What if you and your family could enjoy a wide variety of locally-grown food all summer long, without spending Saturdays pulling weeds in a backyard garden?
Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, does just that. By purchasing a share in a CSA, you buy a portion of the harvest of a local farm. Whatever they grow, they provide a portion for your family. In some cases, the deliver right to your door.
The USDA explains:
Community Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production.
Not only do you get to enjoy delicious, fresh food all summer, you purchase locally. That supports local farmers, and means that food doesn't have to be trucked across the country, which is better for the environment.
Ready to learn more? More info and a search tool to help you find a local CSA after the break.
One choice - Karl's Farm - will deliver right to your door. If you're willing to drive out to the farm and pick up, try Norman's Farm or Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative. (Hint: Some farms allow friends to split a share; who can also share pick-up duties.) There is a search tool at LocalHarvest.org that will help you find a wide variety of local CSAs.
Some things to consider:
- What is the price of a share?
- What type of produce does the farm produce?
- How long is the growing season?
- Is the food delivered? If not, where is the pick-up location?
- Is the farm certified organic?
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