Frugal Friday: CSA's?
I have a question for anyone who can help today:Have you bought a share in a CSA before? If so, what was your experience? Did you find it saved you money on produce while allowing you to get better and fresher fruits/vegetables? What advice would you have for someone who is considering buying a share in a CSA?
We're seriously considering doing this this Summer and from the research I've done, I think it would not only save us a little money--a half-share is around $12-$15/week at most farms here and we normally pay more than that for our produce for the week-- but it would allow us to get much better produce, and hopefully more bang for our buck.
However, I know very few people who have done this before and certainly don't have a clue what I should be looking for in a CSA or what questions I should be asking. So, for those of you more experienced than me, could you help me out?
For those who are unfamiliar with the term CSA, go here to read what it's all about.
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Labels: Frugal Friday
posted by Crystal Paine at 8:42 AM
59 Comments:
I only heard a negative experience. I knew a retired couple who tried this last year with the aim of getting organic produce weekly. Because of the draughts (we live in the southeast US), the farm didn't produce much at all. They only received a couple of baskets of produce. They had spent $500 to be included and were really disappointed as they live on a fixed income. They didn't feel cheated by the owners, just by the weather.
Margaret
Crystal,
I know several people who were able to find CSA operators who waived or lowered the fees in exchange for work at the farm.
I woul contact several and see if there are some willing to be flexible.
Everyone I know has had great success with CSAs.
I would reccomend joining one if you are unable to have your own garden.
Funny, I posted on this just this morning too!
Crystal, we do not have a CSA, that I know of, here but I will give you one way we have found to save just a bit on produce.
We have asked on our local freecycle. There are always older or single people who love to garden and have fruit trees but they just can't harvest it all.
It has been a blessing for us as well as the person we pick from. I always have the kids pick enough to give to the owner of the garden. We now have places that we have been invited back to every year.
I wouldn't count on saving money with it, though I do think your money would be put to good use by joining a CSA.
I loved my CSA experience in Chicago. For a frugal household, I think it is an expensive investment. It worked out to about $20 a week, and that was after a discount for signing up early. However, for that price we got a 3/4 bushel of lovely organic vegetables. It wasn't even a very good growing season and we still got a packed box, and they often left extras at the drop off site for those who wanted them.
You definitely need to be willing to work with what you are given and to eat a wide range of foods. I also spent a good amount of time washing, putting away, and preparing the veggies. We got enough in our box that I was able to freeze, dry, and can enough food to mostly provide for three months after the box ended.
But the best benefit for us was how good we felt eating all those organic, fresh veggies. I would never spend the money for grocery organics, and grocery store veggies never taste as fresh, but with the box we ate so well. It was a real blessing
maryeliz
When I was in college I belonged to one and loved it! I thought it was great for a student budget and as a vegetarian at the time it provided a lot of great produce and organic nutritional needs year round that were marked up sky high at the supermarket. That was four years ago, though, before organic and local became such trendy buzzwords and the government got so involved in things so I don't know if the experience is the same now. I haven't had the opportunity to join one again.
Have you thought of doing your own garden? I know you are renting, but you should look into square foot gardening...it's done in containers so you grow more in less space and it's organic. If you do them small enough you might be able to take them with you when you move.
It might cost you around the same or more to get started with your square foot garden, but you will be able to use it for years!
Just a thought! It might be worth it to check it out!
I agree with a previous commenter. I don't think there would be that much savings in joining. I do however believe that it is a worthwhile thing to do because you are supporting local farmers and your produce is fresher and usually grown with less pesticides, etc...
Yes, we're planning to do a bit of a garden this year--mostly container gardening and we'll probably do lettuce, tomatoes, and possibly some herbs.
Wow! Here it cost $650 for a full share. That's for about 6 months, and you get what you get. But that's also for organic, maybe that's the difference in the price.That's why we opted for the 4-H garden.
$12 dollars sounds wonderful. The people I know who use the CSA really like it. Just to pricey for our budegt!
