Community Supported Agriculture

MJ5150 · #1 01-31-2011, 09:51 PM

The wife and I have decided to buy into a CSA farm this year. It's $465 for a "share" that will feed two or three adults. We get a weekly delivery of groceries for 18 weeks, from late June through October. So about $25 a week for a basket of all organic veggies delivered weekly to a location about 10 minutes from our house. A little more spendy than the grocery store, but it is all organic and it feels good to support local farmers. The only bummer I see is having to buy grocery store veggies from November to June.

Anyone else done this before, or do it now?

-Mike

MakiSupaStar · #2 01-31-2011, 10:06 PM

No. But I've been approached about using part of my backyard to grow for one. I'm considering it.

iamlowsound · #3 01-31-2011, 10:12 PM

I have never heard of the concept, but I would totally sign up for that.

lowsound

stevetx19 · #4 01-31-2011, 10:31 PM

yeah its a sweet deal. They are a bunch just south of of DFW that will deliver to the bigger cities, but i haven't found one that is convenient for where i am. The soil in my backyard has been tough to work with, but hopefully i have something going soon.

EBodious · #5 01-31-2011, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

The wife and I have decided to buy into a CSA farm this year. It's $465 for a "share" that will feed two or three adults. We get a weekly delivery of groceries for 18 weeks, from late June through October. So about $25 a week for a basket of all organic veggies delivered weekly to a location about 10 minutes from our house. A little more spendy than the grocery store, but it is all organic and it feels good to support local farmers. The only bummer I see is having to buy grocery store veggies from November to June.

Anyone else done this before, or do it now?

-Mike

not to mention boxes of nothing but greens in the spring and zukes in the summer!

just kidding, csa is a great idea and well worth support.

but, seriously, get ready for the greens....

MJ5150 · #6 01-31-2011, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EBodious

but, seriously, get ready for the greens....

All I want is the cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and corn. My wife can have the rest.

-Mike

()smoke() · #7 01-31-2011, 11:19 PM

where i grew up, we always had a pretty large garden, and often would be invited by friends of the family to come pick vegetables at really large gardens that were just zones of large farms reserved for hand-picking by friends of the farmer

sweet corn on the cob, black eyed peas, okra, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes--real tomatoes with taste...you'll probably dig it man

Selta · #8 01-31-2011, 11:22 PM

I did that the first year I was here, Mike. I'll probably do it again next year, too.

warwick.hoy · #9 01-31-2011, 11:41 PM

I've had a CSA share for a summer as well. It's a great way to save money and be "food secure" but be prepared to try new things and figure out what you are going to do with all that produce.

We did a half share and if local produce didn't last longer than trucked in produce we would have thrown a lot more out. We just had a hard time figuring out what to prepare with what we got before we received another box.

But it's definitely worth it.

If you can afford it; add a fruit share,...mmmm fruit.

PS,...bout time you guys got on the ball,...they've been doing CSA out this way for years.

MJ5150 · #10 02-01-2011, 07:37 AM

You're right. The farm we chose has been in business since 1994. There are several others that have popped up around here in the last 10 years, and many even in the last five.

I'll look up the fruit option.

-Mike

tink9975 · #11 02-01-2011, 08:38 AM

My sister has been doing CSAs for years, her current one also offers livestock shares, she has been splitting a lamb share with friends.

I'm looking for a good one around me, one just started up in my building, so I wouldnt have to travel to pick up the veggies.

Mark Latimour · #12 02-01-2011, 08:54 AM

Sounds like a bunch of commie pinko nonsense to me!

macaroni tony · #13 02-01-2011, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Sounds like a bunch of commie pinko nonsense to me!

Haha! It's funny cuz it's not too far off from what I'd hear people say...

This is the first I've heard of CSAs! Turns out, there's one run by the housing authority in a housing project close by. Looks like it gets some great reviews. I just may be signing up...

TheVoiceless · #14 02-01-2011, 09:45 AM

Great idea!! I love this stuff. I hope more of our food/produce will become more locally grown. Plus if its organic then you don't ingest any chemicals!

MJ5150 · #15 02-01-2011, 10:15 AM

I like the organic idea too. The wife and I are looking into the eat clean and whole food approach to eating.

I e-mailed one of the local farms here last night. The lady in charge replied back this morning inviting us to come down for a tour of the farm this week so we can check out how they do things. It's just under an hour drive from our house, but we're going to do it. They even offered to give us a sample box before we commit.

-Mike

warwick.hoy · #16 02-01-2011, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Sounds like a bunch of commie pinko nonsense to me!

More like hippie commune. Trying to return to the way things used to be run when the produce took precedence over the profit.

http://users.asisna.com/blacknettle/...lstoyfarm.html

^This is the farm we got our CSA share from a few years ago,...and the way I understand it is,...they collectively own the land,....each individual or family is responsible for building their own dwelling sourcing water and providing their own electricity,...should they choose to do so.

The CSA investment goes towards buying seed, equipment, etc. etc. The inhabitants of the farm hunker down for the winter,...work on seedlings and starters,...can and preserve, and in the summer they work the fields, harvest and bring the produce to the farmer's market where people pick up their shares and they sell produce to people who might not have gotten on the list.

I actually have a friend whose parents also run a CSA farm but it is much smaller and they only do 3 or 4 boxes for the season. I actually benefit from this as the parents provide food from the (rather large) garden to the son and his GF; and they in turn share with my wife and I.

I could go on a rant about how these small farms are better than the giant industrial agribusiness,...but I don't have all the facts. I will say that I much prefer my money go to someone I can rub elbows with at the local co-op, or by donation restaurant (that feeds local hungry people)...rather than some faceless company whose subsidized profit margin affords the CEO a brand new yacht.

macaroni tony · #17 02-01-2011, 11:03 AM

^ "Hey Big Brother, up yours, maaaaan!"

**Vorago** · #18 02-01-2011, 11:06 AM

You'll love it, the taste of a tomato grown on real soil...

MJ5150 · #19 02-01-2011, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

I will say that I much prefer my money go to someone I can rub elbows with at the local co-op, or by donation restaurant (that feeds local hungry people)...rather than some faceless company whose subsidized profit margin affords the CEO a brand new yacht.

This was part of it for us as well. I don't know a lick about farming, so I am actually excited to get a tour of the farm and see how they do things.

As we browse through the produce department at our local grocery store, all the labels are for products from other states and countries. So the wife and I figured why should we pay for veggies from across the country when some folks right here in our community are working hard to do the same thing.

There is also an option for us to donate a little extra for our share and help purchase another share that will be donated to a family in the community in need.

-Mike

EBodious · #20 02-01-2011, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

I like the organic idea too. The wife and I are looking into the eat clean and whole food approach to eating.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

As we browse through the produce department at our local grocery store, all the labels are for products from other states and countries. So the wife and I figured why should we pay for veggies from across the country when some folks right here in our community are working hard to do the same thing.

BIG +1 to eating clean, whole and local. you guys on the west coast have access to some of the best food grown in the country (it gets more plentiful as you go south, but you still have amazing soil and climate). washington blackberries, oh my yes

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Sounds like a bunch of commie pinko nonsense to me!

sharing and working together. a good ideal from kindergarten or a commie plot?!?!?!?!?