Today’s question is from Emily:
I have been doing some research on local CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and I was wondering if anyone has participated in this. I would love to purchase local fruits and veggies (and possibly eggs and meats) in bulk, but it seems a little expensive considering that most of the CSAs in my area only run for 15-20 weeks (in the midwest) and cost around $500 and up for a full share. Any additional information including pluses and minuses from your readers would be great! Thanks!
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Yes, totally worth it! It forces us to eat a greater variety than we would if I just went to the store. And it is cheaper than comparable produce at the farmer’s market. Our CSA also does a canning share, so I get cucumbers and such to pickle. Our farm also does free “farm school” for kids once a week in the summer – huge bonus! And I love that my kids come with me, help pack the box, and help do the upick so they know where the produce comes from. If you ask most grade schoolers, they think produce comes from the store! Mine know all of it is grown on the farm, and throughthe kid’s program they know how a lot of the farming is done and how to harvest some of the vegetables, etc.
Oh, and like others have mentioned, some farms will let you work for your veggies. Our farm has a work share. Come work 4 hours a week and you get a couple’s share for free.
Also, check to see if it’s a true CSA. A true CSA has produce that only comes from that farm. There are many in our area that buy produce from other farms. I find them more expensive. With our CSA (www.jubileefarm.org if you’re in the Seattle area) the summer CSA is just from their farm. So I know exactly where my money is going. It’s the only one I know of in our area that is a true CSA in the summer. It’s impossible around here to have a true CSA in the winter, sadly. But our farm does do a locavore box where everything they get is grown within 100 miles.
Some of these comments frustrate me because a CSA’s “value” is dependent on two things:
a) where you live (and which CSA you belong to) and
b) if you are the type of person who enjoys the challenge of cooking with the seasons and trying new foods.
If you live in a sunny place like CA, you will get a HUGE variety of veggies and fruits all year long. Our CSA offers herbs and dried fruits from summer time during the winter to keep things interesting. So we don’t get inundated with kale all winter. If you live in AK, however, you will probably get much less variety.
If you don’t like trying new produce (things you normally pass over at the store), then a CSA is NOT for you. Because essentially, a CSA lets someone else do the shopping for you. You get what you get. You can embrace it or not. Since most CSAs are non-certified organic, they can be a very affordable way to feed your family organic produce a lot cheaper than from a regular store.
We did a half share last year for $325- the season ran mid may through mid oct… no pesticides, picked up vegies/fruit every week, free range eggs every other week- I loved the variety and quality of the products. It forced me as a cook to be creative with my food each week as I didn’t always know what I was getting until pick up and had to fine tune my menu plan to be sure I used everything up! Forced me to try things I have never had before (kohlrabi) and introduce my children to foods that I wouldn’t have picked up at the store or farmer’s market (radishes).
I loved it so much that we are sharing a full share this summer with my parents. I still have a small garden of tomatoes, peppers and herbs- my mom is still planting her green beans-
The other side of it (and if you bring your children to the farmer’s market with you this also applies)- is having them understand where their food comes from. You are supporting the local economy, it brings an appreciation for the food (free range chicken eggs really do taste better- though I save those for eating and use the grocery store ones for baking! and freshed picked berries- they wolfed them down!), even if you are not a vegetarian- showing them the beauty of vegetables (besides potatoes, corn and carrots) and helping them enjoy a healthy diet. Important stuff!
If you were to tend a garden large enough to get the variety of what you get from a CSA, you would probably spend more time than picking up a CSA basket and deciding what to eat each week. I figure that I have to menu plan anyway- I just leave it more open in the summer (pasta+?, griled chicken+?, steak stir fry with ?, pizza with ?) and fill in the ?s with the vegies for that week. I saved all my menu plans from last summer so I will have a general idea of what I will be getting each week in my basket and can use those as a guide. My pick up starts next week- I am happily awaiting that first batch of eggs, asparagus and spring onions!
