Where to Sign Up for a CSA
The Washington Post published a great article today on Where to Sign Up for a CSA for folks living throughout the Chesapeake Bay region, so I figured I'd share it with you. Actually, it's more of a list than an article, with a brief description of what a CSA is, followed by a long list of farms in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia that sell shares . . . including share price, length of season, actual dates of season, pick-up points and contact information.
The time to sign up for a 2009 CSA is right now . . . so get on it, friends.
For those of you unfamiliar with CSAs, the term is an acronym for "Community Supported Agriculture" and here's how it works. People like you buy a "share" or a "half-share" of a farm's bounty for the upcoming season. The farm, in turn, harvests food weekly during its specified CSA season and divides it up into boxes for all of its share holders. Some of the farms deliver to various neighborhoods, while others require you to pick up your box up at the farm. Shareholders get fresh, locally grown/produced, seasonal vegetables, fruit, meat, dairy, etc. The farmers, in turn, get much needed $$ at the beginning of the season, when they need it most, as well as a predictable demand for their harvest. Everyone wins.
Friends of mine who own/operate the restaurant Food Matters in Alexandria are on the Washington Post list . . . and they change things up a bit by running their own CSA distributing goods from several of the local farmers they buy from—so shareholders get great variety and several farms benefit from the $$.
I love the CSA concept and I'm not alone. I read an article in the Washington Post last month about a fishing community in Maine that's using the same concept to distribute its catch. BUT I'm not a CSA member for two reasons. First, I live alone and haven't been sufficiently motivated to find a nearby friend to split a share with. Second, I live within a 10 minute bike ride of 5 or 6 farmers markets during the Spring-Summer-Fall (only one of them's open in the Winter) . . . and I love the social aspect of seeing friends at the markets and talking to/buying from lots of different farmers.
Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly support the CSA model and I'd love to hear about your CSA experiences and recommendations.
The time to sign up for a 2009 CSA is right now . . . so get on it, friends.
For those of you unfamiliar with CSAs, the term is an acronym for "Community Supported Agriculture" and here's how it works. People like you buy a "share" or a "half-share" of a farm's bounty for the upcoming season. The farm, in turn, harvests food weekly during its specified CSA season and divides it up into boxes for all of its share holders. Some of the farms deliver to various neighborhoods, while others require you to pick up your box up at the farm. Shareholders get fresh, locally grown/produced, seasonal vegetables, fruit, meat, dairy, etc. The farmers, in turn, get much needed $$ at the beginning of the season, when they need it most, as well as a predictable demand for their harvest. Everyone wins.
Friends of mine who own/operate the restaurant Food Matters in Alexandria are on the Washington Post list . . . and they change things up a bit by running their own CSA distributing goods from several of the local farmers they buy from—so shareholders get great variety and several farms benefit from the $$.
I love the CSA concept and I'm not alone. I read an article in the Washington Post last month about a fishing community in Maine that's using the same concept to distribute its catch. BUT I'm not a CSA member for two reasons. First, I live alone and haven't been sufficiently motivated to find a nearby friend to split a share with. Second, I live within a 10 minute bike ride of 5 or 6 farmers markets during the Spring-Summer-Fall (only one of them's open in the Winter) . . . and I love the social aspect of seeing friends at the markets and talking to/buying from lots of different farmers.
Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly support the CSA model and I'd love to hear about your CSA experiences and recommendations.
Wow, I'd love to do a CSA but I wonder if they have them in the Philly area?
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I love a good CSA. Not only is it great way to get the tastiest fruits and veg available, but it also forces me to cook outside my comfort zone. Sunchokes? Never heard of them until recently, now am in love with them.
Reply to this
I love a good CSA. Not only is it great way to get the tastiest fruits and veg available, but it also forces me to cook outside my comfort zone. Sunchokes? Never heard of them until recently, now am in love with them.
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