Community Supported Agriculture:

Supporting the Local                                                      Food System

 

So, as many of you reading this know, I run a small farm that operates a Community Supported Agriculture program. Almost every day I get asked what is “CSA?” So in the next couple of paragraphs I will attempt to describe the concept of CSA’s or Community Supported Agriculture.

A traditional CSA is a partnership between the Farmer and the Consumer, but I will describe that in more detail in a little bit. Today most people think of the many produce delivery programs as a CSA. They resemble one, but they really aren’t a true Community Supported Agriculture Program. Farm Fresh to You, Ugly Produce, Good Life Organics and many others are really wholesale purchasers that deliver produce boxes to individuals instead of grocery stores. They pay a reasonable price to farmers but its not what a farmer could get selling directly to consumers.

Farm Fresh to You is the one I am most knowledgeable about, and believe they are a good quality provider of some fresh produce. They actually began as a true CSA and grew bigger than they could support by themselves. But the truth is, for consumers in the southern third of California, Farm Fresh to You is actually further away than the farms that much of our produce at the grocery store comes from. This is not Community Supported Agriculture and it does not support the local food system any more than shopping at the grocery store.

Community Supported Agriculture is truly, Consumers buying into the risks and rewards of the farm. In my case, the Windy River Farm CSA currently has 12 members that purchase a share in my season. Each member receives the rewards of my labor, but also assume the risks of pests and pathogens, poor weather and other unforeseen catastrophes. Knowing how many shares I have in advance of a season allows me to plan for each members’ needs. It also gives me the upfront finances to purchase seeds, compost and other needed supplies. It is a true partnership between the farmer and the consumer.

And because the consumer must pick up their weekly basket at the farm, it ensures that they are community members. I in turn, purchase supplies and equipment inside this same community region further building upon the local food system. This is Community Supported Agriculture.