CSA is short for Community Supported Agriculture. This is a program where people buy "shares" of a farm for a set price and then in exchange, they receive produce on a scheduled basis. Most farms do this in the summer when the produce is plentiful. Each week CSA members go to the farm or farmer's market or other designated location and pick up their share. It will be full of that week's or even day's picks for you. I am not a member of a CSA for the summer because I have my own garden and head to the farmer's market or farm stands to get what I need.
I am a member of a winter share. This is one where every month from December to May I head to the East End to pick up my winter share. I get a large box with 1-2 dozen eggs and a mix of winter stored crops like potatoes and carrots or things from the cold frames like spinach or arugula. It all depends on the time of year and what was grown that year.
Last year was my first year and is certainly not my last. The eggs were amazing. You have never had a fresher egg and cannot find them in stores like this. The fun part of the produce is that you never knew what you were getting. The surprise of seeing what was inside and then figuring out how to use it was the best part. I received some things I had never used before (IE: kohlrabi) and finding uses for the ingredients was exciting.
My favorite part of the Winter Share is the support it provides to the farm. It gives the farmer a reason to grow because there is a guaranteed purchaser at the end - they are not just growing and hoping for customers. It also extends the season for the farms into an entire year rather than trying to get it all in during the warm months. It also helps farmers diversify the crops they grow, this way they do not have to rely upon one or two and hope they have a good year. The Winter Share also keeps the money in the local economy. The potatoes I feed my family were grown 20 miles away by someone who I can speak to directly and put a face to. The local eating experience for me, is not only limited to the summer months and what I have been able to put away myself, but I can go to the farm during the cold months to get fresh produce and eggs. This makes eating locally much more attainable - the grocery store does not need to provide as much to supplement my diet.
If you are committed to eating locally or even would like to try to eat locally or if you want to support your local farms all year long, consider a Winter Share at your local farm CSA.
My CSA is an organic farm called the Garden of Eve located on Sound Avenue in Aquebogue, NY. The Winter Share sign up is still going on now for the shares that start December 2010. If you are interested, go to the website to check it out and sign up online at http://www.gardenofevefarm.com/.
There three options at the Garden of Eve. The Garden of Eve Share - which has produce and eggs from the farms. This is the one I choose. The Shopping Basket Share - which has the Garden of Eve vegetables and eggs in slightly smaller quantities and the rest are other “locavore” products including preserved Garden of Eve organic pickles and tomatoes; organic cornmeal and flours from northeastern growers; OG buckwheat cereal and buckwheat from Birkett Mills NY; Long Island raw honey, local non-organic apples from Briermere Farms, etc. There is also an Egg Share - this is simply eggs that you can add onto your existing Share or buy on its own.
The share are picked up at one of five locations in Brooklyn or on Long Island, including the farm where I pick mine up. If you sign up with a friend you can take turns picking up the shares.
Overall, I recommend the Garden of Eve's Winter Share - it is organic and local. You can feel good about what you are feeding your body and you can help local farms stay in business. If you live outside of Long Island, check out your local farms and see if you can buy a share.
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