Community Supported Agriculture

Sundays include church, sometimes lunch with friends, and then heading out to a local farm to pick up the weeks community supported agriculture (CSA) basket.  I know some of you are thinking, “Is that like Hello Fresh or a fruit of the month kind of thing?”  I would say in some ways yes, but all together different and way better. 

What is Community Supported Agriculture?  

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), also known as Crop Share, is a program that allows a farm to provide in-season produce  to a set number of consumers, “subscribers”, every week in a growing season.  Most CSA farms focus on vegetables but there are some that may offer fruit, eggs, and milk.  The consumer pays for a share of the crop in advance.  This commitment not only provides a guaranteed market for the local farm but also helps the farmer evaluate the production needs for a particular harvest.

How does it work?

Once you choose a CSA to join, you sign up typically via their website.  Then, you pay a fee up front.  My CSA has a recurring weekly fee, but some producers could ask for the whole amount for the season up front. You might be asked if you prefer a full share or half share. It will vary by the farm and possibly the season.  On the designated pick up day, you head out to the pickup location and return home with your basket. My crop share has a pickup at the farm and a local business. The next week you return the basket and leave with fresh supply of vegetables . Some CSAs will allow you to put holds on your account, if you are going to be away.  

Why sign up for a CSA program?

In-Season Veggies – One thing that I have struggled with since moving to Texas is getting a grasp on what veggies are in season.  When tomatoes are ready in Illinois, they are burnt up in the Texas heat and hard to find. In the Illinois winter months, it is nearly impossible to find anything locally grown.  Since Texas winter is milder, I’m getting to experience locally grown winter vegetables.  With my CSA box, I am getting only in-season vegetable that were grown in the ground just a few miles down the road. Yes, I can buy produce from the grocery store, but  fresh picked tastes so much better. There is something about a dirt-grown, sun-ripened tomato.  It just doesn’t compare  to the the often greenhouse-produced, out-of-state tomato in the grocery store.  I’ll continue to buy tomatoes in the grocery store, on occasion, but if a vine-ripened College Station tomato is available, it’s no contest. 

Try new things – When I make my grocery list, I tend to list the same 3-5 veggies -broccoli, green pepper, onion, cucumber, and carrots.  I might stray a little to cauliflower and cabbage but not far.  Now, each week I get a surprise selection. I am able to try different varieties of braising greens, carrots, lettuce, radishes, beets, and more that I wouldn’t normally gravitate to in the produce aisle.  A quick internet search or chat with the CSA pickup clerk will give me ideas for preparing and eating a new vegetable.

Money saving – When I tell people I spend $25 a week on vegetables, it sounds like a lot.  However when I look at the loot on my counter, there is no way I could buy it all for less in the grocery store.  I might be able to find a few of the veggies on sale, but I’m certain they wouldn’t  last as long.  Sunday afternoons I pick up my box, go home, and prep meals for the week. Because I am incorporating high qualify, nutrient dense vegetables into my meals, I stay fuller longer which means less snacking. I also find that if I have the fresh produce available, I’m more likely to eat at home and not spend my grocery budget out at a restaurant.

Shopping Local – We all have topics that we are passionate about.  Mine are Jesus, Family & Friends, Education, Agriculture and shopping locally.  If you are supporting a local CSA farm, you are keeping the tax dollars in your local community.  If you are supporting local farmers, you are helping to keep a neighbor in business and helping them to support their family.  If you are shopping local, you might find the quality is better and the service friendly.

Know first hand where your food comes from – This isn’t a space to argue about organic versus conventional agriculture.  Whatever you decide is best for your family, I can respect.  However, I think it is important that every citizen have a working knowledge of the origin of their food.   I know there are folks if asked where last night’s steak came from, they would say HEB or Kroger.  If asked what kind of milk, they might respond “red cap” without any understanding to what the cap colors signify. That is unacceptable in my mind.  We need to know that beef comes from cows, pork from pigs, and strawberry milk from pink dairy cows.  Just checking to see if you were tracking with me.   A CSA share goes a little further than linking a protein descriptor to specific animal on Ole’ MacDonald’s farm.  It allows you to see the fields and know the farmer(s) who worked hard to grow the vegetables you put on your table.  It allows you the opportunity to know what chemicals, if any, may have been used or what tillage style went into growing the crop.  If you have preferences regarding organic versus conventional, free-range versus caged, and such, there is likely a CSA that will fit you.

I really have enjoyed my local experience with community supported agriculture. I am especially looking forward to the summer vegetables which will be coming soon. If there isn’t a CSA program in your area, I highly recommend looking for a farmers’ market.  You can get some of the same benefits without a weekly commitment.