5.14.2008

CSA

Controlled Substance Act? No.
Combat Support Associates? No.
Certified Senior Advisors? No.
Contract Services Association? No.

Community Supported Agriculture?
Yes!

Heard of it? I actually hadn’t until very recently (sorry, apparently I’m just woefully ignorant of sustainable farming practices) when author Michael Pollan mentioned it in his book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. The concept of buying a share in a local farm to meet my produce needs struck me as such a neat idea, especially since moving away from my garden growing grandparents and having to settle for the produce fare offered at my local grocery stores, which more often than not has been trucked in from industrial farms from all over the world.

The LocalHarvest website says, “A CSA is a way for the food buying public to create a relationship with a farm and to receive a weekly basket of produce.”

Sooooo, I did a little internet research and found Doe Run Farm located in Petersburg Tennessee (just south of Nashville), contacted the owners and after some broad economics-based discussion (zzzzz…), Dan and I decided to buy a share of their farm for the summer growing season. For 14 weeks beginning May 27th, we will be receiving a half bushel basket of various produce, vegetables, melons and berries grown organically on local soil.

We’ll be helping out a small local farm and in return we’ll be getting really fresh, healthy produce at a great price. Cool, huh?

5 comments:

Gibbarella said...

very cool.

Anonymous said...

So you are saying you did not like the broad based economics talk? I find that hard to believe as I was rivited.

It sounds like an exciting prospect to get farm fresh produce every week and long as it does not eat into my Whole Foods time....you know, therapy and all.

Anonymous said...

I checked into it and we don't have any around here (big surprise, eh?). I guess they figure we can simply drive down the road and pick them up! It sounds neat, though. I did check-out the website but thought I'd have to say "no" to the ones that would make me work, though!!

Owen and I are doing our own garden this year - complete with pumpkins and watermelons (if the critters don't eat them). If you make a visit to good 'ole Erie, I'll give you some!! (Does this make me like your grandparents? Have I aged that much already??)

Anonymous said...

lol I actually wanted to do this this year!!! I didn't check it out until January and every farm I contacted was already out of shares!! I suppose it's rather popular here.

But yeah how cool is that!

Terah Lynn said...

That's such a great thing...now if I only ate my vegetables....LOL!