CSA - Community Supported AgricultureI read about this newfangled idea called 'Community Supported Agriculture' in a Natural Health Magazine (a great magazine consequently). What is a CSA you ask, well...
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Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a unique partnership between eaters and farmers. Members normally join a CSA at the beginning of the calendar year, reserving a spot and paying for at least part of the season up front. This helps to provide a guaranteed market and income to the farmer. The farmer then provides a weekly share of fresh, seasonal, organically-grown vegetables, fruits, herbs, eggs and/or meat during the growing season. Both partners share in the risks and rewards of small-scale farming, from weather worries to bumper crops.
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So I googled 'Kansas City CSA' and found this site. There are tons of CSA's in the KC area. I contacted a lady in Lawrence and we are now members of a CSA. We pick up our bag of seasonal veggies and herbs every Thursday night. She actually has a drop-off at Lakeland so that worked out well for us, we don't actually have to travel to her farm in Lawrence. [The picture above shows us picking up this weeks produce from the back of our 'farmer's' car...pretty cool]
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For $14 per week we get seasonal, locally grown, pesticide free produce. Last week included potatoes, tomatoes, tons of onions, green beans, squash and parsley. This week she also had okra and cucumbers. You don't get to be picky, but that is part of the fun - learning to cook with vegetables we might not have otherwise grabbed off the shelf.
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The other reason I am really interested in this concept is that you can go to visit the farm, help weed and water, or just visit to explore the different plants. We took Carolyn a few weekends ago to see 'our' farm. It was fun to show her where our food is coming from, and letting her see how squash grows, or what a pepper plant looks like.
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1 comment:
mmmmm, i do cherish some good parsley!
-ross
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