Spring is the time I start dreaming about cherry tomato salads, homemade salsas and fresh strawberry shortcake. Summer harvest season seems right around the corner! Many Americans are seeking out locally-grown foods and there are many ways to get involved. With or without a green thumb, you can reap the yummy rewards of locally-grown food.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
You may have heard of CSAs, but are wondering just what they are. Community supported agriculture (CSA) has been popular in the United States for over 25 years. As more people place value in knowing where their food comes from, it makes sense that CSAs are growing in popularity.
CSAs are a model of farming in which consumers (you!) buy “shares” or a portion of a farmer’s anticipated crop. Consumers become “members” or “subscribers” of the farm. Members pay for shares before the growing season and then receive their share of the farmer’s crops, typically in weekly or biweekly boxes of produce. Farmers organize a central drop-off location where members pick up their boxes.
The direct relationship between members and the farmer is the key component of the CSA model. The member essentially invests in the farmer. The farmer benefits by having money at the beginning of the season, more reliable cash flow, and the pressure taken off to market and sell just as harvesting takes up all of the farmer’s time. The member benefits by enjoying regular boxes of fresh, local produce, and by having a connection to the farmer and the food. All without raising a shovel! But even if you are looking to get your hands dirty, some CSAs have an option for members to volunteer on the farm, which reduces the cost of the share. The dollar amount of a share varies from farm to farm, and it is common for two or more families to go in together to buy a share.
The variety of produce is one reason that CSA members keep coming back year after year. Each weekly box of produce is a chance to expand your culinary horizons. Not sure what to do with a head of cauliflower, mustard greens, beets and dill? Now is your chance to get creative!
LocalHarvest is an organization with a directory of over 4,000 CSA farms: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
Community Gardens
If you want to grow your veggies yourself, community gardens are a great option for getting involved in the community while you feed your family. Typically owned by local governments or not for profit associations, community gardens are land that is tended collectively by a group of people. A person, family or group pays for, “rents,” a plot for the season. Sometimes the garden is open to the public, like a public park. Sometimes only the gardeners who rent a plot have access.
In this model, it is most common for each person or family to grow and harvest their own garden plot. Sometimes food is grown and donated to local food banks. The rent money may pay for communal goods like mulch or tools, but each renter is responsible for everything from planting to maintaining to picking.
In addition to the opportunity to grow – and eat – fresh produce, community gardens provide a space for getting hands in the earth. They provide a positive connection to community and to the natural environment. Community gardens are popular in urban or suburban areas where residents don’t typically have access to backyard gardens. Grass roots efforts have transformed many abandoned vacant lots in urban areas to growing space for the neighborhood. People coming together to beautify the neighborhood is just as valuable as the lettuce and bell peppers.
Check out if your town has a community garden. The American Community Gardening Association is a good place to start: www.communitygarden.org
Farmer’s Markets
I love a good Farmer’s Market! Ever more popular and in almost every city, farmer’s markets bring produce and goods of local farms to a central place. Farmer’s markets typically set up seasonally (May-October), one or two days a week, in parking lots or public spaces. Markets allow the consumer to meet the farmer. Many people value this personal connection and knowing from where food has come. The farmer has more control in setting prices. And consumers feel good about getting just-picked, local food.
The fresh veggies and fruits are the main draw of markets, of course. But the open-air, festive atmosphere is what makes markets such a rich experience. Some markets have live music and entertainment for the kids. Vendors sell a variety of goods besides produce including baked goods, honey, jellies and jam, plants and flowers, specialty meats, eggs, and handmade crafts.
Whether you are growing your own garden or buying directly from a farmer, eating fresh vegetables and fruits is a true benefit of summer. Buying or growing seasonal and local food is a great way to get nutritious food on your table.
Claire is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with expertise in body-oriented psychotherapy. She works as a Behavioral Health/EAP Consultant, providing workplace consultations to employers and assessment and referrals to clients.