- How big is a standard share? Will you be receiving one pound of produce per week, or five pounds, or ten?
- How are payments made?Most farms require the season to be paid for up front. However, some will accept weekly or monthly payments.
- What happens when you go on vacation? You don’t want your lovely fresh produce to be delivered to an empty house.
Tags: community supported agriculture, CSA, fresh produce, local farms, local food, organic foods
[...] will reveal a whole list of Farmers’ Markets in your area. You can also try searching for CSAs and Co-ops, which are terrific sources of local foods as well. Co-ops are also excellent places to [...]