What is CSA?
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Community Supported Agriculture, CSA for short, is a model of seasonal production and distribution that brings farmers and customers into a relationship.
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CSA members purchase a “share” of a farm’s harvest before the season begins, helping the farm establish a solid financial foundation.
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In exchange for this membership, CSA members receive a regular selection of freshly harvested food or flowers throughout the growing season, picking up their share at the farm itself or another designated location.
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Shares can include vegetables, fruit, meat, mushrooms, flowers, herbs, grains, eggs, dairy, or a combination of all. With a range of styles and sizes, CSA shares suit a wide variety of households, pocketbooks, and appetites.
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In addition to freshly picked produce, CSA members typically receive a weekly farm newsletter with recipe ideas, cooking and storage tips, and other farm happenings. Many CSA farms have volunteer days, potlucks or farm tours for their CSA members!
Consume
Something
Awesome
What else is CSA?
It's Value.
It’s Investment.
CSA keeps farms thriving. Farming is a challenging and risky endeavor, and your upfront investment helps farmers purchase early-season supplies, pay their farm teams a fair wage, and farm with the knowledge and pride that the food they produce is nourishing their neighbors. You know exactly where your food comes from, and you know that your food dollar directly supports the farm.
CSA keeps farms thriving. Farming is a challenging and risky endeavor, and your upfront investment helps farmers purchase early-season supplies, pay their farm teams a fair wage, and farm with the knowledge and pride that the food they produce is nourishing their neighbors. You know exactly where your food comes from, and you know that your food dollar directly supports the farm.
It’s Community.
In joining a CSA, you’ll get to know the farmers and will find kindred spirits in your fellow CSA members. Many farms provide newsletters and recipes, volunteer opportunities, or other on-farm events as additional ways of deepening camaraderie. Whether you pick up your share in a library parking lot or at the edge of the CSA field, you’ll be in community with others who prize good food from well-tended land.
It’s Value.
Not only does CSA make sense for farmers, but it makes sense for members, too. When you pick up your share, you’re getting little waste or packaging, low food mileage, and beneficial agricultural practices. The monetary value of the food reflects fair labor practices, nutrient density, freshness, and incredible taste. CSA is believing in something, acting on that belief, and receiving high value in return.
It's Nourishing.
It’s Nourishing.
When you join a CSA, you’re going to get cooking! Creating menus that incorporate all your CSA ingredients is a fun and delicious challenge, and your farmers and fellow members will be happy to share their favorite recipes and tips. Whether you make salsa or stir fry, pie or pesto, CSA makes farm-to-table eating a meaningful, everyday practice.
It's Affordable.
It’s Affordable.
The cost of a CSA is cheaper than the equivalent products at farmers markets and is often competitive with grocery store prices. Additionally, lots of farms offer sliding scale prices, payment plans, subsidies, or working shares to make their CSAs as economically accessible as possible.
It's Awesome.
It’s Awesome.
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Deep satisfaction when cooking colorful, flavorful meals
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Jubilation when surveying the sheer abundance in your weekly share (and perhaps some Tetris when cramming it all into your fridge)
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Sheer delight in arranging your weekly bouquet of farm-fresh flowers
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Love for your farmers and for your CSA community
Factors to Consider
Farm Location
Are you interested in on-farm activities? Choosing a farm close to your house or work is probably the best fit.
Share Size
How many folks are you feeding? Full-sized shares are generally plenty for a family of 3-4, whereas small or half-sized shares feed 1-2.
Share Contents
Vegetables? Weekly cut flower bouquets? A “full diet” share with eggs and meat? Farms offer all sorts of different products in their CSAs.
Payment Options
Many farms offer subsidized shares, sliding scale CSAs, working shares, and payment plans to make their shares accessible to a variety of household incomes.
Share Season & Duration
Some farms offer year-round shares, whereas others operate their CSAs for a set number of weeks.
Additional Farm Opportunities
Some farms offer Pick-Your-Own opportunities to their CSA members as an added bonus. Others have volunteer events, farm tours, or farm stores where you can buy other products to supplement your CSA.
The History of CSA
Community Supported Agriculture goes by many different names in many different places. Read more about the founding of agricultural membership models in Japan, Europe, and the United States.