Photo by Valery Sibrikov/Fotolia
Even before the 100-Mile Diet craze had us focusing on locally grown food, an emerging network of farmers was experimenting with a new way of doing business called **Community Supported Agriculture** (CSA). CSA is basically a season-long commitment between a farmer and groups of consumers, called shareholders, who live in cities nearby. At the start of planting season, the shareholders pay the farmer (who welcomes the early injection of cash for seed) for a box of farm-fresh food delivered weekly to convenient drop-off points for the entire growing season, usually 20 to 24 weeks.
Prices vary, but expect to pay $500 to $700 for a full share, enough to supply a veggie-loving family of four for the season. Most CSAs offer half-shares as well. The weekly bounty varies, but staples include lettuce, carrots, beets, fresh herbs, peppers, potatoes, Swiss chard and tomatoes. There are now more than 1,000 CSA farms in Canada and the U.S., providing food to over 100,000 families.
Farmer Emily Dowling, who runs Root Radical CSA near Kingston, Ont., says, “One customer told me it’s changed the way she plans her meals. She said she’s never felt healthier and she’s so happy that her kids are eating this way.” For city-dwellers hankering to unleash their inner plough jockeys, most CSAs have special events where they open the farms to the shareholders to get their hands dirty picking vegetables or hoeing a row or two.
Root Radical shareholder Jennifer Stacey says, “My son ate his vegetables at dinner much more voraciously knowing that they came from Emily’s farm, and that he had a hand in growing them.” For more on CSAs, visit rootradicalrows.com and biodynamics.com.
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