But what will we do with all those veggies?

Ever since I first decided to make a serious effort into eating more "real food," I'd been curious about CSAs.  Perhaps even longer.  So I was surprised when I started talking about them that most people didn't know what I meant.  Now, to be fair, we're surrounded by acronyms these days, and throwing out a few letters with little context, "I'm excited about my CSA," would understandably confuse people.  After all, it's something in the forefront of my mind, but not of everyone's.  But, even after explaining that CSA means "community supported agriculture," I've found more elaboration is required.



Let's back up a little - what is this thing about "real food" anyway?  Put simply, many of us, particularly those who like convenience, have moved further and further away from the "source" of our food, or even simply non-chemically-mimicked food.  It's becoming harder to know what's in the things you eat (if you don't make them yourself from base ingredients).  Look to the recent court case against Taco Bell for an example of that.  There are increasing questions about the safety of what's in our food - both in regard to e. coli and similar outbreaks and questions about the effects of commonplace ingredients like high fructose corn syrup.  The idea to eat real food is to stay away from processed ingredients and use things that are fresh and/or natural.  (This in itself is a complex idea, as "natural" isn't a regulated term.) 

The next part of the fresh food search often leads to the conclusion that you should try to "eat local."  Why?  There's some idea that eating locally grown and locally produced food will help you be more aware of how the food gets to your plate.  But, there's also more direct advantages: a reduction in shipping, less confusion about imported food safety, and fresher ingredients to your door.  Embracing local eating often means accepting seasons (or at least, modifying your diet to eat locally during peak growing season) - crops are harvested at certain times of the year and generally will not be available during other times.  If you're adventurous, this could lead to accepting new foods into your diet as you eat what's available when it is.  If you're really committed, this may mean preserving foods during their peak season so you can eat them during off-peak times.

So where do you find locally grown food?  Sometimes at your grocer but more often at farmer's markets, roadside stands, and similar locales.  Why?  Well, that's where the local farmers bring their food to sell it.  There's a few reasons for this, but for the moment, let's stay on the idea of the local, small farm.  It's not easy to be a farmer, particularly on a small scale.  (Particularly if you don't get government subsidies...)  If you're income is entirely based on farming, then your livelihood is directly tied to the weather.  Too much rain, not enough rain, frost, scorching heat, et al, all determine your yield for the season.  Things like insects, fungus, and disease can also ruin a crop.  Then there is the market issue on the other side - once you harvest your crops you need to sell them or lose them - and whether consumers will buy your product a particular day can be unpredictable.

Enter CSAs.  In a CSA, a group of people come together to support local agriculture - often by supporting a specific farm.  They agree to buy the farmer's goods, typically paying in advance.  In other words, they invest in shares of the farm before the harvest.  The consumer now shares in the risk with the farmer, and helps to guarantee that the farmer will receive income, even in a bad crop year.  In return, the consumer is promised a portion of the harvest on a regular schedule.  Nice farm fresh vegetables not shipped from too far away.  A farm may diversify its crop to meet the demands of its CSA members or it may join with other farms to provide a variety of goods.  Consumers are able to prioritize their values when choosing a CSA - picking an organic farm, for example.  Many farms will allow their CSA members to visit their fields; a few may even ask members to contribute in some fashion.  The CSA delivery is often a surprise - it will be based on whatever crops are ready to harvest. 

For us, our farm aims to fill a 48 quart cooler for each of its full share members each week with organic produce.  Now that's a lot of veggies!