Somebody break out the Willie Nelson tunes. I want to do a little Farm Aid today and talk about supporting the local farmer. I realize we are all on food/turkey overload right now, but listen up. This is important.
There are almost two million farms in the USA. About 80% of those are small farms, and a large percentage are family owned. More and more of these farmers are now selling their products directly to the public. They do this via CSA Programs, Farmer's Markets, Food Co-ops, u-picks, farm stands, and other channels. Would you like to support your local farmer? It is a win-win-win for your body/health, the local farmer/community and future soil/generations.
Large scale chemical agriculture is poisoning our soils and our water, and weakening our communities. By buying direct from a family farm you can help put a stop to this unfortunate trend. By buying organic produce from your local farmer, you are working to maintain a healthy environment, a vibrant community, and a strong and sustainable local economy for you and your kids to thrive in.
Community Supported Agriculture
Thinking about signing up for a CSA but want to learn more about the idea before you commit? Read on.
Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.
This arrangement creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer. In brief...
Advantages for farmers:
- Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
- Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow
- Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow
Advantages for consumers:
- Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
- Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
- Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season
- Find that kids typically favor food from "their" farm - even veggies they've never been known to eat
- Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown
It's a simple enough idea, but its impact has been profound. Tens of thousands of families have joined CSAs, and in some areas of the country there is more demand than there are CSA farms to fill it. The government does not track CSAs, so there is no official count of how many CSAs there are in the U.S.. Local Harvest has the most comprehensive directory of CSA farms, with over 4,000 listed in our grassroots database.
Variations
As you might expect with such a successful model, farmers have begun to introduce variations. One increasingly common one is the "mix and match," or "market-style" CSA. Here, rather than making up a standard box of vegetables for every member each week, the members load their own boxes with some degree of personal choice. The farmer lays out baskets of the week's vegetables. Some farmers encourage members to take a prescribed amount of what's available, leaving behind just what their families do not care for. Some CSA farmers then donate this extra produce to a food bank. In other CSAs, the members have wider choice to fill their box with whatever appeals to them, within certain limitations. (e.g. "Just one basket of strawberries per family, please.")
CSAs aren't confined to produce. Some farmers include the option for shareholders to buy shares of eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, fruit, flowers or other farm products along with their veggies. Sometimes several farmers will offer their products together, to offer the widest variety to their members. For example, a produce farmer might create a partnership with a neighbor to deliver chickens to the CSA drop off point, so that the CSA members can purchase farm-fresh chickens when they come to get their CSA baskets. Other farmers are creating standalone CSAs for meat, flowers, eggs, and preserved farm products. In some parts of the country, non-farming third parties are setting up CSA-like businesses, where they act as middle men and sell boxes of local (and sometimes non-local) food for their members.
National Directory Websites to find/buy local food and CSA Programs:
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://rodaleinstitute.org/farm_locator
https://www.biodynamics.com/csa.html
Local Middle Tennessee Farms, CSA Programs:
http://www.localtable.net/farm_guide/listing.php
http://nashfof.wordpress.com/csa/
http://www.barefootfarmer.com/
http://realfoodfarms.com/how-to-find-us/
Along with being involved in a local CSA Program, I shop at my local Franklin Farmer's Market almost every weekend. It's a good feeling knowing the face of the person that harvested my produce, selected my eggs or even made my bread. Dairy, eggs, meat, bread, desserts, fruit, veggies...even local soap, candle, and other craft artisans are things I am used to shopping for at the market. I hope this inspires you to get to know your local farmer and food. Most even welcome you to come visit their land and farm (Willie would).
A CSA program would be a great Christmas gift.
Yours in Health,
Dr. David Mason
P.S. The Gift of Health is the greatest gift of all. Not only would signing yourself or a loved one up for a local CSA program be an awesome gift...so would chiropractic! We offer Gift Certificates for your holiday gifts! Load up a Gift Card to cover a massage, supplements, pillows or products, an adjustment or even an entire year's worth of adjustments. Ask us for details.