Anyone a member of a CSA?

**nancycg56** · 02-23-2009, 01:19 PM

I have a chance to join one and I'm just trying to figure out if it's *really* worth the money.

What are the things you like and dislike about it?

**StaceyS** · 02-23-2009, 01:27 PM

I just joined ours (no deliveries til end of April). I went and read every newsletter they sent out last year and it seems like the start is mostly greens and asparagus, then the end is all the "good" stuff like Winter Squash, potatoes, tomatoes, canteloupe, etc. They have 3 "seasons" you can subscribe to and they say the last one has the least people (they figure people have their own gardens then), but I live in an apartment so I can't have a garden. I paid early so I could get a discount of $130.
One thing I did notice was we had a late frost and that wiped out some of the crops (strawberries) before anyone could harvest. You have to take a chance with the farmer.

**Contrary Housewife** · 02-23-2009, 02:24 PM

I am not a member. I looked into it, because I really like the idea, but could not justify it. All the farms/ drop off points are 45-60 minutes from my house, they don't deliver in my area. We are a one car household, so I'd be driving DH to work, then to the farm, then home, then to get DH... And I found the cost, about $800 for 6 months of produce to be a little ridiculous.

It's a better opportunity in other areas of the city, and it seems to be popular enough because they have waiting lists. I couldn't get in the first year I applied. I've since decided to just enlarge my own garden.

**Spikey1341** · 02-23-2009, 02:29 PM

What is a CSA? I am an avid Styx fan and to me that means "Come Sail Away" LOL.

I'm thinking it is some kind of food Co-op, am I right?

**nancycg56** · 02-23-2009, 03:37 PM

Oh, sorry ~ community supported agriculture. You pay x amount for a certain length of time and get a box of produce for x amount of time.

**Denvergirlie** · 02-23-2009, 03:41 PM

We are, but from the point that we are the growers, not the consumers.

City based, our farm is various backyards around the city. Those people that give us their land get a discount in purchase price.

One just can't look at the simple cost, one also had to consider the importance of having locally grown produce that hasn't been harvested before it's ripe and then shipped hundreds/ thousands of miles across the country.
Also, factor in the supporting of local farmer over some comercial mega agricultural business.

**nancycg56** · 02-23-2009, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by Denvergirlie

One just can't look at the simple cost, one also had to consider the importance of having locally grown produce that hasn't been harvested before it's ripe and then shipped hundreds/ thousands of miles across the country.
Also, factor in the supporting of local farmer over some comercial mega agricultural business.

This is what is tipping me in favor of doing it

**vigilant20** · 02-23-2009, 04:01 PM

I couldn't do a normal CSA either. Especially since I'm only feedign one.

I picked the only one in my area that isn’t the normal “pay in full for the growing season” CSA. This one is year round, a half share is $9 a week, you pay as you pickup, and you can opt in or out each week to avoid waste.

**checks** · 02-23-2009, 04:01 PM

I've never heard of that. CSA to me is Core Service Agency!! (Mental Health field here!)

Do you have a link to a site that we can learn more about this?

Thanks.

I was in a "brown bag" type group for awhile. You could join if you were involved in community volunteer programs... Only needed to be involved for about 2 hours a month. May have changed now. But, you would get a box of groceries for cheap. I used to volunteer at the co-op itself, and help divide the food. It was alot of fun.

**vigilant20** · 02-23-2009, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by checks

Do you have a link to a site that we can learn more about this?

Here's a site that allows you to search for CSA's in your area. Each one will specify it's own terms.

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

**ritabelle** · 02-23-2009, 04:20 PM

I did a CSA a couple years back -- got a half share for the two of us and it was a LOT of veggies... more than we'd normally eat in a week. I liked that there was a variety of veggies and it helped expand our comfort zone away from just the sandard veg, but a few times I just didn't know how to cook something and it ended up being thrown away. They did have a newsletter as well that usually had a recipe or two on it, which helped, but at that point in my life it was a little much.

I'd do it again but the farm changed hands and I haven't found another that has convenient drop off locations yet.