What is a CSA?

Colonic Westchester
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)


I live in Westchester County, NY. To my delight and surprise, Westchester and the surrounding area is rich in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). To learn more I started with a visit to the Local Harvest website. Local Harvest, Inc. is an organization founded in 1998 that provides internet-based information to consumers that are seeking to buy local. According to their website, they are “now the number one informational resource for the Buy Local movement and the top place on the Internet where people find information on direct marketing family farms.” Currently, they have over 20,000 members and continue to grow each day. A visit to their website provided a search of local CSA in my area. When I entered my zip code, I received 30 CSAs close to my home and when I entered my state I received over 300.




I knew a little bit about CSA prior to starting this search, but really did not have the whole picture. In order to fully educate myself on what CSA is, I decided to begin at the beginning and learn exactly how a CSA works. Basically, CSA provides consumers the opportunity to buy locally grown organic foods in season. The CSA model is designed to provide the farmer with funds to buy seeds, organic pesticides and fuel, as well as, cover any costs to plant and grow food prior to the growing season. For the consumer, they are provided with opportunity to share in the harvest of locally grown organic produce weekly during the season. This mutually-beneficial system is designed as a subscription based model. Usually one thinks of a magazine or cable television as a subscription, but not farming. To some, this may sound like a strange or foreign concept, but a CSA subscription allows a consumer to sign up to share in the harvest of a local farmer or grower.

How it works

Initially, the farmer determines the number of shares he or she is able to provide for the upcoming season. This determination is based on land available for farming. Once this number is available, the farmer provides this information to public. This information is translated in the amount of shares available, the amount each share will cost for the season and how many weeks the season will last. For example, a local CSA near me (Farm Share, Ltd.) offers 600 subscriptions for 22 weeks beginning in June and ending in November for $610. It is a brilliant system that brings together local farmers and the community.




Benefits


The benefits are abundant when participating in CSA. Here is a highlight of some:




• Fresh Produce


CSA provides a product the consumer receives that is at the peak of freshness. Produce is usually picked and received by the consumer within hours of harvest.



• Support of Local Farmer


CSA allows the community to support the efforts of local farmers.





• Seasonal Foods


CSA provides only produce that is in season. Therefore, consumers are able to enjoy a variety of foods throughout the year and eat foods that are supposed to be eaten in season vs. foods that travel long distances from foreign lands.


• Reduction of Carbon Footprint


CSA food travels very short distances from farmer to consumer. Here, less fuel and transportation costs are required to bring food to the consumer’s table.



• Building of Community


CSA enables the consumer to meet the farmer that brings them food. They are able to ask questions, request cooking, storing and recipe tips. A real relationship emerges between the farmer and the end user.