Thinking about signing up for a CSA but want to learn more about the idea before you commit? Read on.

For over 25 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer.

What is a CSA?

If you’re unfamiliar with what a CSA is, it stands for “Community Supported Agriculture.” The function of a CSA stays true to its name. It’s a farm in which individuals purchase a “crop share” during the winter and early spring, before the season begins. Then, throughout the growing season, share members either come to the farm weekly to pick up their already-paid-for shares of just-harvested vegetables, or they pick up their shares at a pre-determined location. Shareholders financially support the farmer in advance to grow fresh vegetables for them in the upcoming growing season.

This arrangement creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer. In brief:

Advantages for farmers:

• When farmers can identify their market before the beginning of the season, they can plan the use of their resources more efficiently, which means less waste of money and of crop.

• Farmers can spend the time in the winter marketing the vegetables they plan to grow. This means more time for them to focus on what’s important during the growing season; growing you stellar produce.

• Better cash flow for farms as they plan for a new season. Early payments from shareholders means enough money to buy seeds, farm supplies, and plan for labor expenses at the start of the season.

• Allows farmers to to get to know the people who eat the food they grow

Advantages for consumers:

• Know exactly where your food comes from

• Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking

• The food tastes better - CSA’s allow produce to ripen before harvesting so you get the best-tasting produce possible.

• Freshly picked produce is more nutritious. Did you know that produce loses 50% of its nutritional value while it’s transported to stores and sitting on shelves? CSA’s typically harvest the produce the day you pick it up so you don’t lose any of those nutrients.

• Your overall diet will be healthier. When your fridge is constantly stocked with produce you are much less likely to go out to eat or reach for convenience foods. Who wants to waste all that money you already spent on produce?

• You get the chance to try new foods. A CSA’s give you the opportunity to try new foods just about every week! You never know what will be in your share. You might find that you don’t love everything, but you might also find a new vegetable that you absolutely love! If you end up with something in your share that you don’t recognize, email your farmer. They will be more than willing to give you ideas for using that particular vegetable. 

• 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

It's a simple enough idea, but its impact has been profound. Tens of thousands of families have joined CSAs, and in some areas of the country there is more demand than there are CSA farms to fill it. The government does not track CSAs, so there is no official count of how many CSAs there are in the U.S.