Community Supported Agriculture Options

So, I've been an absent contributor to this blog for a while now (very busy with school and end of semester tasks) but I hope to be back every Wednesday this summer. Recently I've been thinking about sustainable eating (along with other research intersections pertaining to obesity) and trying to accept that in the Midwest there really are not as many organic produce purchasing options as on the coasts or in the southern regions due to shorter growing seasons. When a person lives alone, doesn't have the time/energy/money for growing produce, or doesn't have room for a garden (see my "backyard" to the left) it's time to start considering other options for enjoying homegrown fruits and vegetables. Therefore, I've been looking into Community Supported Agriculture outlets here in the Bowling Green, OH area.



Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a socioeconomic model of agriculture and food distribution. A CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation where the growers and consumers share the risks and benefits of food production. CSAs usually consist of a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables and fruit in a vegetable box scheme, sometimes including dairy products and meat.



CSAs generally focus on the production of high quality foods for a local community, often using organic or biodynamic farming methods, and a shared risk membership/marketing structure. This kind of farming operates with a much greater than usual degree of involvement of consumers and other stakeholders — resulting in a stronger than usual consumer-producer relationship. The core design includes developing a cohesive consumer group that is willing to fund a whole season’s budget in order to get quality foods. The system has many variations on how the farm budget is supported by the consumers and how the producers then deliver the foods. The more a farm embraces whole-farm, whole-budget support, the more it can focus on quality and reduce the risk of food waste or financial loss. This is pretty brilliant!





Here are a few links to help you in your search for CSA information if interested:





USDA National Agriculture Library





Local Harvest





The Eat Well Guide





The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service




I also like to freqent my local farmer's market such as the one here in BG. If you're like me, summer is the time to partake in all of the foods that are not readily available during the winter. Enjoy and get involved with your local CSAs!

Until next Wednesday, -BA