PrintTalk to me about your CSA experiences.
I'm referring, of course, to Community Supported Agriculture, not the Confederate States of America. Although I live in our nation's most productive agricultural state, I'm also smack dab in the middle of approximately 10,000 square miles of mostly uninterrupted urban sprawl. Imagine my surprise at finding a handful of (relatively) local CSA farms with drop points within 30 minutes of my home...
I'm thinking about giving them a try, but I want feedback. I live near a fantastic microclimate that allows the growth of virtually any produce imaginable. Much of that produce grows year-round, or nearly so. That means that the baskets of each CSA farm vary wildly. One has all kinds of citrus and semi-tropical tree produce, including macadamias, along with more standard vegetables. Another is about mostly conventional farm vegetables. The prices vary from "not cheap" to "very expensive", which is fine, but since the commitments are pretty consistently a minimum of three months, I've gotta find a way to narrow 'em down.
Tell me about your experiences, past and present. I want the bad and the ugly, not just the good...
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5 Comments:
A few years ago, when I still had kids at home, I got the weekly vege box for about $12/box/week. I "shopped" around a bit for a program that suited my needs--delivery day and location, vacation schedule, cost, and so on. I had to drive a few miles to pick up the box but always managed to work it into my errand itinerary. It was a good size box with lots of variety. I especially liked the greens. Some veges were new to me and I had to figure out what to do with them but that made cooking even more interesting. Fruit was always included and we enjoyed foods I might otherwise have passed up at the market. The farm I used also had a stall at the local open air market, so I felt somewhat connected.
It was a good experience for us and I recommend you give it a try.
dinnereadyet at 12:45AM on 03/31/08
If you live in a city, I think CSA's are a great way to get a variety of locally grown veggies. I live in a rural area, but work in the city, and got an individual share in one of our local CSA's last year. I too tried a variety of veggies that I had never seen before, and enjoyed that experience. That being said, the downfall is that you only get what that particular farmer is growing, and there were many veggies I enjoy that I didn't get through the CSA. I also found that there were weeks when I would forget to go pick up my veggies if it was a busy week. I live close enough to farm stands and I'm putting in a larger garden than usual, so this year I'm not doing the CSA thing...but as I said, I think it's great if you live in an urban area.
mepolo at 8:53AM on 03/31/08
Three years ago, I had a CSA share with an organic farm just a few miles away. It cost $450 for 18 pick-ups of vegetables over a 20-week period. Pickups were at the farm, and there was a pick-your-own herb and flower garden. I enjoyed the weekly trip to the farm, and the vegetables were wonderful. I decided not to subscribe again because I often had way too much for a single person, but not enough to split a share with a friend. Also, if I had had a canning kettle, the huge quantities of tomatoes would have been great, but I just couldn't keep up. I still had to supplement my share with grocery store produce, especially at the very beginning of the season. I've replaced the CSA with a trip to the farmer's market, where I can buy just the quantities I need.
juliec at 9:16AM on 03/31/08
Here in Virginia, we are sadly not always so lucky as those who live in the "most productive agricultural states." Thus, our options for CSAs are a bit more limited, as are the offerings that the CSAs produce on a weekly basis. You get what is available. End of story.
I joined one of the few local CSAs two summers ago as a "work share," meaning that I could get a reduced price on my share provided I worked on the farm two hours a week throughout the season. I think that the season price for the half share that year was $375 (full shares were $650), but since I worked, my share only cost $75. All in all, the experience of working on the farm was actually a lot more valuable to me than the actual produce (which is good, since I was definitely working for less than minimum wage if you figure out the math). I learned a great deal about organic farming and I enjoyed the chance to dig in the dirt and feel part of the process of supplying food.
Our shares were plentiful some weeks, quite thin others. My husband began to wonder how many green tomatoes and turnips we could actually eat. But there were some wonderful offerings as well--pea shoots, lovely flowers, lots and lots of basil, and gorgeous eggplant. Because of disease on the farm, the entire corn and pumpkin crops were lost, which was a big disappointment. We did end up trying a lot of veggies that we might otherwise not have thought about eating, so that was a positive outcome.
So, I guess, in sum, for me, it was a mixed experience. Last summer, I did not join the CSA and instead relied on our area's farmers' markets, which are being held more frequently. I plan to do the same again this summer, but I am not wholly opposed to joining a CSA again in the near future.
In terms of choosing one in your particular area, perhaps you could ask around about people's experiences with the specific CSAs. Or just Google them to see if you come across any reviews. Certainly they seem to vary in terms of customer service as well as in their farming practices (organic v. biodynamic v. no-spray).
Anyway, good luck with your decision!
jenberger at 10:47AM on 03/31/08
Thanks for posting this question, LoCo. I'm also considering purchasing a share in a local CSA this summer. I'd have to check their website again, but I think we pay the fee and are able to choose what we want in our 'basket' each week at the farmer's market. I don't think it is a 'take what you get' program but I could be wrong. I have a lot of pros and cons to weigh before I make my decision. If you decide to join please post again once you start receiving your bounty and let us know what you're getting and how you're using it!
AuntJone at 2:22PM on 03/31/08