We have participated in both meat CSA’s and produce CSA’s and we love them. I hands down think the meat CSA was a great investment. The meat was more expensive than what I would buy on sale at the store, but it was local meat that was grass-fed or free-range. Our box would have chicken, pork and beef and we would receive it at the beginning of each month. I didn’t buy meat at the grocery store at all, and meal planning was loads easier because I already knew what meats I had to use. Our monthly box also lasted more than a month, so we took a few months off of the CSA to use up our surplus. We love it!
I would LOVE a meat CSA!
Forget about “carbon footprint” and just grow your own. You can do container or square foot gardening. There’s a garden for every type to fit your needs.
We are trying a CSA for the first time this summer – it’s something I have always wanted to do. I think for me it’s definitely not going to be a money saver on produce, but we are doing it for other reasons.
It’s costing about $20/week for a half share, and we paid up front using our tax refund. I’m hoping that it will help us eat more veggies and try new varieties, as well as support local agriculture. Another thing that really sold me on the particular farm we picked is that they have a U-pick bonus each week, where you can get a little extra produce for free by coming out to pick it. You also get free admission to the farm any time, which includes animals and lots of attractions for kids. So in my mind we paid for a summer of outdoor fun as well as a box of produce.
We were part of a CSA for a few years. It was a great way to try new vegetables and heirloom varieties of old favorites like tomatoes. It wasn’t a great deal for produce in general but it wasn’t a bad deal for organic produce and it was cheaper than buying the same items at market each week. Plus all of our vegetables came from farms within half an hour of home so they were very fresh.
It depends. CSAs vary too much to make generalizations.
Some include only what they grow, others represent a network. Most you take what you’re given, a few allow some amount of choice or substitution.
You should also know that there are no official standards to be a CSA. I’ve never heard of one that’s not local to the area but it could still happen – there’s no regulating body. There are definitely CSAs that are not organic.
So you have to either buy a pig in a poke or do your research.
In case you’d like to check it out, I am writing a guest post for Modern Alternative Mama on things to consider before joining a CSA. It will be posted on 5/30.
Great question!
I joined an organic one last year and it was ABSOLUTELY worth it!!!! We only buy organic and juice everyday and otherwise were spending $50 or more a week! After joining the CSA it came down to about $10-$15 a week. The CSA for us worked out to about $23 a week. We had an abundance that we gave to friends some weeks.
If you don’t eat that much and don’t care whether it’s organic then it might not be worth it but for us it definitely was!!!
We joined one a few years back, and I did not think it was worth it. We got mostly vegetables, and a lot of them were odd things that were not things we normally eat and I could not get my kids to try. And my girls do eat their veggies pretty well, for the most part. Eggs, meat, etc. were not an option.
I started visiting the farmers market instead, and for under $20/week got a variety of fruits/veggies that we will eat. Plus enough tomatoes, onions, and peppers to make a huge amount of spaghetti sauce that we’ve eaten throughout the winter. My CSA came to $35/week ($700 for 20 weeks).
So I will continue to frequent the farmers market, and this year I’m trying my hand at a garden as well, so maybe I can grow my tomatoes and peppers myself.
i rather would have my own garden, its a great way to teach kids where kids come from and you can be def sure its all organic caus you the one that takes care of it. for those who think that the aren’t any good try container gardening, seriously i used to kill any plant we ever bought but then i read the vegetable gardeners container bible, and we tried out some of the harder to kill plants we are currently waiting on our harvest of strawberries, tomatos, peppers and beans, plus a whole bunch of herbs. CSA you still pay alot of the convience of having them harvest and put it in basket, rather make friends with the farmer and pick ur own.
thats suppose to where vegetables come from not kids… its been a long day allready
Like many people have said, I think it all depends. I went with an organic (not certified but follows the guidelines) CSA that costs me $26 a week for 12 pounds of vegetables (plus melons a couple times a month thrown in for free). I went with this particular one because he only grows veggies that I know we will eat. It is a full share and even though I knew we couldn’t eat that much a week when I signed up, I plan on freezing the excess to last us awhile once the summer is gone. While I could probably get some things cheaper at a grocery store/farmer’s market, this is worth it to me for the convenience because I do not have to get up early on Saturday morning, dragging my 2 year old and newborn out of bed, to go to the farmer’s market, hoping to get the produce I want. I also live at least 30 minutes away from decent produce, so the time was also a factor (this particular CSA delivers but since I live farther out I am meeting the farmer halfway each week which is still going to be good for me).
I’ve looked into them before and LOVE the idea. However, I think they’re better suited for two-income families who don’t have as much time to garden and/or visit the farmer’s market. You can still support your local community AND get fresh, organic produce by starting a garden and supplementing with fruits and vegetables from a local farmer’s market.
As a side note, I had to laugh at everyone who said they’ll never use the okra they get. That’s one of my favorite veggies!
This is my first year to join a CSA. I paid $400 for 20 weeks of food (or $20 a week) and I love it! The farm is certified naturally grown so I know all my produce is grown without pesticides. I get a newsletter at the beginning of the week telling me what I can expect in that weeks box. There is always an unusual veggie (such as fennel, beets, or kohlrabi) and lots of “normal” summer veggies. The box changes as the weeks go by–we started with lots of lettuce and now moving into summer veggies which will mean lots of cucumber and squash coming soon. We’ll start getting tomatoes in 2 weeks! I do have to drive about 40 minutes one day a week to get to the farm to pick up, but completely worth the drive. The owners of the farm love explaining how they grow things and talking about the different vegetables they grow. Last week, my parents went with me to the pick up and we spent about an hour in the fields with the owner talking about what he’s growing and some of the growing techniques he is using (my parents have a garden at home). They really love sharing their knowledge and my dad learned lots of new techniques to try with his garden.
I didn’t join a CSA to save money, though I probably have saved money at the grocery store. I plan my meals around the veggies I am getting which means I really limit my trips to the store. I also like knowing how my food is grown and where it is coming from. For me, a CSA is much cheaper than buying the same items at the farmer’s market.
If you’re not someone who will eat a large variety of vegetables or do not like to cook, a CSA might not be right for you and your family.
I found that for my family it is much cheaper to buy at our local farmer’s market than it is to join a CSA. We buy exactly the produce we want when we want it. Nothing goes to waste that way, and I am still supporting local farmers.
As others have said, it depends on the CSA. Mine (in Florida) runs from November to May and is $30/wk from a local farm. For this I buy virtually no vegetables anywhere else with the exception of mushrooms and garlic. I only buy in-season and local fruit and I rarely buy eggs. I did not join to save money so much as to get better quality, organic, and local produce as I found farmer’s markets to be unsatisfactory here. I easily average $30/wk when I buy produce in the store as we (3 adults) eat mostly veggies and fruit with meat, grains, and dairy playing a much smaller part on our plates. I love knowing exactly where my food comes from.
It did take us a while to get used to it. You have to know what to use right away and what will last if packaged properly. I have now developed a repertoire of recipes that I can use a variety of produce in (it helps if you think of it more as developing techniques rather than specific recipes). My husband has also expanded his repertoire of recipes to include several veggies we receive frequently. We did have to agree beforehand not to supplement or substitute from the store until what we had was gone when we began and it took a while to figure out how to cook some of the more challenging produce in palatable ways. Also, while some of our friends have joined with us, others are unable to get past having to eat new foods every week. Most of us have our food habits firmly in place and find it difficult to change. I was able to get my family to go along because we were having to change our eating habits anyway so a few more changes were not a big deal. But one of the downsides is that I must do most of the cooking because the others in my household simply won’t use enough of what’s there, preferring to fall back in old patterns of eating.
It isn’t for everyone.
I’m sad to see all the okra haters
I grew up in Georgia and my family loves okra (my 10 mo old gobbles it up). We are now living in Northern California and fresh okra is super expensive and we cant seem to get our okra plants to live (they like warm weather). If you’ve never tried panned fried okra or okra and tomatoes I challenge you to give it a try. Super yummy!!!
Fried okra (for 2 cups okra cut into 1/2 or smaller pieces, measurements are guesses)
Put about 1/2-3/4 cup of cornmeal in a ziploc baggie (start will less and add more if you need to you dont want extra in the bag after the okra is coated). Add salt and pepper. Wash okra and put in bag of cornmeal. Close and shake until okra is coated. Heat about 2-3 T oil (i like to use olive oil) in a skillet. Pour okra into heated oil, after a couple of minutes turn with a spatula. Dont mess with it too much or the breading will fall off, but dont let it stick. After you’ve turned a few times. Lower heat and cover and let cook around 10 minutes or until the okra is tender. (I’m not sure exactly how long it will take, but a simple taste test will let you kow when its ready.
