And I’ll let you talk on your damn cell phone whenever you want to. Sheesh.*
Back in the day, around the time the bottom started to drop out of the economy, Oprah went on a cleansing diet. It was one of those deals that required her to eat oodles of fresh, organic fruits and veggies. This was going to be the magic bullet that kept her Vogue-Magazine-Cover-Ready forever.
Oprah being Oprah, she promoted this way of life to the masses (as one does). “Eat as I eat! Wander out back to your 1,000 acre farm and watch your minions harvest your heirloom, organic produce! Have the minions deliver said produce to your gourmet chef and watch him prepare it for your! SURE YOU CAN AFFORD TO LIVE LIKE THIS! And if you can’t, clearly you are a loser, destined to be unfulfilled as a person.”
It was around this time I started to become disillusioned by Oprah.
However! We can eat better, without breaking the bank. At the same time, we can support our community, support our local farmers, promote land stewardship, and just feel better about ourselves, as a people. How, you ask? Simple, I answer, by joining an CSA farm.
What is a CSA? CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. CSA farms provide weekly deliveries of sustainably grown produce to participants during the growing season – June through October. Folks who sign up with the farm pay a subscription fee for their produce, called a ‘share.’ The membership fee is more than just a payment for fresh veggies, you also own a share in the farm for the season. That’s why they’re called a ‘share’ – you share in the success and bounty of the farm, and your fee helps support the farm financially.
What do I have to do? For some farms, you don’t have to do much more than sign up and pay your fee. Many CSA farms deliver your weekly share of veggies directly to your neighborhood. Some require you to pick them up from the farm, so check the delivery policy before you register. Some CSA’s ask participants to help out at least once a season on the farm (package up shares, help with deliveries), others just suggest you bring the family out to the farm to see where your food comes from.
How do I choose a CSA? First and foremost, check out the prices vs. the number of deliveries you’ll receive. You want the biggest bang for your buck! Next, look where the farm is located and whether or not they deliver to your neighborhood… and whether or not that delivery is included in the overall fee. Then, look to see what types of fruits, veggies and herbs they offer, so you get the best variety. I also prefer the farms that let you visit, or pitch in. It adds to the sense of community and land stewardship – which is what the CSA program is all about
Frugal Tip: If you live alone, or the thought of all that fresh produce is overwhelming, look for CSA farms that offer Half Shares. They cost less, and they give you less veggies to deal with in your kitchen! It’s a great way to test the CSA program, to make sure it’s right for you.
What are the prices like? It depends on whether you get a full share, a half share, or any add-ons like Fall Harvest or Holiday shares or animal products like chicken, eggs, milk, etc. A full share should feed a family of four, and a half share will feed 1-2 people.
Full Share – $500 to $600 for 18 weeks. That breaks down to a maximum price per week of $33.33.
Half Share – $275 to $400 for 18 weeks. Break down per week is $22.22 max.
Great Deal! – Webster Farm Organic is $425 for a 20 week share, and comes in at just $21.25 a week.
What should I expect from my weekly share? These are veggies in the rough. Do not expect neatly scrubbed, chopped, and ready to use produce like you find at the grocery store. Your share is picked fresh that morning, rinsed off, and packed whole into a water-proof box. It’s your responsibility to scrub, peel, chop and cook what you receive. But the trade off? The freshest product you can get – and you know exactly where you’re getting it from.
Where do I start looking? Two great websites are www.landstewardshipproject.org and www.localharvest.org . Tell them the Cheap Chick sent you. Or you know, don’t. I’m not the boss of you.
You might also enjoy this post here.
*I do agree with Oprah about texting and driving. People, typing and steering DON’T MIX.
3 Comments
Great post! I LOVE my CSA . Not only do I eat more vegetables,but it’s cheaper than buying produce at the grocery store. I also love to support local agriculture.
A company I worked at did the CSA thing. The farm folks would then deliver the boxes to the office. I’m not sure how happy people were with the food, but they must have been satisfied, as it was a popular program (that I could tell). I would participate in a share now, but I can’t afford it at all. Maybe someday!
CSAs are very cool. They kind of force you into eating more vegetables than you’re used to (at least they did for me), which is a good thing.