What Is a CSA? How to Find a CSA Near You
CSA stand for Community Sponsored Agriculture and CSA is the term used to describe a program that allows a consumer to get fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables direct from a local farmer. Some farmers who offer a CSA program will have drop off points, some deliver, and others allow you to pick up your weekly produce right at the farm.
Community supported agriculture actually began as a program in the early 1960′s in Germany, Japan and Switzerland because of concerns about food safety and development of agricultural land. At that time a groups of consumers and farmers formed cooperative partnerships, or Co-Ops, that funded the growing for farmers and give consumers fresh locally grown produce. Many original CSA’s used organic and biodynamic agricultural practice and this continues today.
CSA’s started to spring up and take root in the U.S much later. In 1984 Jan VanderTuin is credited for bringing the CSA concept to the U.S from Europe. The CSA program in the U.S saw growth focused mainly in the Northwest along the Pacific coast, but recently the idea has spread across the Nation and is now offered in every state.
How do CSA’s Work?
Community supported agriculture programs differ widely in the way they are structured as the farmers and consumers find ways to make the program that work for them. Typically the program offer shares and half shares. When a consumer purchases a share they are entitled to a pre-determined amount of food while the produce is in seasons. Because seasons and harvest times vary widely based on location and whether conditions of the particular season CSA are guided by goals and not commitments. Ultimately a CSA provides a way for consumers to share risks that otherwise would be on the farmers to bear exclusively.
How to Find a CSA Near You
The Internet has been a wonderful tool for finding and listing information and it also has made it easier to find a local CSA program regardless of where you live. You can ask your friends and neighbors is they know of a local program, perhaps they are already a share holder in a CSA. Below are some resources on the web to help you find a local CSA program.
Here is a good resource where you can search by city and state for a CSA in the U.S. and Canada.