Saving money--ABSOLUTELY!!!
We live in NJ, and have joined a CSA organic farm for about 5 years now. Every CSA farm is different, and you do need to shop around.
The first few years we had a share at an organic farm that was farther away. We had a pickup spot where they would drop off boxes of produce. They had alot of "specialty" produce though. At the time we didn't know what to do with kohlrabi and all of the Asian veggies, but we still found it was worth it.
After that we found a closer farm in Princeton that we LOVE!!! I think the farmers are alittle more experienced because they grow SO much produce for the same amount of money that we were paying the other CSA, but we get double the amount of produce. They also grow more "normal" things. Lots of standard veggies and melons. This CSA you need to bring your own bags-we just bring laundry baskets, and collect your own. It takes a few more minutes weighing the produce, but it does make you feel more connected with the food you eat; you become more aware of how its growing if you have to pick tomatoes and beans off of the vine.
For the flower lovers, the farm also has weekly pick your own flowers, which would cost a huge amount of money if you bought flowers at the store.
It's also nice knowing the farmers that are growing your food by name!
Just my two cents! But I have found that my CSA farm is definately worth it!
I am doing a CSA this year and I absolutely love it! It costs us $11 a week and I get an abundance of greens, herbs, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms currently. In the summer it will only increase. We use a 1/2 share for our family of three, but we actually split a whole share with my aunt to save further money. Great idea if that is an option with your farmer! The produce is so fresh!
First, I live in CA where the cost of EVERYTHING is high. I pay $30 a week for a Family Share (there are 5 of us...the youngest is 11). I also pay $12 a week for 2 dozen eggs. Farm eggs around here currently sell for $6 a dozen at Farmer's Markets, so this is just a way to ensure I get some. At 50cents an egg they are an excellent source of cheap nutrition and the quality compared to store eggs is VERY noticable. I am pleased with my CSA and think it forces us to try new veggies (some of which become favorites). I also like that it is all organic and that I am supporting local farmers directly, instead of factory farms that ship produce 100s of miles. I think with the current price of gas that the price of produce (as well as other foodstuffs) in the stores will increase and that the CSA will be a very affordable option for most people.
I wish I could help you! I know that Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking is using one and seems to be really enjoying it. Personally, the only one that I've been able to find even remotely in my area (but really, the drive was much too far), was very expensive. $12 sounds crazy cheap!
Personally, I do better on produce with a local produce market. In the winter, the prices are quite decent, but in the summer, they are excellent! My local market also produces much of their own stuff, especially once spring hits, so I am getting local, unsprayed or organic, and cheap all at once- I love it! I highly recommend to anyone to look high and low for the best produce market around!
I have never purchased a share in one, but I do know people who have farmed them. You will get what is ripe at the time, and it might be a lot of one thing or a lot of another. You are creative though, you should be able to make that work to your advantage.
Make sure you know ahead of time whether or not the food you are buying is organic. Many CSAs are organic, just as many are not. And this does help you spend your money locally!
We had a share for two years. Ours was a working share meaning we had to put in a number of hours at the farm. Overall I think we did spend a bit more than normal, but the produce was excellent, much better than we could have bought otherwise, and organic which we did not buy on a regular basis then.
As others have said in my experience it was not a money saver, but it was very worthwhile. If we still lived in the city I would still be doing it!
We don't belong to a true CSA. The 2 CSA's in Alaska have these crazy waiting lists and are small. A farm in Washington flies us up produce every week. We pay 48.50 a week to get us at least a weeks worth of fruits and vegetables. It's all organic, and while it's not inexpensive, it does two things. I think it's a good place to spend my money. Why be frugal if it doesn't bless your family in other ways when you can afford it. And it does the planning for me. I just cook us what comes in the box. Not too much thinking required, but plenty of recipe searching [because I like it]. In the summer we cut back to a smaller share to just get the fruits and veggies that don't grow in Alaska, while we grow our own. It is true that you have to share in the farms successes as well as failures. It's part of a community! You are helping support a farmer, all of the money you pay goes straight to him, not pennied out to the grocery store and the shippers. Supporting local, organic or not, though preferably organic, agriculture is one of the best ways you can spend your money. Look into the cookbook Simply in Season for ways to cook all of your farm fresh produce, if you do it. And I would strongly suggest you do. What better way to help teach your girls where food really comes from! You may not always like the produce, but it's an adventure and very good for you and your local farmer!
