Community Supported Agriculture

                                                              St. Brigid's Gate Farm


 Local Harvest, a farming company, grows produce for community supported agriculture. "Community Supported Agriculture is a system in which consumers receive food directly from the farmers who produce it." This is a creative way to help childhood obesity. Why? This is a program that can grow produce and then send it to areas where produce isn't provided for a cheaper price. CSA works by having a farmer offer a certain number of shares to the public. The share is a box of vegetables, but sometimes other farm products may be included. Consumers who want to buy from this farmer purchase the share, which is just like a membership. After they do this, they will receive a box of produce each week that is grown from the farmer, throughout the entire farming season.


"Advantages for farmers:

• Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
• Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow
• Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow

Advantages for consumers:

• Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
• Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
• Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season
• Find that kids typically favor food from "their" farm – even veggies they've never been known to eat
• Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown" 

^ taken directly from the local harvest link

In my opinion this is a great idea because it is really simple but it has amazing results. It can really help a family who can't afford produce from grocery stores where it is much higher. Also, if families live in an area where produce isn't an option at their local store, they can still get it by having it sent to them! To make it even better, some farmers include the option for customers to buy other things such as eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, fruit, flowers or other farm products. Sometimes farmers will join together to off their products, that way they can provide the widest variety to their shareholders.

Questions: What do you think about CSA? Do you think this could help reduce obesity? Do you think this is a good idea?

Bibliography

Agriculture, Prarieland Community Supported. What is CSA? 2012. 19 April 2012 <http://www.prairielandcsa.org/whatisacsa.html>.

Inc., Local Harvest. Community Supported Agriculture. 2012. 19 April 2012 <http://www.localharvest.org/csa/>.