You can use frozen okra also, but do not thaw the okra first. Just rinse the ice crystals off. If you thaw it, it will fall apart while it cooks and be a gross mess!
I hope you enjoy!!
What does it taste like? I grew up and live slightly north east, so this Okra stuff is unique to me.
I’m not real sure how to describe it, and I cant think of another vegetable to compare it to. It is kinda woody. It is pod like with lots of seeds inside. I think alot of people are turned off by it because it can be slimy cooked certain ways. (its not slimy when its fried) If you buy it make sure to look for small pods, the bigger ones can be pretty tough and fiberous. I think you should def give it a try
If you order it at a restaurant you will get it deep fried with a crunchy shell, I dont like to eat it that way, pan frying is so much better.
I am def not an okra expert. Fried okra just happens to be my husband’s favorite so I’ve gotten pretty good at making it.
We live in the Chicago suburbs and pay $120 upfront for our CSA, and $19 per week for the delivery. Last year was our first year, and we were very pleased.
Besides getting local, organic food (which was tasty and cool to support ‘neighbors’ instead of corporations or other countries), for me it made shopping and meal-planning easier.
We participated in veggie and meat CSAs last year in IL and the veggies forced me to eat more greens (just am not inspired to pick up lettuce at store) and I honestly think the more-balanced diet helped me get pregnant.
For the meat CSA, it is more expensive than buying it in the store, but again, it was free-range, hormone-free, etc so that is better for our bodies and since it is all frozen, I can just pick out what I want to make for dinner w/o running out to the store. Also, I personally get grossed out by meat so it is much nicer not looking at it at the store.
Our health insurance offers $200 rebate on a Csa share. We get a “small” biweekly box for $205. After the rebate, it only costs $5 for wonderful fresh local veggies. Can’t beat it!
what health insurance is this??????
One thing that I noticed not too many people mention, research, Research, RESEARCH before choosing a CSA!!! Like others have said, if they don’t have current info on the web, can’t give you references, or answer ALL your questions, find someone else!!
We just “jumped” into one last year and were very disappointed! We got a 1/2 share that was mostly greens and vegetables that not only had we not heard of, but didn’t know how to cook with! It was a total waste of money.
But lesson learned, we have an AWESOME csa this year (for anyone who may live in the Cleveland, OH area check out freshforkmarket.com). They are not a farm, instead they work with over 70 local producers in the area to put together each week’s basket. Last year’s subscribers had over 350 unique products in their shares over the course of 22 weeks! Plus they offer 3 different “levels” of membership ranging from $25 to $50 dollars a week. Yes, this may be expensive, but for a family of 4 like us, we are doing the $50 a week “share” and plan to not have to supplement it at all (thanks to our stockpile) until fall! Also, Fresh Fork sends out a weekly e-mail alerting us what to expect in each week’s delivery and even gives recipes and other suggestions on how to use everything in the basket. Pretty spiffy if you ask me. =)
I agree that you need to research the particular CSA. I’ve priced out a couple of our local options, and it just isn’t worth it to me. I can pick out the fruits/veggies our family loves from the downtown farmers’ market (all local, mostly organic) for much, much cheaper. I also have a local farmer’s market that sells meat and milk for a fraction of the cost of any CSA I’ve found. So, in my experience, you can still buy local, organic/no-spray vegetables, meat, and milk without paying the high prices of a CSA.
As a vendor at a local farm market, I’d encourage you to hit up the local markets! Speaking personally, I’m a teacher, and this is the summer employment that is making my student loans disappear a lot faster than a teacher’s salary will allow. You get to know some of the local vendors, you can plan around your own meals (rather than having to plan meals around what surprises you get in your basket), and all of the markets I’ve been in have criteria regarding selling things that are not grown locally.
