For the first time ever, we have joined a CSA and it was THAT (snap fingers sound) easy. CSA stands for community supported agriculture. Our organic fruits and vegetables will be growing on a farm only 5 miles away from our home. We can drive by and check out our produce and how it’s produced at any time. It is truly, with the exception of growing your own, the least expensive way to obtain fresh, organic produce. By purchasing a “share” we are guaranteed a weekly allotment for the entire growing season. They even have a bakery onsite and we can choose a loaf or loaves for the week at a lower cost than what they sell in the store.
If we still lived in the South, our growing season would be longer. My chat on the phone with a farmer (where we used to live) said that he is offering CSA’s on a monthly basis as well as seasonal. He’ll be growing fresh field peas, loads of mustard and collard greens and so on. A monthly CSA fee requires less commitment and money too.
CSA’s are becoming more popular. Where we used to have rural roadside farm stands there are now CSA’s amongst suburbia. To find your local CSA in the U.S. go to www.localharvest.org.
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