By now most people have heard of CSA or Community Supported Agriculture.
When I moved to New Hampshire 6 years ago, I had no idea CSA shares existed. I often went to the local farmers market and bought what I liked (tomatoes, lettuce, beans) and kinda squinted strangely at things with names like kohlrabi and kale. By mid-summer that first year, I noticed some of the farmers at the market had grocery bags of food set aside that people would come pick up. I drooled over the plump red tomatoes and corn on the cob in the bags set to the side. The remaining vegetables for sale at the stand were pretty picked over and there was a sign that they were out of corn. This confused me. So I asked one of the farmers how I could get some of the bagged veggies. She explained that those were farm shares that people pre-bought at the beginning of the year. She also explained that by buying a share, you get the "first picked" and the best. You are guaranteed a bag of food every week for 20 weeks and you will get a little of everything to try. Wow, that sounded great! Too bad it was July and the shares sell out in March.
Fast forward 5 years, I finally got my act together in March and bought a "half share" at Heron Pond Farm in S. Hampton, NH. Before I picked Heron Pond Farm, I went our winter farmers market CSA fair in January, talked with some farmers there, and looked at their brochures. I discovered there were 10 farms that delivered to my local area! After a little more research, I decided on Heron Pond Farm because they offered a half share, which was cheaper and about 1/2 the food. A half share sounds like the best plan because I was afraid I would get overwhelmed with all the food!
Like all CSAs, I had to prepay for my farm share, but over 20 weeks, it averages $17 a week. With the increase cost of food at the grocery store, that's not too bad! Here is what we picked up Monday: 2 tomatoes, 2 peaches, 1 lb potatoes, 1/2 lb beans', 2 ears sweet corn, 1 eggplant, 1 onion, 1 bunch carrots, 1 head broccoli, 1 pepper, and a bag of greens. What a haul!
Why do we love our CSA? Not only do CSA support local farmers and the local economy, but we are eating fresher, more sustainably grown food. Our farm share isn't certified organic, but they are low spray and I am confident in their farming practices because I talk to the farmer every week! We also get to try a variety of foods I would normally buy just browsing the farmers market.
Anyone try a CSA this season? Do you love it?
Community Supported Agriculture or CSA is a partnership between consumers and farmers in which members buy shares of the farm’s harvest and enjoy regular allotments of food throughout the growing season. For farmers, this provides much needed cash flow for the beginning of the season, as well as a ready market and community of supporters. Shareholders join in the risks of the growing season but reap the benefits of the harvest.
Source: http://seacoasteatlocal.org/
When I moved to New Hampshire 6 years ago, I had no idea CSA shares existed. I often went to the local farmers market and bought what I liked (tomatoes, lettuce, beans) and kinda squinted strangely at things with names like kohlrabi and kale. By mid-summer that first year, I noticed some of the farmers at the market had grocery bags of food set aside that people would come pick up. I drooled over the plump red tomatoes and corn on the cob in the bags set to the side. The remaining vegetables for sale at the stand were pretty picked over and there was a sign that they were out of corn. This confused me. So I asked one of the farmers how I could get some of the bagged veggies. She explained that those were farm shares that people pre-bought at the beginning of the year. She also explained that by buying a share, you get the "first picked" and the best. You are guaranteed a bag of food every week for 20 weeks and you will get a little of everything to try. Wow, that sounded great! Too bad it was July and the shares sell out in March.
Fast forward 5 years, I finally got my act together in March and bought a "half share" at Heron Pond Farm in S. Hampton, NH. Before I picked Heron Pond Farm, I went our winter farmers market CSA fair in January, talked with some farmers there, and looked at their brochures. I discovered there were 10 farms that delivered to my local area! After a little more research, I decided on Heron Pond Farm because they offered a half share, which was cheaper and about 1/2 the food. A half share sounds like the best plan because I was afraid I would get overwhelmed with all the food!
Like all CSAs, I had to prepay for my farm share, but over 20 weeks, it averages $17 a week. With the increase cost of food at the grocery store, that's not too bad! Here is what we picked up Monday: 2 tomatoes, 2 peaches, 1 lb potatoes, 1/2 lb beans', 2 ears sweet corn, 1 eggplant, 1 onion, 1 bunch carrots, 1 head broccoli, 1 pepper, and a bag of greens. What a haul!
Why do we love our CSA? Not only do CSA support local farmers and the local economy, but we are eating fresher, more sustainably grown food. Our farm share isn't certified organic, but they are low spray and I am confident in their farming practices because I talk to the farmer every week! We also get to try a variety of foods I would normally buy just browsing the farmers market.
Anyone try a CSA this season? Do you love it?
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