CSA, short for Community Supported Agriculture, connects farmers directly to consumers as a way of celebrating local food and supporting local economies. Bridging the gap from farm to table, CSAs depend on a mutual commitment between farmers and consumers (or members) who pay an annual fee to partake in (and support) the farms’ bounty. Eating local food, such as that grown on a nearby farm, is not only a great way to reduce your carbon footprint; it’s also a wonderful way to help your kids connect with their food and develop a lifelong appreciation for fresh and sustainable foods.
Over the last few years, CSAs nationwide have grown. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are more than 12,000 farms that operate a CSA in some capacity. Perhaps the growth is in response to the numerous food scares we’ve seen in conventional, mass-produced food, or perhaps it is out of the need to really understand who is growing our food, and connect with these farmer’s on a personal level. Says Shanan Olson, the owner of Abbondanza in Boulder, Colorado, which has offered a CSA for the past five years and has seen membership grow from 36 to 350 members, “People join a CSA in order to be directly connected with their food source and community, as well as for social interaction and physical activity.” Plus, they’re a great way to connect kids with their food and get them to eat more veggies.
Adventures in Eating
Depending on where you live, and the farm that you join, CSA shares are typically divided into a spring/summer share, and a harvest or winter share. The average spring/summer share for most of the country is about 20 weeks, carrying you from May through October, and bringing you the best of the season’s vegetables (and fruit at some farms), at the peak of the season. Winter shares are designed for storage, and include root vegetables, leafy greens, and winter squash. Each week, you’ll pick up your produce, not choosing what you receive, but instead receiving what is fresh that week. Most farms offer half-shares for smaller families, and some also offer fresh eggs, herbs, flowers, and meat.
The weekly allotment of vegetables turns into a challenge for both adults and children alike. How to creatively use all of this produce and not let any of it go to waste becomes the mantra for the week. Recipe books are unearthed, and everyone is encouraged to try new things — even us parents. Children will get a kick out of “discovering” the weekly foods, and especially tasting really fresh vegetables and fruit — peaches so ripe that the sticky juice drips down their happy faces.
When children get the opportunity to meet the farmers who grew their veggies — even veggies they typically turn their noses up to — they’re more apt to trying them. And through a farm share, children will also be exposed to heirloom and unique varieties that they wouldn’t have even recognized in the store. Although red carrots, purple potatoes, and blue squash may sound like veggies right up Willy Wonka’s alley, they’re likely growing in your neighborhood farm — and make great conversation starters for young children exploring the world of vegetables. By visiting a farm, kids have the opportunity to see that all of their food really does come from the ground. Adds Olson, “Even pizza and tacos come from the farm!”
Back on the Farm
During my visits to Abbondanza, I’ve personally witnessed young kids eager to meet the farmers, and frolic in the gardens. Chickens roam freely, the resident goat greets eager parents and children, and Olson personally speaks with every patron who arrives. I remember when I first brought my daughter, Sena, to the farm. She was only four-months-old, and Olson handed me an extra bunch of kale. “This is great for breastfeeding,” she said, adding an extra bunch at no cost to my share that week. The fact that she paused, recognized that I had a small child, and gave me support in the best way she knew how, not only brightened my day, it gave me a whole new connection with my food. I certainly wasn’t going to get the same level of service at my local market, even if it specialized in natural and organic foods.
In the midst of this consumer-driven society, it is easy to forget our roots, so to speak. Yet, many parents are trying to find ways to move back to the basics. “Moms are looking for ways to create traditions for their children that are not mixed up in the media of it all,” adds Olson. Farmers are recognizing that parents are looking for ways to get their children involved, and are creating festivities and activities to encourage parents to bring their kiddos to the farm. This past spring, many farms hosted Easter egg hunts, where instead of the ubiquitous chocolate-filled egg, children searched for real eggs in a variety of natural colors. In the fall, as the bounty of produce explodes, farmers are inviting children to the farm to pick the last of the veggies and also pick a pumpkin for their own Jack O’Lantern.
At Fairview Gardens in Goleta, California, Summer Farm Days are designed just for children pre-K through 6th grade. Each day kids have opportunities to learn about the environment and farming through hands-on experiences, games, and activities, learning about everything from bugs to cooking. Four to six-year-olds, for instance, can enroll in the “Sprouts” Camp, a four-day camp where they’ll see what it’s really like to be a farmer. They’ll get to help take care of goats and chickens, collect eggs, and of course harvest the produce — and snack!
Other farms welcome children whenever “work” days are scheduled, and even offer other activities while parents do the work. The Genesee Valley Organic Community Supported Agriculture Group in New York, offers children’s days throughout the growing season where nature walks and other activities are scheduled during the normal work hours.
Throughout the year, however, there are numerous opportunities for families to get involved at their local farm. The best way to get involved is to join, and speak with the farmer. Each farm is unique and has different needs, but one thing is for certain, farmers are also looking for community and welcome volunteer hands — even if they are pint-sized.
CSAs really are a win-win situation — farmer’s benefit and prosper, and families have access to healthy, fresh, and local produce, decreasing their environmental impact while boosting their well-being. “If we work together we will create systems that empower our whole community,” adds Olson. CSAs depend on us just as much as we depend on them. But, the more we ask for, the more they’ll grow — and the more our children will too.
To find a CSA near you, visit localharvest.org.