What if someone told you that you could contribute to the wealth of your community? That while doing this, you could help maintain or even provide local jobs?
All the while, you’d be helping maintain the health of your local ecology while receiving fresh, nutritious, and high quality food.
Sound too good to be true? Think again.
In a day and age of factory farms, genetically modified foods, and chemically treated meats, we’re using massive amounts of the fuel to transport food that comes from across the globe. It’s time to start thinking about alternatives.
So what is this majestic opportunity? Get familiar with the term: Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA.
According to localharvest.org, “Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer.”
So how does it work?
Generally, you can become part of a CSA by signing up to receive a weekly allotment of seasonal fruits and veggies (and sometimes other foods like eggs, honey, herbs or bread) grown and harvested by your local farmer. The duration of your subscription depends on your CSA or your preference.
As you may have guessed, this fresh subscription not only has benefits for your health and well-being, but also the well-being of your local farmer.
By participating in a CSA program, farmers are able to market their food in advance, before their long workdays begin. Additionally, they are able to receive a little cash flow earlier in the season and become more familiar with the individuals who will end up enjoying and being nourished by their labor.
By participating in a CSA, consumers are able to enjoy fresh, flavorful and super-nutritious food, become familiar with a variety of fruits and veggies, and enjoy getting creative with new recipes.
In addition to these benefits, the environment also comes out a winner. Large commercial farms often use massive amounts of harmful pesticides. Although these pesticides successfully prevent insects from damaging crops, they also deplete the soil of nutrients that are essential for healthy food and growth.
Biodynamics.org wisely states that, “It is in the consumer's interest that farmers are supported so that they can grow the highest quality, most nutritious food while preserving the highest environmental quality and soil health.”
CSAs help to create community through farmer-consumer relationship, help support your local economy, promote health and wellness to you and your loved ones, all while supporting the earth.
Visit Local Harvest to find a CSA near you!
Sources:
Community Supported Agriculture - LocalHarvest. (n.d.). Local Harvest / Farmers Markets / Family Farms / CSA / Organic Food. Retrieved March 24, 2012, from
http://www.localharvest.org/csa
Community Supported Agriculture: An Introduction to CSA . (n.d.). biodynamics . Retrieved March 24, 2012, from
https://www.biodynamics.com/csa.html
WHAT IS CSA? | Just Food. (n.d.). Just Food. Retrieved March 24, 2012, from
http://www.justfood.org/csa
Reviewed March 26, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith