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Want Really Fresh Vegies?

© Lindsay W. McSweeney

As I sit here in the frigid Northeast wondering how to feel warm, one trick is to think of warm summer meals made with great salads and fresh vegetables. Then I think of the fun of buying at the farmer's markets that spring up to supply those vegetables. But there's an alternative to farmer's markets - buying directly from the farm - and for those of you who might be interested, I wanted to familiarize you with the concept. Now is also the time to act if you want to participate.

The formal name for buyers clubs that work directly with local farms is "Community Supported Agriculture." The CSA movement started in Japan in the '60s under the name "takei," which is translated as "putting the farmer's face on food." The first CSA was founded in Massachusetts in the mid-8'0s, but the movement is only now really beginning to catch on. There are about 1,000 CSAs across the nation.

While some CSAs are formed for political or environmental reasons, the movement is growing because there are benefits to everyone, regardless of your views on global agribusiness, pesticide over-use or land preservation. These benefits (and challenges) include:

• Procuring very fresh produce. Food in the U.S. travels, on average, 1,300 miles from the source to the market shelf. CSA food is local, fresh and seasonal.
• Encouraging you to get out of the same buying rut in the produce section. While it can be disconcerting to receive a large celeriac if you've never seen one, it can be great fun to learn how to cook one.
• Stimulating culinary creativity. Dealing with the same squash for several weeks in a row really pushes you to find new ways to cook it.
• Eating more nutritionally. Most of us don't waste food, so you'll find ways to use that endive. For many of us, eating more vegetables or less processed food is a dietary improvement.

One of the misconceptions about CSAs is that they are all organic. This is not necessarily so, although all follow some definition of good farming practices, which will be specified. Some are certified organic, some follow organic methods but are not certified, others will be pesticide free or follow healthful crop rotation practices, etc.

Two kinds of farms participate in a CSA. The first type is a non-profit organization. These are often formed on community property and have a three-fold purpose - to preserve local farmland, to teach and to supply fresh produce not only to consumers but often to lower income families, bread kitchens, etc. The Food Project is an example of a not-for-profit CSA in Lincoln, MA. The second type is a small farm that forms a CSA to stay economically viable. Brookfield Farm, a Massachusetts family-owned farm, has an informative web site describing this model.

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