We just finished our trial. All the produce was wonderful, but after price comparison I would do better at our local health food store, but that would be an extra store to go to. We were able up to sign up for a trial and biweekly pick up. We also frequently threw some away, but that was mostly due to my own lack of diligence. I was able to blanch and freeze some of the veggies, or blend and put in ice cube trays for smoothies or future baby food. I don't think we'll renew at this time, but loved the experience and would try again at a latter season in life. If there's a trial period available, I'd try that. BTW ours had plenty of veggies for our family, but not enough fruit. We're 2 adults aa 4 yr old and 4 mo. old.
Maggie
I have a frugal friday post. I am always a reader but never seem to have anything to add....but today I do!
THE E CLOTH CLEANING SYSTEM. It is a microfiber cloth, that contains no chemicals and needs only water to use it to clean. There is more information here: http://www.e-cloth.com/home.asp
I found mine in a kitchen store though you can buy them online. I love it. To wash windows and mirrors - you just wipe it with the dry cloth and for tough marks, just dampen the cloth a little, wipe and then dry with a dry part of the cloth. It works beautifully for mirrors, windows and almost every where else. They do have a special "window cloth" however I have found that the regular multi-purpose e cloth works just as well. It works fantasic as a duster too. Honestly, I bought a couple of these clothes and basically just use them for EVERYTHING. I still use disinfectant in the bathroom once a week however these work wonderfully for polishing off the water spots in the sink and on the tap as well as for our shower door. My happy pink colored one went black after cleaning our stove top - into the washing machine it went and came out looking and smelling brand new.
No more paper towels, or using newspaper and vinegar!
I can't rave about these enough!
Jenn
We love our CSA. We are with Doe Run Farms in the Nashville area, and we subscribe for both winter and summer produce. The money is well worth it; we budget all year round to allow for the payments. I've also found that weekly menus are much easier to devise because you're forced to use what you have, instead of coming up with meals made completely from grocery store items.
My mouth is watering just thinking about the delicious tomatoes we'll have in a few weeks!
Thanks Crystal. I followed the link and found a CSA in our area and went ahead and called the contact number. It was a small family farm, they have 6 kids and do everything themselves: organic veggies and eggs. She asked me to bring my kids and come out to check it out. Sounds like this might be fun!
Phebe
We're doing a CSA for the first time this year. Two friends did other CSAs last year and had great experiences with it. I also found a few women in my mom's group who went with this particular farm and had nothing but good things to say. For us, it averages out to $20/week (we're in NY) which is what I typically spend for non-organic produce at the grocery store and I can't get a better deal at the farmer's market (at least I've not been successful at that in the past). I think it's worth the money to support local farms (and if it's organic, all the better). Plus, I love to cook and I am looking forward to the challenge of some of the more unusual vegetables. (As a bonus, the farm was willed to the Sisters of Charity, and they share a portion of the harvest with the poor, so I feel even better about supporting then.) Just my two cents :-)
We are joining one for the first time this year. I'm not certain we will save money, but I am hoping. The one that we joined allows us to chose our own vegetables, rather than just picking up a pre-filled box. It is my hope that this method will mean that I will be able to get my money's worth, especially since we will have a small garden ourselves. If we grow green beans, for example, we don't have to get them from the CSA. I intend to freeze any extra vegetables that I can.
Another couple is sharing a local Alaskan CSA with us this year for the first time. I didn't know it was as hard to get a CSA in Alaska as Meggan said. Now I feel especially blessed.
Living in Alaska, it feels especially essential to be able to support our local farms. If something happened and we were no longer able to get food from the "lower 48" from airplanes, trucks, and barges, we would be in serious trouble and probably our 600,000 member population would quickly starve. I like knowing that my food money goes towards helping a local farmer family stay in business and grow healthy, organic produce fresh through the summer season. I wish every Alaskan family would put their money towards Alaskan farm goods so that we could stay strong and self-sufficient as a state and community.
Our farm encourages us to come out, explore, and see where and how our food is grown. If I had young children, I think this would be an invaluable lesson in where beans and broccoli and lettuce come from (NOT from a grocery store aisle).
I am also thrilled to be able to eat vegetables that were not grown to withstand thousands of miles in the back of a truck, but to grow and flourish in our unique climate. I have also been looking into Heirloom seeds that were saved and grown for generations from seeds brought with imigrant families from all over the globe. They were grown for interesting colors, textures, sizes, climates, and (most importantly) tastes. It's sad that we only see maybe three or four varieties of tomatoes in the store when there are thousands of varietys that are "going extinct" because no one is growing them anymore. I think a good investment would be to buy these heirloom seeds and learn how to harvest the seeds yourself for the next season.
Sorry to go overboard. I just got finished reading "Animal Vegetable Miracle" from your website recommendation. Despite the anti-God references, I found it a valuable resource that has changed my perspective and, very possibly, my life forever. I want to learn to eat real foods, in season, locally, and sustainably. I believe that this is the way God created foods to be eaten and that we will be healthiest when following His pattern for our food.
I would suggest talking to someone who has gotten produce from that CSA before. I had a friend who told me the one in my town was not worth it. They also had split and they said it was almost comical the way they split up almost no produce between them and their friends.
We have been a member of a couple of CSAs. Maybe we are big eaters (?), but I've found that a full share is just enough for the two of us for the week, without alot of extras. Last year, I made a few quarts of pickles. Everything else, we ate fresh.
That said, we enjoy the surprise aspect of the box/bag, the fun of having to plan around the produce, instead of the other way around, and I like knowing htat I'm supporting local agriculture. For us, it's a winning proposition.
I joined a CSA and it was a great experience. It does matter what CSA you join-- some are better than others. I think that you would probably save a little money, and then there are also other (non-monetary) benefits-- you get (usually) organic produce, you are supporting small farmers in your area, and they often have special activities. One day at ours they had a pesto-making party and we went and made a lot of pesto, which we then froze. These kinds of things would be fun for families to do, help kids learn about farms, and also are a bonus in terms of saving money.
I live in the KC area (don't you live in the area also?)I think about joining a CSA every year and I'm always very indecisive. I think if I knew a rough estimate of the food I'd be recieving, I could make a decision. I did not join this year. I am attempting a garden, though I'm horrible at it! I also go to the farmers' market in Overland Park, KS. Prices aren't spectacular, but they are comparable or slightly cheaper than the prices that I normally pay for produce and the quality is much better. The OP farmer's market is also a lot of fun for my girls. They play in the fountain, there is live music and plenty of samples. I also think that the really nice CSA's in the Kansas City area fill up very quickly. Rolling Prairie is one popular CSA and they allow you to pay monthly instead of paying one large amount.
I have been a part of a CSA farm for about 5 years now and I think that it is great. For a medium share, it costs about $12.50 per week - I am assuming that when you said that it was $12, you meant per week? Anyway, we always got the whole thing for ourselves, but this year, we are splitting the cost and the produce with my parents. I am a little busier this year with a 3 month old and a 2 year old and I want to be sure that I use everything, and nothing goes to waste!
It is true that if the farm has a bad year, then you are not refunded any money - so, we have always prayed for the farm! God cares about every aspect of our lives, so why not our produce supply! :)
Our farm also has an open house once a month when you can drive up to it (it is about a 45 minute drive for us) and you can get extras. It is worth the drive for us, not just for the veggies, but also to get out into the country area - it is a nice morning with the family.