This is the third year my family has participated in the CSA program. We researched all the farms at our local farmers market and chose the one that sounded best to us. My husband and I split the CSA with my parents. After the first year we decided we loved it so much that we wanted to do an extended one. We pay around $600. It starts the first weekend in June and goes to the first weekend in November. We love having the fresh produce and we even get a discount when we purchase from them at the Farmers Market! It has been a great way to try new fruits and veggies. We look forward to it all year!
We bought a half-share from an organic farm last year and it was awesome. It worked out to be $12/week for 15 weeks starting end of July on. We got free delivery to our doorstep (the farm was over an hour away) and all I supplied was a cooler to leave the produce in. We had options to do a half or whole share, or even every other week delivery. I loved that it was organic, well priced, and that I could offer my family variety!
I volunteered to have my home be a dropoff point for our CSA, which lowered my cost by half AND gave me the opportunity to meet other like-minded folks in my area. I basically agree to have the boxes dropped off and picked up within a two hour window once a week. It is worth a try to see if your CSA might have a similar opportunity available!
I joined a local CSA that only required a 6-week commitment for $25/wk. I was supposed to pick it up weekly, but the delivery girl lived 1/2 a mile from me so she was sweet enough to drop it off to me. I absolutely loved everything that they would bring. I was excited to get things like kale, swiss chard, beets, blueberries, potatoes, herbs, cucumbers, etc. However, it was sooo much food for 2 adults, a toddler, & an infant. Usually at least 1/3 of the produce would go bad before I could use it. It killed me to cancel it, but I knew that for us it was not a good value because of all of the waste. Like others have said, going to your local farmstand & picking out what you like/need may work out better. This particular CSA was all organic, which was a bonus…I know that a lot of farmstands don’t have a lot of organic, so I’m a little bummed about that.
I am a new member of a CSA and am really enjoying the experience. If you are a personal who struggles with the unknown, then a CSA is not for you. I want to comment on a couple of themes in the above posts.
First, we all know that deals abound on processed grocery products, but are few and far between on fresh items. I’ve seen far to many couponers who overlook the nutritional need for fresh fruits and vegetables. For me, a CSA membership is a smart way to make sure fresh produce is incorporated into my meal planning.
Secondly, I have to say I’m upset by how many people mention throwing away items that they don’t like and/or throwing away items that they’ve let spoil. Especially on a website like this one, we should all understand how important it is to make use of what we have. I swap produce and homestead eggs with the girls at work. If there’s an item that you and your family just doesn’t like, and you can’t make a trade, cut your losses and donate it to a family or food bank where it can be truly appreciated. There is no need to ever let food waste.
We just finished up a springtime CSA and, fun as it was to see what we got each week, I was usually disappointed in the quantity of items for the price paid. I discovered that about half of what we got in our CSA were items we didn’t care for, and we are not at all picky eaters. We already grew some of the items and actually told them to give double to someone else because we didn’t need it. I plan on frequenting our local farmers market to be able to choose for myself what to bring home.
CSA’s are the right thing to do for yourself, your community and your family! Local, organic, and pesticide free. We are healthier for eating this produce, we helped support our local family farms and we tried new clean foods that we would never have simply “picked up” in the grocery. Our farms CSA cost 625.00 for a full share. Last year the crops were plentiful and we had more than our family of four could consume. We canned, froze things, cooked for friends and shared the bounty. It was a wonderful experience for our family, a great learning experience for our children. We tried new recipes from the farmer, we loved the family picnics at the farm and we met lots of wonderful shareholders. Everyone in our family insisted we get the farmers veggies AGAIN! With the money you have saved all year getting store bought “deals” do yourself a favor… buy a LOCAL CSA! You’ll be glad you did.
ABSOLUTELY! We ran a CSA last year (moved so we are not doing it now). I had multiple members comment that they liked the variety of veggies and they were able to try things they did not typically have before (like okra, not common in our area). Plus, you are supporting local agriculture. While you are paying more, you are not contributing to pollution with increased fuel consumption and you know EXACTLY where your food in coming from. Cons – sometimes you get a lot of one thing… last year, it was radishes. Also, you are a stakeholder in the farm – so if the weather affects growing conditions, you get what you get. If the weather is perfect, you reap the benefits. If it floods, then you don’t.
