Community Supported Agriculture
From Appropedia
A form of local support for agriculture. Subscribers pre-pay a farmer to grow the desired produce. Sometimes the farmer will select what is to be grown, sometimes the buyer selects what they want to buy, more often it is a cooperative arrangement between the two parties.
[edit] SARE article
From left, Betsy Gibberson, Bob Bauer, and Jennifer Ohler prepare to deliver vegetables to shareholders who joined their New Hampshire community supported agriculture enterprise, a unique cooperative of eight farms.
- Photo by Scott Franzblau.
Did you know that a tomato usually travels about 1,500 miles from where it is grown to your salad bowl? Consider an alternative. Join a CSA farm, and join thousands of others who want to support local farmers while receiving delicious, healthy and, above all, fresh produce all season long. With your subscription, you purchase a "share" of the produce harvest, or a weekly portion from someone you come to know and trust. Some farms also offer fruit, herbs, flowers and other products.
For farmers, CSA offers a fair, steady source of income and a chance to talk directly with their customers. Many CSA farmers encourage members to get involved, so you and your family can work alongside "your" farmer to learn more about how he or she grows your food. Understanding the challenges facing family farmers in your community will make you a true partner in the local food system.
Posted with permission from the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), the national outreach arm of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, USDA. For more information about SAN or sustainable agriculture, see http://www.sare.org.
[edit] See Also
[edit] External Links
Find a CSA farm near you. http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
