Amy, our Market Coordinator, has just sent out an announcement that applications to join our community supported agriculture (CSA) program are now available. The online form can be found on our website. Please be aware that as much as we’d like to serve you all, spaces are extremely limited. Preference is given to last year’s participants, and most of them are staying on board!
For those of you unfamiliar with the CSA concept: community supported agriculture systems are a method of farming in which customers make an up-front payment at the beginning of the growing season and are then supplied with a box of fresh, seasonal produce each week. It’s like buying a share in the farm, and is therefore an agreement to share in the Farm’s fate for the year – whether that means bumper crops of strawberries or tomato blight disasters.
The system benefits us farmers because it supplies funding early on in the year, a time when there is traditionally little to no income stream. For consumers, CSAs offer a way to more actively support local farmers, as well as a simple, delicious way to taste your way through the season.
More information:
New Farm published a great article in 2004 about the history and resurgence of CSA programs which can be found here.
Rent The Real Dirt on Farmer John for your next family movie night for a fun and inspiring look at how CSAs can help save the local farmer.
