Fresh from the farm to your plate: Eat and live better in a CSA

I have an easy quiz for you: What’s better than fresh farm produce from the store?

Easy answer: Fresh produce direct from the farm!

Wouldn’t it be great to have a direct pipeline from the garden to your table? I’ve found, as many of my clients have, that a great way to do that is to become involved with a CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture.

A CSA works by having community members, like you, become shareholders of a farm’s seasonal harvest in their area. It’s similar to a “co-op”, except that multiple people share ownership of the harvest only, not the whole farm. A CSA is generally run by a single “head honcho” farmer who handles the main operations. Sometimes they hire farmhands to help work the land, sometimes they get volunteers or interns; shareholders are encouraged – and in some CSAs, required – to pitch in periodically. The head farmer plans and organizes the propagation, planting, watering, fertilizing and harvesting, tending to a variety of seasonal, organically grown vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Shares of the harvest are then sent out to shareholders, with baskets divided in half bushel or bushel baskets. The baskets can be made ready every week or two weeks, depending on how much food each shareholder wants to – or can – use.

A lot of people like to go to the farm and pick up their shares; some put in a little work on the farm at the same time, bringing their fresh produce home when they’re finished. You can also pay a little extra and have those shares delivered to you. Many CSAs also offer something in between where there’s a neighborhood drop off, and on a certain day each week you can go pick up your shares. The options are many.

The harvest will vary by time of year, local climate and soil conditions. A basket in a given week might include potatoes, green beans, squash, tomatoes, peppers, basil and onions, for example. Most CSAs also provide recipe ideas and more ways to use your harvested bounty than you might have known about beforehand.

Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? The notion that you’re using fresh, organically-grown fruits, vegetables and herbs from a local farm or garden in which you’re part owner?

You probably hear the term “eat local” quite a bit; let me tell you, this is the ultimate in eating local. It’s healthier for the earth and much healthier for you. Time matters, too: The fruits and vegetables you get in the produce section of your local megamart was in storage for who knows how long, which can lead to great losses of valuable vitamins and nutrients, depending on the harvest date and type of produce. So if you can get them to your table in 12 hours instead of weeks or months, you get more nutrition from your food. Plus, fresh produce often tastes better!

Participating in community supported agriculture just makes sense to me. Many of the health problems we experience as we grow older start with how we eat throughout our lives, starting in the womb! Nutrition is extremely important for good living. You can’t get much fresher or healthier than produce direct to you from a nearby farm. It’s something I highly recommend you explore.

There are about 2,500 CSAs in the United States and the number is growing quickly. To find one near you, go to http://www.localharvest.org/csa/.

Next time, we’ll explore a CSA near my home west of Austin and more advantages to growing your own food. Until then, eat well!

Photo credit: Johnson’s Backyard Garden http://jbgorganic.com/csa.php