Community Sustained Agriculture - A First Step to Local, Seasonal, and Organic

One of the first steps that Ingrid and I took to eating more locally produced organic produce was to join a CSA group.  CSA stands for community sustained agriculture, which is generically a term used for any system that promotes a local-based food economy.  Practically, a CSA group is comprised of a farmer or group of farmers who provide "shares" of their product directly to members.  Members pay at regular intervals or at the onset of the growing season for a "share" of the anticipated harvest.  When harvest begins, members receive regular shares of the product, often vegetables and fruit, but sometimes including meat, honey, eggs, and dairy products.  The benefits of CSA's are numerous.  Below are a few highlights.

This Weeks Produce Box...

 

COST

Around the time that Ingrid and I started looking for a CSA the price of produce at the grocery store seemed staggering - and I'm not even considering the organic produce in that statement.  Unless we specifically bought the non-organic produce that was on sale, we would spend upwards of $50 a week on non-organic fruit and vegetables for just the two of us.  CSA membership gets rid of the middlemen, the grocery stores, allowing for reductions in overall costs.  Today, Ingrid and I spend approximately $40 per week ($30 on the CSA box and $10 from a grocery store or farmer's market) for organic produce for four of us.

QUALITY

The produce that can be found in your average grocery store has been bred to optimize costs.  The result is a large fruit or vegetable that travels extraordinarily well (because it often needs to survive trips around the world) - but at the cost of taste and freshness.  Locally grown produce does not need to survive such perilous journeys and can be picked much closer to maturity than food that has to travel so you will often see varieties of fruits and vegetables that are bred for taste and closer to perfect ripeness.  Add in the organic effect, food grown largely the way nature intended, and the produce has a chance to develop more slowly, which enhances the flavors. 

SAN DIEGO CSAs

Ingrid and I have tried two different CSAs, though there are many more than that available in San Diego.  The following is a list of the organic CSAs that I am aware of that are available in San Diego (please let me know if you know of any more and I'll add them to the list).  Click on each CSA to be taken to their web page.

Seabreeze Organic Farm
Be Wise Ranch
Susie's Farm
Garden of Eden
Morning Song Organic Farm
Wild Willow Farm
Inland Empire CSA
J.R. Organics

IS THERE A DOWNSIDE?

I know several friends and coworkers who have mentioned their experiences with CSAs.  The primary complaints that I heard were (1) too many greens - lettuce, spring mix, kale, chard, etc., (2) I didn't know what to do with some of the food, and (3) there was too much food for my family or situation.

It is true that Ingrid and I have had to adapt our diet to eat many more greens than previously.  However, I do not see that as a downside - rather a chance to eat more healthy and expand our creativity in the kitchen.  And it is true that some of the food we receive is exotic or not part of the typical American diet.  Dragon fruit and Fuyu (Persimmons) come to mind.  However, I see those foods as adventures to tackle, rather than obstacles.  It is also true that not every CSA has a solution to your family's produce quantity needs.  However, the CSAs listed above collectively offer many diverse options for obtaining locally grown organic produce.  A little bit of research will help you find the right solution.

If you are interested in joining a CSA but have the above listed concerns, stay tuned.  Over the course of this blog, I intend to post some of the best recipes and ideas that Ingrid and I have come across to manage the seasonality of foods and the quantity of greens and exotic foods.