I have enjoyed the veggies that I have received and have learned to cook with new things like kale and collards. The box is not packed in the beginning of the season, but as time goes on, it is.
I would ask the CSA that you are looking into about the cost, and what they are predicting as far as what veggies and the amount that would appear in your weekly box.
I hope that you enjoy it! Sometimes, they have a sampler that you are able to get - that is about 6 weeks or so, so that you can see if it is worth your investment of money. That is something that you can also ask about.
Oops, I just realized I failed to say it was $12/week not $12 for the whole thing! Sorry if some of you were confused by that!
We have a few CSA's in our area. They are more expensive than yours, but I know where my produce is coming from and that it CAN be trusted. I think that it's definitely worth a try. Even if it does end up being a little more expensive I think my family's health is worth it.
My family of 4 has been a member of a local CSA for the past 3 years. I LOVE it! I haven't done any math to figure out whether or how much $ it saves us, but I would continue with the CSA regardless of whether it was the most frugal choice, for a variety of reasons. One, this way we eat a LOT more fresh veggies and herbs than we would if we were buying them individually at the supermarket. And those veggies are much fresher than what I would get from the store. Two, we get to try a lot of new things that we otherwise probably wouldn't have access to. Three, we are supporting local farmers who use sustainable agricultural methods and that I know are producing safe food. Four, the kids love to go to the farm every week and help pick out our vegetables, see how things are grown, and cut the fresh herbs and flowers from the fields. I think this is a real learning experience for them, in a fun environment.
Also, our CSA has "pick as much as you want" of certain things that are in abundance, like basil and cherry tomatoes, so we can get as much as we want and preserve them for later.
There are some negatives that I have found, but they are minor: If it's a particularly good year for a certain veggie, you may end up getting so much of it that you don't want to see it again for months (at that point I start giving things away to friends and neighbors or putting in the freezer for winter). You need to be willing to try new flavors, and be a creative cook to use the overabundance of certain vegetables that can happen. Some years you may get nothing of a certain veggie you really love, if the weather has not been right for that veggie that year, so you have to be willing to be flexible on what you eat.
I highly recommend trying a CSA for a year to see how it works for you!
We bought into a CSA for the first time last year and it was a fantastic experience. Not sure we truly saved any money, but I am fully in support of local farmers rather than commercial organic foods. Especially after reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, In Defense of Food, and The Omnivore's Dilemma.
I also wanted to make a comment about CSAs being organic vs. non-organic. Mine is not certified organic, because there are a ton of government regulations that go along with it, but they do grow everything organically. Farmer Susie (my farmer :) ) is quite adamant that the costs involved with being certified organic far outweigh her ability to just spread the word about how she grows things and the value of locally grown vegetables.
So if you're weighing the difference between something grown locally that isn't certified organic, talk to the farmer, because you will probably get a better quality product than something farmed commercially and shipped hundreds, if not thousands, of miles.
Never tried a CSA myself.
This is my first FF. Great links, everyone!
I just recently joined a CSA. My mom and I are actually going to share a basket, so it turns out to be $4 a week each and we will each get about 5 or 6 pounds. I think I will save money, the farmer and I will know each other by name, and I will feel good about supporting someone in my community.
My mom and I are also doing a small garden together with some of our favorites. We aren't exactly sure how this CSA will go since it's our first year, so we want our backup for cukes, tomatoes, herbs, carrots..
I hope we both have good experiences! :)
We've had a CSA membership for the past two years. It's just over $500 for a full share - which is plenty of produce for our family of 2 adults and 4 very young children, from early June until late October. Ours was a participating membership, but the number of volunteer hours required was very low, and the kids enjoyed going with us to weed or pick green beans.
I loved the very fresh, local produce. And being able to introduce the kids to some varieties of vegetables we'd never had before (kohlrabi is a definite favorite!). We are not planning to participate this year though - with gas prices as high as they currently are, the expense of our weekly trip to the farm is one area where I feel we need to trim our budget. I'll be frequenting the much-closer farmer's market more this year, and trying a small garden of our own.
We belonged to two separate CSAs in two separate areas of the country. Both were good experiences. We ate a wide variety of food during those seasons --- I had a lot of fun figuring out how to cook some of the items we rec'd and we tried veggies we would never have bought on our own. The quality was great and I felt it was definitely money well spent. I wish I could find an open CSA in my area (St Louis) to join --- I'd join in a heartbeat.
I joined a CSA for the first time last year. I had a really great experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh produce and developed a relationship with a local farmer. I feel proud to support local farmers who work hard to grow the best produce available. I paid $10 a week for 1/4 bushel. It was enough for our small family and I was even able to freeze some rhubarb and strawberries. I let the farmer know that I LOVED rhubarb and he would put extra in my basket. :o) I'd say, "Go for it". Even though we had a drought last year, we still had plenty of produce each week from our basket to feed our family.
We are joining this year and hoping to get our first box next week. The family is great. We will be paying weekly and it's for a half-share which is enough vegetables for 2 people for a week. That is how they judge it. We just went and picked strawberries today and they showed us everything and took the time to show my kids the animals. I would visit the farm if you have any questions about it.
We've been CSA members for nearly 4 years now and LOVE it. We eat a better variety of produce, fresher produce, etc, so it is healthier. Plus I find I spend less at the grocery store because I don't have to go as often to get "fresh" items like produce. I think with rising fuel prices and produce at the store getting more expensive as a result, a CSA is probably an even better value right now. I actually blogged a long time ago a frugal friday post on CSAs. http://proudtobeasahm.blogspot.com/2006/10/frugal-fridays-csas.html
I joined a CSA 3 yrs ago, and had an awful experience (on a positive note, they did refund my unused weeks after 4 weeks of my participation). The one I joined was $30/week, and my misunderstanding stemmed from me thinking it would SAVE me money. The one I joined, was actually one to SAVE the farmer, more of a donation, which was NOT clear when I joined. I do not have $30/week in my grocery budget to donate to a farmer. 90% of what I got was unedible, I think they gave us what they were unable to sell. I was told fresh fruit- blueberries/strawberries/- and eggs every week. In reality, it was all collard greens (cheap at the grocery store,lol), pounds of collard greens, fresh fennel- we did get fresh beets once that were good. One brown paper bag, halfway full every week, w/ a prepaid lump sum of $30/week (mine was $360 for 12 weeks).
Altho- for $12/week, yours sounds like it might be a good deal!!!:)
I do much better shopping the sale/manager specials at grocery stores, or at Aldi!
So- in closing- make sure ahead of time, the CSA you join is mutually beneficial, not a charity fund to help struggling farmers.
We signed up for one of these this year. I hope it works out well. One of my husband's co-worker recommended it. I'm kind of excited to get a bunch of fresh produce!
I looked into this for the summer, but any farm close to us only produced vegetables that my family won't eat.
I got together with two of my neighbors, and we are doing our own sharing. We are all going to have huge gardens this summer and share what ever we have with the other two families. We are all great friends, so it should work out.
If my garden doesn't grow I am planning on making everybody homemade laundry soap!
We've belonged to a biodynamic CSA for about a year now and we just love it. We pay $825 for the summer and fall season, which works out to about $30 per week. We usually get about two large bags of produce as well as bread, eggs, cheese, and grains such as quinoa, rice or oats.
I've blogged about CSAs quite a bit, so if you're really interested, you can search http://www.organicmania.com for "CSA" or look under the categories and pull up CSA.
But here's the Reader's Digest version:
CSAs are great because of the variety of produce, the commitment you make to eating healthy, the fun and family commitment that is often involved, the health benefits, and the inspiration you'll feel from being exposed to such a wide variety of foods. We became acquainted with exotic veggies like celeriac, black radish, salsify, purple top turnips, passionfruit, persimmon, kabocha squash, Jerusalem artichokes, and sweet white turnips.
