CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  In a CSA, members pay for shares of produce (in advance or sometimes installments) that the Farmer grows and in exchange receive a weekly supply of the foods the Farmer has available at that time.  CSAs generally encourage seasonal eating and a connection to where your food comes from.

What Seasonal Eating Looks Like – Many people have lost touch with the concept of seasonal eating since you can easily buy almost anything at any time of year in the grocery store. This is only possible because foods are grown and shipped from all over the country and world. When supporting local agriculture, you will be exposed to more seasonal eating because different vegetables require different temperatures to thrive. In general, leafy greens like lettuce and kale enjoy cooler weather and will be more readily available in Spring and Fall. The fruiting crops that make us think of summer (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and squash) like the heat and won’t be found in your CSA share until summertime.

What to Look for in a Good CSA- Honesty, transparency, and clarity in their growing practices and sourcing practices if they provide produce from other farms.

For more information about CSAs visit the Local Harvest website.