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Do you know your farmer?
You know your doctor, lawyer, accountant, and even your hairdresser. You eat EVERY DAY---do you know your farmer? With all the press concerning how far food has to travel from field to table, health issues concerning food, and nutritional values of local versus "travelled" food, CSA makes a whole lot of sense! Wouldn't you be more comfortable eating a meal if you knew where at least some of the food was coming from?
If you join a CSA, you'll know your farmer. A CSA, (also known as Community Supported Agriculture) is a partnership where members subscribe to a farm to provide their vegetables for the season. The member knows where their food comes from and the farmer doesn't have to worry about marketing during the busy spring and summer months, just growing!
Advantages for farmers:
- Get to spend time marketing the produce during the "off season"
- Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow
- Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow
- Can concentrate on growing rather than worrying about selling during the growing season
Advantages for consumers:
- Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
- Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
- Learn new recipes and new ways of cooking favorite veggies
- Can visit the farm where their food is actually grown
- Find that kids typically favor food from "their" farm – even veggies they've never been known to eat
- Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown
- Don't have to stress out "scrubbing" produce to get who-knows-what washed off!
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