What is a CSA and Why Get One?

Community Supported Agriculture: Good for Farmers and Good for Families

By Jessi Peretti, Towne’s Harvest Garden, MSU

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) first came to the US in the late 1980s and started with just two small farms in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Currently, there are over 3,000 CSA programs in the US, and Bozeman is not a stranger to this movement!

Community Supported Agriculture is a collaboration between the farmer and the consumer. The shareholder and the farmer share the risk and benefits of all that is involved with the production of food. Typically, the shareholder pays a fee upfront that helps cover the farmer’s salary and the cost of running the farm for production. In return the shareholder receives an abundance of fresh produce once a week from May/June to September/October. But that is not the only benefit of joining a CSA.

Being a member in a CSA can also influence your family and the rituals and traditions that involve the production and consumption of food. CSAs are an educational opportunity for both parents and children, they promote healthy eating, and encourage you to try different kinds of produce and many different recipes.

At Towne’s Harvest Garden, located just blocks from MSU in Bozeman, CSA members have an opportunity to choose which head of broccoli or bunch of Swiss chard seems most appealing. Children get just as excited about picking up beets as they do visiting the chicken coop. They know new produce will provide them with an opportunity to spend time in the kitchen with their parents, and maybe even give them “permission” to get a little dirty!

When you attend your first CSA distribution your basket might include mizuna, garlic scapes and a variety of lettuce. As the summer progresses you may see summer squash, fresh herbs and tomatoes. Fresh, unfamiliar produce gives your family an opportunity to learn about new foods and develop a delicious meal together.

Studies have shown that children that spend time preparing and eating meals with their parents do better in school, are less likely to get involved with drugs or alcohol, and have higher self esteem then children that do not. CSA members are more likely to spend time preparing and eating as a family simply because fresh produce does take a little more time to prepare, and why not recruit a little help.

Including at least three servings of vegetables a day into your diet has been shown to reduce your risk of heart attack, diabetes, and stroke. When you receive five pounds of produce (or more!) straight from the garden, how can you resist incorporating more vegetables into your family’s diet? Often times you will be provide with simple and easy recipes when you pick up your produce so you do not have to spend as much time searching for recipes.

Many people find it hard to resist being involved in a Community Supported Agriculture program because of the many benefits and commodore it brings to their family. Not only that, but who can resist eating an entire meal produced by the person that shook your hand and said “Hello” when you walked onto the farm to pick up your share?

For more info on CSAs, visit Local Harvest