CSA WHAT IS IT?

CSA, Community Supported Agriculture.  What does that mean? 

The concept originated in the 1960's in Switzerland and Japan.  In those countries consumers, such as yourself, where interested in safe food and small farmer's, such as us, were seeking stable markets for their crops.  The two groups joined together to form an economic partnership.  A Community Supported Agriculture is born.

"Since our human existence is primarily dependent on farming, how can we entrust this essential activity solely to the farming population.  Only 2% of Americans are farmers. 2%! As farming has gotten bigger and bigger it has become more and more remote from the life of the average person, it becomes less and less able to provide us with nutritious, clean, healthy, live giving food or a clean, healthy, live giving environment.  That small 2% of Americans, laden with debt, overburdened with responsibility, subsidized by you, cannot possibly meet the nutritious, safe needs of all humans, such as you.  Fortunately, more and more people are coming to recognize this, and those people are ready to share agricultural responsibilities with small active growers."  (Excerpts taken from Farms of Tomorrow)

In the mid-1980's the concept of community supported agriculture (CSA) was introduced to the United States and continues to gain momentum.  There are a community of individuals, such as yourself, who pledge support to a small grower/producer, such as us, so that the farm land becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks of food production.  Typically, members or "share-holders" of the farm pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer's salary.  In return, the "share-holder" receives a share in the farm's bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production.  On the flip side - members also share in the risk of farming, including poor harvests or crop failure due to unfavorable weather or pests.  (Excerpts from Defining Community Supported Agriculture.)

Here we are the fall of 2010 and moving toward the 2011 growing season.  Government continues to harrass individuals and small grower/producers telling us --"There is no 'deeply rooted' historical tradition of unfettered access to foods of all kinds."  FDA'S RESPONSE TO RAW MILK  We can all make a difference by supporting a CSA close to you.