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If you visit your local farmer’s market, you’ve probably seen many farmers offering what is known as a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture. A CSA is a program offered by a grower or producer in which you pay a fee for a share of the crop. You then get weekly deliveries of whatever is produced by that farm. It’s a great way to get local, seasonal produce, sometimes even delivered to your door.
These programs are becoming more and more popular with people looking to change the way they eat, and they have many benefits, but they aren’t for everyone. For more information on what a CSA can do for you, read the following pros and cons.
Pros:
It Can Save You Money
Pound for pound, you will likely save money by buying from a CSA, and you’ll get much better quality food than you’ll get from your local supermarket. In many cases, you’ll get organic produce, even if the vendor isn’t certified (although it’s important to ask beforehand if this is important to you). If you struggle with buying organic because of price, joining a CSA is a great option.
It Can Improve Your Health
Yes, fruits and vegetables are good for you no matter what. However, food that is freshly harvested and eaten as close to harvest as possible, is much better nutritionally. Not only that, but it will likely taste much better. If it’s organic, it’s even better for you.
You Can Get More Than Just Vegetables
While CSA’s are mostly used for fruits and vegetables, you can get a variety of products, including meat, dairy, and eggs on a weekly basis from a local source. Some farms even pair up with local businesses to offer breads, honey, flowers, or herbs. If you’re unsure of what’s available to you, take a stroll through your local farmer’s market; chances are, if it’s being sold, it’s likely available as part of a CSA.
You’ll Eat a More Varied Diet
Many people tend to buy the same foods at the grocery store because they’re easily accessible. When you join a CSA, you’ll probably get some vegetables you’ve never heard of, meat you’ve never had, or even duck eggs instead of the usual chicken variety. This is a great way to learn about new foods, eat a wider variety of healthy foods, and banish boredom from your eating plan. Most farmers will tell you what they grow or produce, so you’ll have some idea of what you’ll get throughout the season so just check around before signing up.
It’s Environmentally Friendly
Most of the food that you get at your local grocery store is grown in another country, harvested too early, and then packed on trucks to travel literally thousands of miles to its destination. It doesn’t take much to realize that this isn’t good for the environment.
A CSA, however, is different. You’re getting food that is grown close to your home, eliminating the environmental damages well-traveled food brings.
Cons:
You Get What You Get
With few exceptions, you don’t have a lot of say in what you get each week. If the farm you choose has an abundance of broccoli this week, you’ll likely be getting a lot of broccoli. Some farms will let you list what you do or don’t like, but if you only really like a few vegetables, a CSA is probably not something you’ll enjoy.
A Bad Crop is a Possibility
One of the biggest downsides of joining a CSA is that you are taking the risk that the season may not be plentiful. If this happens, you may get less than your money’s worth. That’s part of the deal; you’re basically buying a share of the farmer’s bounty; if it’s a good year, everyone’s happy. If there are major droughts, you can lose money on the deal. If you know you won’t be able to eat if you don’t get an abundance from the farm, you absolutely should not join a CSA.
You’ll Need a Plan
If it’s a good year, you’ll get more than you think. This is good, because you can freeze much of the food, but it can be very overwhelming when you get 2 dozen ears of corn or 4 heads of cabbage and you have no idea what to do with it. It’s important that you sharpen your meal planning skills before you join, otherwise you will most definitely end up wasting food.
You’ll Need to Clean and Prep Everything
You probably wash the fruits and vegetables you get at the grocery store, but even so, it’s still not all that dirty. Produce from the CSA is likely harvested and delivered without a lot of washing or prepping. Expect onions with roots, potatoes covered in dirt, and lettuce that needs to be washed several times before you can eat it. You won’t be getting the shiny, pretty apples you see in your supermarket’s produce department, so you’ll need a way to deal with that. A vegetable scrub brush and a salad spinner will be necessities, as will several hours to prep, clean, and store your goods for the longest possible haul. If you don’t do this, you will end up throwing a lot of your food away.
You’ll Have to Pay Up Front
While the savings can be significant when compared to grocery store prices, you’ll have to write a big check up front if you want to get them. If you can’t come up with several months grocery budget up front, joining a CSA may not be for you. And remember, if it happens to be a bad year, you won’t get any of that money back. This is important for budgeting families to keep in mind when deciding whether to join a CSA.
You Can Get Taken Advantage of If You’re Not Careful
Community Supported Agriculture is definitely becoming more and more popular each year. As more and more people are trying to eat healthier, buy local foods, and make environmentally friendly choices, it seems natural that joining a CSA is a good step.
Unfortunately, like most popular trends, there are those that want to take advantage of participants. There are many unscrupulous companies out there that are doing things like buying conventional produce from supermarkets and selling it as local and organic. They’ll deliver to your door and you’ll never know the difference. Don’t fall for these ploys. Do your research and use common sense. If you live in Nebraska and a “local” farm is including bananas in its share, that should be an indicator that something’s not right. Make sure you read what the company says they’re offering. Many companies are simply produce delivery companies that deliver the same vegetables from across the world that you’ll get at the grocery store.
Conclusion
Joining a CSA with a local farm in your area has many benefits, including saving money and exposing you to a wider variety of foods than you probably eat now. While eating local, organic produce isn’t the only way to eat healthy, it definitely helps if you have the ability to do it. It does have some downsides, however, and may not be for everyone, especially those that don’t have the budget to pay up front or are picky eaters. Like any investment, it’s important to do your research up front to decide whether or not joining is for you.