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CSA: To Join or Not To Join?

by · February 15th, 2010
Community Agriculture, Farming, Sustainability

Zucchini and Patty Pan Squash

Every year in our household, the same question comes up: splurge  and join a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), or buy local items week to week from the farmers’ markets and farm stands. And every year, we wait…until it’s too late. The same excuses come up each time: it costs a lot of money up front, we might be traveling for a week or two, we have to drive at least twenty minutes to pick up the share, I like the choice of vegetables at the markets.

But then I think of the important insurance a CSA provides the farm: farmers know how much food to grow before spring, they have a solid cash flow in the off-season, and they get to know those who buy from them. There are benefits for the consumer too: trying new and fresh foods, visiting the farm, and developing relationships with their farmers. Key word: community.

Time is running out. Some farms around the country still have slots available for their CSA programs. If you’re interested in paying money upfront to get a share full of vegetables (and fruit, honey, flowers, dairy, and other products, depending on the CSA), check out this site.

Any thoughts? Do you belong to a CSA, or not?

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5 Responses to “CSA: To Join or Not To Join?”

  1. Hannah Lee Says:
    February 16th, 2010 at 5:26 am

    I am a Site Host for my shul’s CSA, but I am very cognizant of the reasons that people do not join CSAs. For more flexibility, we offer our members half share and (unofficial) quarter share options.

    Then I learned of the local efforts to create a farmers’ market on a Thursday (finally, a day good for Shabbat-observant Jews!) and people assumed that I would be offended or upset about this effort (seen by them as competitive to our CSA). However, I publicized the campaign to my members, although alas, the Board of Commmissioners finally deemed it inappropriate for our residential community and voted against it.

    To add to the inherent benefits noted by Lisa, there is also the potential for ‘mitzvah’ credit. This year, I’m asking my members if they would pay a little extra money (as little as $10) to help subsidize shares for the poor. I’d been giving our surplus veggies to the local food pantry and a women’s shelter, and the coordinator of the former has asked about getting more produce on a regular basis. I know this subsidy effort has been successful in Portland, ME and Louisville, KY.

  2. Morah Mary Says:
    February 16th, 2010 at 8:08 am

    We joined a CSA last fall for the first time… and will join again this coming spring. Why? Simply put: the quality of the food AND the fact that it just shows up.

    Funny thing: when I go to the store or market, I buy what I think we’ll eat. When the food is already pre-selected and all I do is pick it up, we eat more veggies because they’re here.

    Near the end of the season, I got pretty adept at freezing – and we’re still enjoying cauliflower, broccoli, and stir-fry vegetables. Given the quantity of vegetables we received, I learned how to cook outside my comfort zone – and am looking forward to new “experiments” this summer.

    The added benefit of supporting a local farmer and sharing in the risk is important to me, too – I grew up in “farm country” in Wisconsin and our family of eight lived off our garden, with (a very little) meat, milk and bread only being purchased from the grocery store.

    Good luck in your decision!

  3. Preston Says:
    February 17th, 2010 at 11:03 pm

    That’s a really interesting point about “eating more veggies because they’re here.” For me, it’s usually “eating more chocolate because it’s here.” :)

    Personally, I would love to join a CSA, but I live with roommates who are not really into it. So it would likely be ineffective cost-wise for me to do it just for myself. Still, I see the value in it and want to opt into a CSA when I have a family (or roommates who want to share in the cost, whichever comes first).

    I still love my roommates, by the way :)

  4. Morah Mary Says:
    February 18th, 2010 at 7:33 am

    I get the “chocolate piece:” That’s also true here!

    I think we’ll be splitting a share with another couple this summer – a single share WAS too much for us and near the end of the season, I ran out of creativity, and energy and some things needed to be tossed because they were well past their prime.

  5. lisa Says:
    March 7th, 2010 at 10:18 am

    Thanks for all of the CSA advice, everyone! We’ve decided to wait another year or two. For one, I think a share will be too much for us, and we don’t know of anyone near us who would want to split a share. Also, the closest farms that have CSAs here are at least half an hour away, which is the furthest distance I travel to farmers’ markets; I’d rather have the variety of farms and produce for now, but will probably come to the same question each winter.

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