Quick question - has anyone here ever particpated in CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

[nadine_mn]

I was reading an article about reducing kitchen waste and it mentioned CSAs which I had never heard of - so for 16-18 weeks, my husband and I would buy a 1/2 share of produce a week for a total price of around $300.

I am sure our experience in Minnesota (with its shorter growing seasons - quick if you blink you miss it) will be different than in warmer climates, but I was just wondering if any DUers have tried it and recommend it.

[cyberswede]

1. We've done it

We buy a 1/2 share from a local organic farm. It's great - they deliver a cooler full of veggies to our house every week (picked the day before). The stuff is super fresh, and it's fun to see what you get each week - whatever is ready to be harvested throughout the season. The kids call it "veggie day." Ours cost about $10/week for 22-25 weeks, from May-October; we're in SE Iowa, so our growing season may be a bit longer.

[KamaAina]

2. Memphis-area DUers, check out my friend's new CSA farm

http://www.tubbycreekfarm.com

Randy is among the coolest dudes on the planet. He even brews his own IPA! :beer: Wife Jo brings her expertise in running a string of organic gardens in midtown Memphis to the farm.

[rurallib]

3. We did a half share for 3 years in Iowa

The only problem for us was that much of what we got we didn't use that much.
We thought it over and decided that we would be better off at farmer' markets. Since shares were limited, they had no trouble filling the spot.

[hibbing]

4. One Year

Hi,
I split a highest tier box with someone for a season. Was great in the spring with lots of lettuce. I was expecting more food food, instead I got a lot of herbs, squash blossoms, kale, kale, kale, arugula, arugula, arugula, swiss chard, swiss chard, swiss chard and so on. I think we got 10 potatoes all season and one melon. The stuff we did get was good, I just think for what we paid for it was not worth it. If I would have got more potatoes, carrots, and other veggies I would have been doing it again. I am sure they are all different in terms of what you get. It was fun trying different things that I would normally not buy at a grocery.

Good luck, and peace.

[nadine_mn]

5. That's what we are afraid of - getting stuff we won't eat

We aren't much for vegetables and until we are braver and try new recipes, it won't be worth the money. We might just continue to hit farmer's markets. I really love the concept - just wish I was a braver veggie eater

[Gormy Cuss]

8. If you "aren't much for vegetables" joining a CSA is a terrible idea.

The farmers' market is probably a better approach for you based on your self-description. Both the sellers and fellow buyers can be good sources for info on how to store and prepare those veggies that you don't know.

Typical CSAs work well for people who are enthusiastic, adventurous cooks who like vegetables and are undaunted by the prospect of eating based on what's in season rather than preference. I helped coordinate a CSA group where the produce was delivered to our work site. We had many sign up, but we also had a high dropout rate. Those who dropped out were either not cooks or not big vegetable fans who had joined up to force themselves to eat differently. We shared cooking tips and recipes via corporate email and still about 25% of the initial enrollees dropped out.

There are now CSAs springing up for other ag products too -- dairy, seafood, meat.

[nolabear]

6. Me! Me! Every other week we get a box of veggies

and spend the rest of the week(s) figuring out what to do with them. It's been a blast, and I've eaten good fresh things I'd never have tried otherwise.

I say go for it.

[csziggy]

7. We did it for a couple of seasons

The produce was very good quality and in large quantities, even though we only got a half share for the two of us. The major reasons I stopped doing it were that it was really more produce than we could use, even if I froze part of it, some weeks it was a lot of stuff neither of us particularly liked, and it cost more than I normally would spend on produce.

The biggest obstacle was that we just do not like the bitter greens that are the major crop here (North Florida) in the hot seasons and that ended up being the largest part of what we were getting. I did my best to use everything we got, tried all kinds of new recipes for new vegetables, and gave away a lot of what we knew we would not use. We still ended up throwing away an unreasonable amount of foodstuff.

The CSA we were in seemed to be more into fancy greens (arugula, kale, etc.) than to easy to grow vegies like squash, zucchini, or green beans, which we vastly prefer. They also did not grow staples like onions, garlic or carrots, or even bell peppers which grow very easily around here. Heck, they did not grow tomatoes, either!

I decided that if I want to go completely organic, I will buy what I know I will use from the local food coop or make it to one of the local farmer's markets. Then I can tailor my purchases to our tastes rather than to whatever one particular local grower is producing.