CSAs and the Importance of Local/Seasonal Food

Prior to World War II our food system was structured around a more localized and communal distribution. It was not uncommon for families to have a garden or small farm in which to feed themselves.  In fact, before the interstate highway system was developed, it would have been nearly impossible for the transportation of food to travel not much farther than say, 50 to 100 miles.  These days it is not too extreme to say that our food can come from 1500 to 5000 miles away.  California to China, everything from seafood to produce is moved around the globe using a finite supply of fuel and energy to come to your plate.

There are a variety of issues being discussed about why it is very important to focus on a more sustainable way of getting food on our tables, more nutritious food I may add.  One solution to the question 'Where and how is my food produced?' can be found in community supported agriculture or CSA for short.  I wanted to discuss this topic for many reasons. For one, the growing season is upon us and what better time than now to educate people on CSAs so they can get signed up and start receiving fresh vegetables and fruits. I also wanted to focus more attention on the importance of knowing your local farmers since I will be discussing this frequently.

The idea for community supported agriculture came about in the 1990's as a way for urban dwellers to reconnect with the land and have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. This, in turn has paved the way for urban community gardens to become increasingly popular.  Basically CSAs are set up in such a way that the consumer pays the farmer directly for the upcoming harvest season and receives a box of seasonal vegetables and fruit each week throughout the growing season(s).  For example, my family has been involved with our local CSA for a few years now. We pay the farmer roughly $300 at the beginning of the year and when the first week of April arrives we start picking up our box each week throughout July. That is 16 weeks of food, enough to typically feed a family of four. The first year we split the box with another couple because we felt it was so much food, we didn't want any to go to waste. The next year was the year I was going towards the raw and living foods direction so we decided to get the box on our own.

If you do the math, this price equals out to about $18.75 each week.  During the winter months I can spend $20 a day at the store trying to get organic produce, and that produce is being shipped from all over.  Not only does it dramatically reduce our grocery bill, but if I care to eat seasonally (whatever foods are growing/harvested each season) the only thing I'm buying at the store are grains and staple items. In a perfect life I would have all my herbs and spices growing in my yard, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.  So, I am fortunate to have a regular Farmer's Market in town that I can get those particular items and as luck would have it, my CSA farmer is there as well! Usually I do consume certain produce such as tomatoes more than other items each week so I can always buy more on the weekends to last me until the next pick up.

The wonderful thing about CSA is that it the most transparent form of farming opposed to the big corporate farms that would rather you not see what goes on with their agricultural techniques.  With my local farmers, I can visit the farm, get to know the farmer's ethics, and how they grow the food whether organically or with the use of pesticides, fungicides, herbacides, etc.... By the way, just because a farm isn't certified organic by the USDA doesn't mean they aren't organic. Get to know your farmers, it costs a lot of money to take part in that business and sometimes the farmer just can't afford to pay for the label.  That doesn't mean he/she is using the conventional growing methods.  Also, the feeling of handing the money to the man or woman who grows your food opposed to handing over your money to a chain grocery store or farm that is 2000 miles away, is liberating.

I'm writing all this so you can do some research and look into your local farms to see whether or not anyone is involved with CSAs in your neck of the woods. You can look at http://www.localharvest.org/ and find a directory with not only regional CSAs but also Farmer's Markets in your area.  Some farms put a cap on the number of boxes they distribute depending on the size of the farm, and other aspects such as taking into consideration any crop failure or disease. These are just some things to keep in mind when going this route for your food sources.  It is with these factors that we keep in communication with the farm by website to see what will be in our box each week. Honestly I like to be surprised and there are times that I have no idea what a particular item is and it is always a learning experience.

 Some farms allow you to order specifics depending on what part of the country you live in and whether or not some crops can grow all year long.  My family has had the blessing to join and be a part of Black River Organic Farm here in the southeastern part of North Carolina for a number of years and you can find their link as well as Local Harvest on the side of my blog. There are a number of other farms in this area for those of you interested, but the season is upon us so the faster you sign up, the better your chances for getting in before they cap the number of recipients.

RECIPE: During our growing/harvesting season I get an assortment of produce but usually in May/June I will get potatoes and leeks together in some boxes and this recipe just seemed to fit well since it is still cold outside and it's a good hearty soup. Enjoy!

Potato and Leek Soup
You will need:
5-7 Potatoes, washed and diced
3-4 Leeks, washed and chopped (whites and greens)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (first cold-pressed)
1 cup veggie broth
1 1/2 cup Original Hemp Milk

Preparation:
Bring water to a boil in a nice sized pot and cook potatoes until tender. In separate pan, saute garlic in oil and add leeks until tender.  Drain potatoes and set aside a cup of potatoes and some of the leeks for a chunkier soup. Add all ingredients except the remaining potatoes and leeks to the blender and puree until creamy. Transfer back to pot and add extra potatoes and leeks with some sea salt to taste. Serve warm.