“..CSAs: It’s like having your own farm..”

“..What’s a CSA, you ask?

Something quite special.

What is it?

CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture.”

In short, it’s a way for consumers to buy into an agricultural enterprise, receive fresh, natural food seasonally and support our local food system.

Most CSAs are farms, and involve vegetables herbs, fruits and flowers, although other types – meat, fish – are popping up all the time, here and in other parts of the country.

We are fortunate to have a healthy crop of CSAs here in Bucks County too.

All told, about seven, including one poultry farm CSA.

And most use organic, or nearly organic, methods of farming.

How does it work?

I’ll use a CSA farm as an example, since that’s most common.

You buy a “share” per season (usually late May through mid-November), which entitles your household to a weekly portion of produce, grown on that farm.

Many CSAs offer half-shares, too, which is what Mark and I have since we are only two adults.

We pick up every other week.

Some people go in with other family members or friends and buy a share together.

Most CSAs also ask that each household volunteer a certain number of hours per season but it’s quite reasonable.

Our CSA, Anchor Run Farm in Wrightstown, asks full share members to put in 8 hours over the course of the season, half-share members only 4 hours.

Tasks vary from helping with the garlic harvest (an” all hands on deck” type event) to weeding and other necessary farming maintenance.

At Anchor Run, we pick up every other week (because we are half-share members) which involves going to the farm on a Monday or Thursday ..

.. filling our bags with the vegetables picked that week, and doing some “pick-your-own” of other vegetables or fruits.

The farmers tell us how much we can pick, trying to make sure there will be enough to go around for all members.

Some CSAs have you pick all your own vegetables.

Some, like Blooming Glen, bring a box of your weekly allotment to a distribution point..”

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