And I completely agree with the comments that Emily had above. I spend at least $20 a week for our family of three in fresh produce. It is by far the biggest component to our family’s diet. Yes, it is not as cheap as huge coupon deals. But the health benefits are far superior to canned veggies. And I’m with you, Emily, I could not let a single thing go to waste.
A friend of mine did a great research project on Bountiful Baskets that I thought I’d share here. I think it’s great that you’re “forced” to use veggies and fruits you might not otherwise have bought…broadens your horizons, teaches your children more about what’s out there, and gives you the variety you need to eat healthy. I can hide ANYTHING in my family’s food…have put beets in meatloaf, greens in smoothies (see greensmoothiegirl.com) or scrambled eggs (see Green Eggs and Ham
, and turnips in spaghetti sauce–nothing goes to waste here! I freeze items if I have too much so they can be thrown in recipes later (like soups or stews). Well here’s her email (from Tucson, AZ…a very dry land that can still grow quite a bit of good food as you can see in our garden right now!)
Over the past year, I have sometimes participated in Bountiful Baskets http://www.bountifulbaskets.org. I haven’t done it in the past few months because I wondered if it was really worth it. You pay $15 online ahead of time and then on Saturday morning, you pick up the produce. They have various locations to chose from. You don’t select what you want; you just take whatever they give you week to week and each week it’s different. You can also opt to buy “extra” items like tortillas, bread, bulk produce, granola, baked goods, etc.
This week I decided to try BB again, particularly because they offered tortillas. After I picked up my (regular, not organic) order this morning, I weighed everything and then went to three grocery stores to compare what it would cost me if I had purchased the exact same items, same quantities, elsewhere. Here is what I found: Bountiful Baskets: $15 ($16.50 with handling fee), Safeway: $31.06, Sunflower Market: $27.69; Fry’s $27.85
Here is what Bountiful Baskets had this morning: 1 bunch spinach, 1 head romaine, 1.5 lb zucchini, 1.5 lbs stem tomatoes, 1 lb carrots, 3.75 lbs bananas, 1 cantaloupe, 2 grapefruit, 1.5 lb asparagus, 1.75 lb. apples, 2.5 lb yams, 1.5 lb mangoes.
So is it worth it? I’m still trying to decide. Fortunately, I can use BB occasionally and there is no obligation to participate week to week.
We do participate in a CSA and at what appears to be the high cost initially we almost didn’t do it this year. However, it is very hard for me to get to my local farmer’s market because of my husband’s shift work and our two very young children. Additionally when I go to the grocery store to buy organic I easily spent what I call my weekly CSA cost on just one recipe! We do a half share (which most places offer) for our very young family of 4 (2 adults and 2 under 4) and I break it down to a weekly cost of $15/week, but that also includes the weeks I am not doing the share because we freeze half of our vegetables that we get and eat them in the off season. We had a crazy past two weeks and easily have a month’s worth of kale now in the freezer and about 2 dinners worth of spinach. Additionally I reduced my produce part of my grocery budget down to $5 and take the additional $10 I used to spend and put it away for the CSA. The key to making the CSA worth the cost is learn to freeze half of the share and make it lost all year.
But I will say you get some unusual vegetables so you have to be willing to be adventurous and learn the art of substitution. We throw turnips in home made pasta sauce or lasagna because my husband doesn’t like them. We have learned that they do great in the crock pot getting nice and soft and you barely notice they are in anything and my family doesn’t even realize they are eating them. I made a chicken pot pie with tatsoi, bok choy and some corn and my family thought it was the best!
Researching the vegetables on line, being adventurous with cooking and freezing half of your share is what I think the key to getting the most out of your CSA and for our family actually saves us a great deal of money for buying organic!