However, CSAs vary wildly. Here are some tips on what to look for in a CSA: consider the volunteer commitments; local vs. organic; vegetarian vs. ovo-lacto-vegetarian or meat-eating CSAs, communications, farm visits, and pick-up or delivery times.
Good luck!
Thanks for the link to the CSA site. I had no idea there were so many local farms participating in this. I'll definitely be checking into the different ones to decide if this will work for us.
I appreciate the discussion on CSAs-- I've been thinking about this for a while! The person who wants heirloom seeds might be able to find them at http://www.seedsavers.org.
In the KC area, the Hen House stores host a CSA that includes dairy, meat,fruit and vegetables for $25 per week. We received two bags each week and last year was not a great year because of weather so I'm expecting it to be even better this year. Through the links on their website, you can see lists of what we received last year. You can also swap what you don't want for something of equal value.
There are several CSAs that service the KC area. We belong to one and have been extremely happy with the quality of food, amount of food each week, price and personality of the farmer/distributor. A full share is a ton of produce (from our CSA), so we share with another family and that ensures we do not waste the food. Each CSA is different and has different strengths, so it's often a matter of finding what's right for your family.
This year will be our third year at our farm and we love it! Our share is $415 for about 20 weeks...thus $20/week. It's all grown organically and is awesome. There is a huge variety of vegetables...which really pushes me to be creative in my cooking to use them all. Also, our farmers offer free range eggs, locally produced bread and cheese, free range meat, etc. for an additional fee...but ti's really nice to have the option to buy there.
Certainly, it forces you to eat in season (there are no tomatoes in June, etc) and certain vegetables your families loves may not be in great supply (we love cucumbers and our farmers don't produce much).
There is an element of risk in farming...especially for the small farmer and a CSA helps to bring that point home. Some years there are bumper crops (last year was great for eggplants in MI...at one pickup we were allowed to select 14!!...too bad we're not huge fans!) and other crops don't fare so well (our first year the entire potato crop failed)...so buying a share means you either share in the bounty or in the famine.
That being said, while there is some risk, I was disturbed by what Sarah had to say about the quality of the veggies. Sounds like she found a badly run CSA. At our farm, the share holders receive their shares first and only the excess is sold at the market. Ask to talk to some members before you join...a good CSA will have no problem with that, I would think.
My suggestion...only do the CSA if you are committed to the idea of supporting your local farmer and are ready for an adventure. It very well may save you some money...but if it's a difficult year, it may not. I think it's still worth the money, either way!
Oh, one last thing...great resources for CSA members are some really good cookbooks:
Simply in Season: Recipes that celebrate fresh, local foods in the spirit of more-wit-less
by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert
From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by the Madison Area CSA Coalition
Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt of Vegetables by Farmer John Peterson and Angelic Organics
All 3 of these cookbooks were written for CSA members (at least BY them) and are wonderful ways to answer the "What in the world do I do with Kohlrabi???" question.
Sorry about the dual long posts...I am a bit passionate about this topic.
This is all very fascinating! Thank you, Crystal, for posting your question. After reading everyones comments I have decided to do more research in hopes of finding one in our area. Please keep us updated on your findings. :)
Hi Crystal,
We were members of a CSA for a few years and had some mixed feelings. We joined with the intension of supporting local organic agriculture, not saving money. Our income was different then and we wanted to help our local farmers succeed, especially the organic farmers.
You need to understand too that the farmer will share their profits with you AND their disasters. The first year we joined, we had a drought and the only thing that survived was Kale... curly Kale. After a while we started feeding it to our friends Guinea pigs and rabbit. The full share price was $500.
The following years they were able to install sprinkling and things improved but they are known for their greens and we were always well stocked... gotta love the greens.
Again, some of the negatives were I was unsure if our boxes were equally filled. There were times I spoke to a friend who had gotten a couple bunches of kohlrabi (which I LOVE) and we had gotten none. I later asked the farmer and didn't get a very good answer.
