Sign Up for Your CSA Now!

I just wanted to give you a heads up that now is the time to seek out your closest Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to make sure they have space for you! Last year I found a flyer near my house with information about a new CSA starting… it was almost June, and I thought I didn’t have a chance at a share still being available. But I emailed anyway, and they had 2 spots left! I felt very lucky- it was my first CSA share ever and I was happy to get in.

CSAs that have been around longer tend to fill up more quickly, old members renewing their shares and people on waiting lists to take any open spots. Check with Local Harvest to find a CSA near you. The variety that you can sign up for seems to be growing, last year I had a vegetable share… this year the CSA I signed up with had many options: vegetables, fruit, flowers and eggs. I couldn’t decide, so I got them all! Now I’m trying to be patient, waiting for June but it’s difficult. With all the good weather lately, it feels like my share should be ready to harvest!

The CSA provides so many important features – an opportunity to meet your neighbors, fresh/local produce, supporting a local farmer, nutritious produce, knowing that your farmer is treating the land and animals with care, and an opportunity to experiment with vegetables you might not have seen before!

What is a CSA?

CSA provides a direct link between local farmers and consumers. Each season, members purchase a share of a farmer’s crop before it’s planted. This allows the farmer to pay for seed, water, equipment, etc, upfront, so s/he is less reliant on banks and loans. Each week, usually during June through October, the farmer delivers great tasting, healthy food to pre-determined spots in the city. In some instances, members pick up the share from the farm directly. The food is harvested either the morning of pick up or the day before, ensuring fresh, great-tasting produce.