WHO KNEW Now Is The Time to Sign Up for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
It might still be winter, or what passes for winter these days, but spring is just around the corner. In the Upper Valley, we are blessed with many local small farms providing abundant fresh vegetables and fruit all summer long and well into the fall. You can find a lot of this produce in area grocery stores, especially the COOP, and at farm stands throughout the region. A great way to support these farms and secure your share of this wonderful food is to participate in Community Supported Agriculture.
The concept is simple. Usually in February or March, local farms with CSA programs will open up their websites to begin selling CSA shares for the coming season. You buy a half share or a full share, paying the full, fixed cost up front, and this guarantees you fresh produce (the quantity depends on whether you bought a half share or a full share), as it comes into season throughout the summer and fall.
Some farms deliver the shares to various local venues in the area, and you go each week to collect your share. Other farms invite you directly to the farm to choose, and sometimes to pick, your own produce. Whatever farm you choose, you can feel good about supporting local, sustainable, small farm agriculture. Many of the farms help support local food pantries and also offer local artisan dairy products, meats, breads, cereals and other charcuterie items for sale. CSAs are good for the community, good for the earth, and good for your health.
Here are just some of the farms in our area offering CSA programs:
Sunrise Farm, White River Jct., VT (sunrisefarmvt.com)
Edgewater Farm, Plainfield, NH (edgewaterfarm.com)
Root 5 Farm, Fairlee, VT (root5farm.com)
Cross Road Farm, Post Mills & Norwich, VT (crossroadfarm.com)
Honey Field Farm, Norwich, VT (honeyfieldfarmvt.com)
Mink Meadow Farm, Etna, NH (minkmeadowfarm.com)
R. Kaiser
Community Climate Connections (C3)