I would also get one bunch of something, say turnips for our family of 5. So, how does one split 4 turnips for 5 people?
Since our income has changed so drastically in the last year we can't even consider supporting our local organic farmer via the CSA although we still buy from him at his stand at the Farmer's Market. This way we are able to buy enough for our family and what we know we will use and enjoy.
By the way, we live in Western Michigan where we don't have a Whole Foods Market but on a recent trip to Chicago we were pleasantly surprised to see a huge banner in the produce section featuring Lee and his wife as organic farmers in the mid-west that supply Whole Foods. I was thrilled! I also saw another picture that was taken of them on the Organic Valley web site.
So, yes, in our case CSAs work to SUPPORT local farmers and help them succeed. But frugal? Nope!
Babsi
I hadn't reall this was an option for us, but I followed the link and there are a couple in our area!
We are renting, but had been considering gardening for about a year. The Lord led us to the idea of container gardening. We actually got out first plants in the "ground" today!! We are using some recycled rubbermaid bins. I am so excited to have fresh, organic produce.
Since this is our first year attempting something like this I don't know what kind of results to expect. I think our method is a bit unconventional, but we are praying about it and going from there.
A CSA sounds great.
I have not done a CSA, but in our area they just started an organic delivery service. You can do a weekly or bi-weekly delivery. You choose organic produce and you can also choose organic grocery products from local places. My family and I love it. The produce is always really good. I would recommend it to anyone, and I just stumbled upon this so there may be someone in your area that does it, but it is just not advertised.
Crystal,
About 7 or 8 years ago (before kids and the need to pinch pennies) we split a share with some friends of ours, and it was only a so-so year for crops. We took turns driving to the farm to pick up the food, but unfortunately, we lived rather far away. I don't think it was a wise choice, considering the miles we had to drive for the somewhat meager results, although I enjoyed being on the farm and out in the country. Driving so far is not only expensive (more expensive than it was 7 years ago!), but time consuming as well. So those are things to consider. Thankfully, we have a little garden of our own now, and are trying to become better stewards of that. We also have a produce store only two blocks away that sells rather cheap produce, although not necessarily locally grown. Having only one car, it's our best option for now. Thanks for the link to the CSA site, though. I didn't realize there was a little farm not too far from where we live that might be a good place to visit.
I think we've done the same thing, but instead of calling it a CSA, we've called it a co-op. We pay $18every other week, and get a laundry basket full of fruits and veggies. While my husband and I enjoy it, my son thinks it's Christmas each time that basket comes in the door! It's been a positive experience for us overall, except for the one downside (getting things that you don't eat, but hate to waste). I recommend it if it fits your lifestyle.
Our daughter belongs to a co-op. Deliveries are made to her house. She sorts the deliveries into containers for about 20 families, who pay a weekly fee for a wide assortment of locally grown, in season produce. Because she sorts, and provides a pick-up point in her garage, she gets her produce at no cost.
My husband and I have purchased a CSA share for the last two years. The cost for our share is approximately $12.50 per week, and we get a LOT of food! I don't know that it saves us money, but I like the idea of supporting local farms, and it ensures that we get plenty of vegetables in our diet. That's an area I let slide if left to my own devices. The quality of the produce is also much better than I can get at the grocery store.
I sometimes struggle with the amount of vegetables we get, and wind up freezing some and giving some away. I also attempted to chronicle what we got and how I used it on my blog -
http://tinyurl.com/4wpjwg.
We're doing the CSA again this summer, and I can't wait for my first taste of fresh asparagus.
We did CSA 3 summers ago, it was $13 a week. I loved it b/c I am vegetarian but my husband wasn't that into it.
It was fun getting a box of "you never know what" each week and making new recipes. I fell in love w/ a potatoe kale recipe from all the kale we got. You still have to buy extra produce, namely fruit, if you have little kids but it's worth it. I would recommend it.
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