How Many Members buy from CSA Farms?

[andy10917]

I recommended a supplier to a Member this week (via PM), and mentioned that the supplier was the owner of a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) farm. The Member was ecstatic.

It's not the first time that I've done posts and had Members say that they use them too.

I'd like to know how many Members like (and use) CSA stuff, without the thread degenerating into an argument about the pro's and con's of it all.

So, who's a CSA user/supporter?

[HanLawn]

never heard of it,can you explain CSA in more detail ?

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Me!

We go to a local farmer's market that they attend.

Also, we use a service that sends us fresh, locally-grown, organic produce (i.e. - CSAish)

A lot of our friends do the same - we like to know where our food comes from.

You pay for it, but it's quality stuff and we like the overall system better.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

never heard of it,can you explain CSA in more detail ?

CSA = Community Supported Agriculture.

Basically, the idea is to buy from the farming community close to you.

Helps you KNOW where your food is coming from and get fresher food.

You purchase shares from local farms, then swing by and pick up your basket once a week or so - depending on what you bought.

We use a delivery service that lets us configure our order online and it gets dropped off.

Indiana CSAs

We like it a lot - we don't use it exclusively.

Some of our friends share cows, or pre buy chickens from a couple pure organic farms.

You can save a lot buying meat this way.

[andy10917]

Some farms work on the idea that you buy/own a portion of a crop/cow/flock/etc.

The farm we use works on the principle that you buy a "share" of the farm at the beginning of the season, and then get a bunch of credits to be used as the crop comes in. It allows you to buy at a discount, and the farmer to have money to buy the seed, plant, feed the crop, etc. You share a portion of the risk of crop failure for the discount.

[HanLawn]

Interesting,never heard of that promoted around here.Closest I get to that is to purchase from our local farmers market setups every weekend.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Interesting,never heard of that promoted around here.Closest I get to that is to purchase from our local farmers market setups every weekend.

There are a few CSAs at our farmer's markets. (I live in the city - there are several!) You might ask them.

I'll bet the farmers selling beef would be willing to sell you half a cow etc too.

I guess I'm saying you might have the service available, it might not be called that.

[andy10917]

I'm not surprised that you haven't heard about it - most farmers aren't great marketers. Once you know they're out there, they're not that hard to find, but it's a grassroots kind of thing. Harry's Farm isn't advertising on the Super Bowl.

[BoatDr]

I haven't done it, but wish I could. There's tons of it going on near me. I love the idea getting great produce and supporting my community. But it's not exactly on the affordable necessities list.


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[HoosierLawnGnome]

You can save a good bit on beef if you buy it all at once - of course - you need to store it - so check out craiglist for a $20 freezer someone's getting rid of

The thing with the CSA approach to purchasing food is you have to work with what's in season. My wife was reticent at first because you only get sent what's in season, and it isn't always stuff we were used to eating.

However, the organic stuff lasts longer and tastes way better. Granted we're paying for that.

But on the meat side - it's really good. And I like living with the cycle of nature in that sense a little more, knowing what's in my food and where it came from better - and partnering with people a few miles from me for a great product.

[bpgreen]

One quick comment. I've seen several references to buying shares in a cow. If you're looking for deals on milk, I think that's fine, but if you're buying beef and you by a cow (or half a cow, etc), keep in mind that the cow was probably a dairy cow, so they kept it as long as it could profitably produce milk. What's left is old, tough, strongly flavored (not bittersweetly in a good way) meat.

You should get beef from steers. And if you get beef from steers from a dairy farm, keep in mind that those steers are likely Holsteins or something similar, so there won't be much fat (you'll need to add oil to fry a hamburger).

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[andy10917]

At least around here, that's not how things work. Products of the CSA are expected to be high-end, not a farmer's rejects. A place selling an old dairy cow wouldn't be community-supported for long.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Well, I'm a bit of a city boy bpgreen - I did say cow - because that's what all cattle get called haha - you are certainly correct of course

They wouldn't be in business for long here!

We do buy grass fed at times, which tastes different to me than the corn-fed beef.

[ckone]

The wife and I have done the CSA thing at different times. The one we did was a box of mixed veggies every other week. We quit when the local farmers market got going. It works better for us to be able to pick what we get.

I also maintain my own veggie garden so the need for someone else to grow is less.

[laadams85]

We have decided to do a crop share this year. Added a 2nd fridge for all the extra produce.

[hokster]

My wife and I have been CSA members for the last 4 years. The first year was at the most "prominent" local farm, and it was a big disappointment --- we were clearly just getting what they couldn't sell. I got her to give it one more year, and we've been very pleased with that farm.

[tlinden]

We do it for our beef. 1/4 a cow is a LOT of meat, and this last go around the cow was bigger than expected so we got a bonus box of beef!

[wis99ski]

I am a supporter and user.

[hokster]

We do it for our beef. 1/4 a cow is a LOT of meat, and this last go around the cow was bigger than expected so we got a bonus box of beef!

I can't imagine how much freezer space that requires! Especially with the bonus beef...

[Itscold]

We have been members of a CSA for a while now. It is walnut family farm in walnut Illinois. They deliver to our town once a month. We only use the meat csa, we have a large enough garden to produce most veggies. We had tried a few others through the years and weren't overly happy until we found this place. We no longer have to buy meat at the store unless we have a big group. My neighbor does a veggie CSA that delivers to our farmers market weekly. I wish I could grow carrots like they do.

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