What's a CSA?

photo provided by Barefoot Hippie Homesteading in Lebanon, Ohio

A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) matches small farms directly with customers who want fresh, seasonal food. According to Local Harvest, an online community for farmers, this approach to eating locally has been growing in popularity over the past two decades, just as consumers have become increasingly interested in organic produce and minimally processed foods. A CSA takes what you eat quite literally from farm to table.

Here’s how it works

A small farm sells shares in its future harvest to local customers. For a subscription fee that can vary depending on duration and quantity, a buyer can sign up to receive regular deliveries of fresh, seasonal produce throughout the season or entire year. The farmer arranges a regular schedule where customers can pick up a box of whatever’s being harvested that week – deliveries typically coincide with the grower’s participation in a local farmer's market. CSA programs can range from a family-sized box of veggies delivered weekly throughout the entire growing season, to portions for one or two, to shorter options that provide, say, four weeks’ worth of fall greens. Some CSA's involve only a subscription fee, while others invite (or require) buyers to contribute “sweat equity” in the form of a few hours of labor on the farm.

Local Farm CSA Programs

Local farms come in all shapes and sizes, call a few in your area to find out more about the CSA they are offering this year – most sign-ups start in February-March for the spring/summer season. Find a detailed list of area farms offering CSAs are listed here.

If your farm currently has available shares or a buying club please join the list here.