Thanks to everyone for your responses! It’s been very helpful to see what everyone thinks about their CSAs. I think that we’ve decided to pass on the CSA this year, mainly because the up-front cost is so high. However, I HAVE been going down to the local farmer’s market every Saturday and picking up what we need/will eat for the week. Because I live in Michigan, our growing season is relatively short and with the very cold spring we’ve had, the variety of fresh fruits and veggies has been severely lacking so far. I’ve also planted a few veggie plants in my yard this year, which is my first attempt at gardening, so we’ll see how that goes! Again, thanks for all of the information. It’ll definitely be something we keep in mind for the future. It’s a great concept and I’m glad to hear so many people have had such great experiences with CSAs!
have you asked if your CSA farm does 1/2 boxes? If price is still too high for you, ask a neighbor to split the cost and box every week. Here in MA/NH town farmer’s markets have really taken off – you can buy only what you need from the CSA farm or pick up your box. The markets also have local made honey, breads, cheeses, herbs, fresh flowers, eggs and meat. Producers will often have cooking or caning demos, loads of recipes too. It’s a tad more expensive but the quality far exceeds anything imported or trucked in to the local grocery store. Plus you get to support your community.
We are in our 3rd year of vegetable CSA membership and 2nd of a chicke, pork and lamb CSA membership. We are fortunate that both of our operate differently than the ones I have seen mentioned here. Ours are both debit system CSAs. We pay our total amount upfront and then get to choose each week what we want. There is no box prepacked for us, we get only what we want that week. With this system we have no limit as to what we can spend each week or if we even pick up at all. This really helps when we are on vacation, I never have to worry about wasting our share for the week. I can get more tomatoes when they are ready so I can preserve them, etc. We would have to forfeit any money left in our account at the end of the market season (it runs May 1- October 31 for us) if we didn’t use it all by then but that hasn’t happened to us. I usually finish it out around the middle of October and then they give the CSA members a 20% discount when their account is depleted.
We have loved the food choice opportunities our CSAs have given us and will continue to subscribe. I would highy recommend that you look into a CSA that lets you debit from your account rather than prepacking a box for you.
How timely! I just got back from unpacking my box of produce from a farm stand about 30 miles from my home. My entire “banana box” of assorted fruits and veggies that I got to choose in variety and quantity was $27.64. That large box will last me one month, when I will go back to the “city” and do my monthly “stock” up grocery shopping and get another large box of the freshest fruits and veggies in season. So, here in the Pacific Northwest, the cost of a CSA (while very good community support!) if not financially cost effective for my family of 4.
I participated in one a few years ago and didn’t find it worth it. I have been using a delivery service that I can customize though and find that it can be worth the hassle of shopping with my little ones!
I did a CSA for a couple years… I think it is worth it just to expand your horizons in terms of food. With a CSA, you get things that you perhaps wouldn’t normally buy/eat, and it forces you to be creative! I discovered many new foods that my family now loves, AND we were eating local, organic, and in season vegetables that maximized the nutrition we could get from veggies. WORTH IT.
I would much rather support my local farmer by shopping at the local farmers market and buying eggs from my local chicken farmer.
I joined a CSA several years ago and was very disappointed with the produce we received weekly. So much of it was vegetables that most people have never heard of so they had to include the description of what was in our box and how to use/cook it. I didn’t mind trying new food but when my husband and I signed up, we were hoping to get items that we would grow in our own garden.
I noticed the next year, many of us the had used the CSA that year did not return for the next season. Now we have our own garden with the produce we love.
You might search around until you find one that’s right for you. I’ve always wanted to participate but they always seemed quite expensive to risk getting veggies you may or may not like. However, we finally found one that’s cheaper and, so far, we’re really enjoying. This one is 28 weeks and I believe we paid $450 which turns out to be less than $17/week. On average we’re supposed to receive 2/3 a bushel of various veggies, I think. Yes, most of it is greens right now because that’s what’s in season. We’ve been able to eat most of what we receive although I did end up throwing out a head of Bibb lettuce this week. That made be sad cause I had really wanted to use it for making lettuce wraps. Oh, well! I guess $17/week plus still buying fruit and other veggies we always have on had it more than I normally spend but I think it’s worth it. I love the challenge of trying to figure out what to do with veggies we’ve never had. This week I baked chicken on top of a bed of fennel. The chicken came out with a very nice mild flavored that I thought was very tasty.
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