Week 25: What is a CSA, anyway??
The 2009 Greensgrow CSA wraps up this week. After my encounter with a reader, though, I realized I have never really explained what a CSA is!
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. They’re sometimes also referred to as a farmshare. In a traditional CSA, a farm sells “shares” of their crops at the beginning of the season, which CSA members then receive as they are harvested, usually a box a week throughout the growing season.
As eating locally produced foods became more popular, some CSAs began adopting more flexible arrangements. Some CSAs let you select your own box of goodies each week. Some incorporate non-plant items (eggs are a particularly popular choice.)
Greensgrow takes that flexibility to the extreme. Even though they are a farm (in the middle of the city, even), most weeks’ boxes don’t include any Greensgrow-produced items. Instead, Greensgrow acts as a broker between the local-food-loving public, and an array of local producers including farms who may be too small to run their own CSA, meat producers, dairies, and even local prepared food vendors like Superior Pasta Company and Bobbi’s Hummus.
As a member, participating in a CSA means you’re getting fresh, seasonal, super tasty produce all summer long. Plus, you’re doing your part to support a local food economy and farming families, and it’s good for the environment, too. Joining a CSA is a great way to put your money where your mouth is on a range of issues. For farms, it’s a chance to get some money in the door earlier in the season, and also build a group of supporters. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone in a CSA who wouldn’t enthusiastically promote it to you.
If you’re thinking about joining a CSA next year, there are a lot of options in the area. When choosing, I would think about:
- CSA style: there are all-veg, fruits and veggies, produce and eggs, a full mix including meat, and more. Some CSAs also let you add on things like extra fruit, or actually select a given amount of your weekly box.
- Food Quantity: Many CSAs have a full and half share. You can also buddy up to split your share.
- Pick-up locations: do you need to take a weekly trip to the farm (Greensgrow requires this), or is there a pick-up location near you?
- Signup date: Popular CSAs sell out, almost every year.
The first year I wanted to do Greensgrow, I didn’t think about it until May, when I saw the first produce of the season hitting the farm stands. I was too late, and the CSA was sold out. I spent that whole summer in CSA envy, watching people picking up their boxes at the Fair Food CSA drop-off. I made an entry on my calendar for February of the following year, so I could be sure I wouldn’t miss it. And with good reason…. the 2009 CSA sold out in under a month.
Want to stump for your favorite CSA? Tell us all about it in the comments!
On to this week’s basket, AKA the end of season hodge-podge AKA beer week!
- Greensgrow Bucks - Philadelphia, PA
- Brussels Sprouts - Lancaster, PA
- Radicchio - Flaim Farms, Vineland, NJ
- Bell Peppers - Lancaster, PA
- Beer - Philadelphia Brewing Company, Philadelphia, PA
- Cheese and Meat - Choose 1 from mix
- 1 dozen free-range eggs
Thanks for a great season, Greensgrow!
