Eco-Friendliness: CSAs
I’ve been thinking, of all the myriad environmental topics I could narrow in on first, which would it be? And I haven’t been able to come up with The Most Important, really, so I’m just jumping in with a way to be nice to the planet AND yourself: CSAs.
CSA = Community Supported Agriculture (read more here) and the general idea is that members of a local community buy “shares” of a local farmer’s harvest before the growing season begins. During the growing/harvest season, each CSA member receives a share of whatever’s currently being harvested, thereby getting local, seasonal, and (more often than not) organic produce. The benefits include:
1. The farmer’s cash flow becomes a little easier to manage (usually farmers spend everything in the spring planting and profit in the fall harvest–depending on the benevolence of the weather during the growing season). As in a co-op arrangement, the CSA members take on the risks of the weather along with the farmer–if a hail storm destroys the spinach crop one week, you don’t get the spinach you otherwise would have.
2. You (the CSA member) get ultra-fresh produce, grown locally, usually organic, so it has both the biggest nutrient bang for your buck and the best flavor possible.
3. By consuming locally grown produce, you reduce use of fossil fuels that are used to transport typical grocery store fare, sometimes thousands upon thousands of miles. (You think gas prices are high for an out-of-state road trip?)
4. You learn to eat what’s in season. There are lots of good reasons for this, but peak flavor is at the top of my list.
5. You usually get a good variety and quantity of produce for a good price. The CSA I participated in last year offered roughly a 1/2 bushel of produce per 1/2 weekly share (either in weight or volume–greens weigh less than squash but take more room) for about $9. (A 1/2 share is often offered for small households, like the couple that DH & I were last year. A full share usually provides enough produce for 4 people per week.) Full shares are more, but, as in economies of scale, it’s usually a little better deal. I’ve seen 1/2 shares from the Wasatch Front CSAs range from $9-$15 per week.
Like I said, you pay for the whole season up front, though different programs have different lengths of delivery weeks, so take that into consideration when making your calculations. For example, the CSA I used last year is offering the following price schedule for 2007 (a 20 week season):
Half Share Early Price: $185.00 After March 1st: $195.00
Whole Share Early Price: $365.00 After March 1st $380.00
You can find local CSAs in the U.S. on LocalHarvest.org, although not every CSA is listed there, so check your local resources. For the Utah crowd, Slow Food Utah has a great list here.
Also, the prime time for signup is February and March, and programs do sell out (sometimes the demand is higher than what the farmer can grow). So if you’re interested, start looking around now. I know that the Utah CSAs have an annual introductory meeting for all the local programs so you can weigh their differences–and sign up on the spot, if you want.
Happy CSA-ing!
We did this in California where the CSA was the experimental farm at UC-Davis. It was the coolest thing ever and kind of an adventure when some green I’d never laid eyes on before showed up on my doorstep and I had to figure out (1) what it was and (2) how to cook it.
Comment by Julie M. Smith — January 20, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
This sounds really great. Unfortunately, we’ve moved during the summer the past three summers, and will be doing the same the next two summers as well. Maybe in 2009…
Comment by Vada — January 20, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
I guess I have to nitpick on one point — gas prices on out-of-state trips are ridiculously low, when you factor in the cost of airline tickets, rental cars at the destination, headaches associated with travel, the loss of the chance to see America and bond with your children on a road trip, etc.
That said, I don’t know much about how CSAs work. I do know that there is a farmer’s market about 2 minutes down the road and we buy great produce at good prices.
The concept sounds good though, and I’ll look to see if there are any in TGSOT.
Comment by queuno — January 20, 2007 @ 6:53 pm
queuno, often farmers who sell at Farmer’s Markets participate in CSA programs (it’s that way where I am). The last few summers, I’ve just gone to the Farmer’s Market every Saturday, but I’m thinking about doing a CSA this year. I suppose I should decide soon!
Comment by Seraphine — January 20, 2007 @ 7:19 pm
thanks for the reminder! we previously lived in a csa-free area and i greatly looked forward to moving to california, aka csa heaven. i’m not sure i would have thought of it in time without this post! hooray!
Comment by just me — January 20, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
The coolest CSA I’ve participated in picked up at a local synagogue; every week with the veggies, we’d get kosher recipes. Plus up to two or three pounds of heirloom tomatoes each week for a couple months over summer. Plus it introduced us to bitter greens.
Sadly, we moved last summer and we’re moving again this summer. But sometimes you can buy half the season, or you can split it with friends who will be there when you won’t. But CSA’s are cooler than farmer’s markets, if only because you get to play Iron Chef every week with a new load of vegetables. (In New York, for a little extra money you could get fruit or flowers, too–we did the fruit one year, but not the flowers).
Also, the CSAs I’ve done have at least one Saturday a month where you and your family can go to the farm to pick something that might otherwise not make it to you.
Comment by Sam B. — January 21, 2007 @ 2:48 pm
I think we will try it (a little nervous)! thanks for the post Artemis.
Comment by G — January 21, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
Wow, what a cool idea. Does the shareholder pick up the fruit, or is it usually delivered? We usually buy fruit/veges from a local farmers’ market, but will definitely think about giving this a try.
Comment by Elise — January 22, 2007 @ 2:03 am
Elise,
In New York City, the produce is delivered to a central location, and the shareholders go to pick it up. On the Upper West Side, there were maybe a half-dozen locations. The first year, we picked up from a synagogue about 5 blocks from our apartment; our second year, we got involved in a different CSA which picked up from a church maybe 10 blocks from our apartment. I’ve heard rumors of CSAs that deliver to your house outside of NYC, but don’t actually know.
Comment by Sam B — January 22, 2007 @ 10:05 am
I’ve been doing a CSA for a couple of years now. Veggies and Fruit and eggs too, and I love it. I actually have been splitting a full share with my neighbor who moved, unfortunatly.
The farmer I’ve been buying from is actually really helpful with financing and/or sweat equity, so if you can’t come up with the full share all at once in feb/march, she’ll let you spread the payments out. And she will also let you work off payments in the field (though she discourages bringing small children due mostly to the mosquitoes).
She also delivered to my door every month, so I didn’t have to drag my kids to the produce stands or grocery, which was a great thing for me.
Comment by fMhLisa — January 22, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
Thanks to this post, I checked to see if there is a CSA here in Tucson, and there is!! I’m going to buy a share and see how it goes.
Comment by Celeste — January 23, 2007 @ 10:40 pm
(#11) NO WAY!!! I’m in Tucson too and am going to check it out also.
BTW did you enjoy the snow? I though we were back in Utah again!
Comment by G — January 23, 2007 @ 11:14 pm
G,
The snow was amazing. My husband has always lived in the SW and didn’t know it was snow!
Comment by Celeste — January 24, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
hehehehe!!!
“what is this wierd white stuff???”
Comment by G — January 24, 2007 @ 2:36 pm