What is Community Supported Agriculture all about?

As more consumers seek locally grown and produced foods, Community Supported Agriculture subscriptions or CSAs have begun to grow in popularity.

Through a CSA subscription, individuals become “shareholders” in a local farm or group of farms. For their upfront investment, subscribers are provided regularly scheduled baskets, boxes or bags filled with the farm’s bounty during the growing season. Items could include fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and eggs. Some CSAs offer home delivery, but most designate a regular weekly pick-up spot, such as a local farmer’s market.

However, being a shareholder also means sharing the farmer’s risk that some crops could do poorly due to pests or bad weather, and members pay the same whether it’s a bumper or bust year for crops. In some cases, being a shareholder could also include working around the farm for a few hours, but that’s not typical with most CSAs.

Before jumping on the CSA bandwagon, the Local Harvest website recommends considering the following questions:
• Do you like to cook and do you have time to prepare homemade meals?
• Do you think its fun to try new vegetables and fruits?
• How will you handle excess produce?
• Are you willing to accept the risks associated with being a shareholder?

If you decide to sign up for a CSA, it’s important to do your research. Many farms around Ohio offer CSAs and several are featured on a list from Our Ohio.

Before selecting a CSA, here are some questions you should ask the farmer or representative before subscribing:
• What type of produce do you grow?
• Do you purchase produce from other farmers or growers?
• What else might be included in my CSA delivery?
• Where and when do I pick up? Do you deliver?
• What happens if I’m on vacation?
• Does the CSA offer storing and cooking instructions?
• What is the farmer’s background and training?
• Do you have references or testimonials to share?

Do you or are you planning to subscribe to a CSA this year? If yes, please share your experience with me.

Photo obtained from: www.njfamily.com

Local Foods Becoming Big Business

Once thought of as the domain of health nuts and hippies, the buy-local movement has gone mainstream and farmers in the U.S. are starting to see some green.

According to a recent USDA report, in 2008 American farmers made nearly $5 billion selling fruits and vegetables at farmer’s markets and to local supermarkets and restaurants. While they remain just 2 percent of the nation’s agricultural sales, locally grown foods are continuing to grow in popularity among the public and farmers as awareness grows about the benefits of buying local.

Agriculture is the top industry in Ohio — contributing more than $107 billion annually to the state’s economy. The Ohio Department of Agriculture showcases locally made and grown products — everything from fruit to eggs to wine — with the “Ohio Proud” program. The program, which launched in 1993, has grown from 180 participants in 2008 to more than 470 today.

“The growth is attributed to the fact that consumers are very much interested in buying local products because they want to know who is growing their food and where it comes from,” said Lori Panda, senior manager for the Ohio Proud program in a recent Columbus Dispatch article. “Not only do Ohio consumers want to support Ohio businesses, they’re also concerned about food safety.”

According to Food Routes, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting local foods, the benefits of buying and eating locally grown or produced foods are many and include:

• A stronger local economy — Buying local keeps dollars circulating in your community
• Fresh products — Local food is fresher than food shipped long distances from other states and countries and many believe the taste is better, too
• Supports family farms — With each local food purchase, you ensure that more of the money you spend for food goes to the farmer
• It’s good for the environment — Local food doesn’t have to travel far, so there’s less carbon dioxide emissions and packing materials
• Knowledge of how your food is grown — Knowing where your food comes from and how it’s grown, i.e., organic, pesticide-free, etc., enables you to make personal food choices for your family

Photo obtained from: portlandmonthlymag.com










Flood of Farmers Markets

June is “Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month,” which is perfect timing given that it’s garden season and there’s an influx of farmers markets in Ohio and nationally.

Consumer’s interest in the local-food movement is rapidly increasing.

“Local food continues to expand with consumer demand,” said Julie Fox, direct marketing specialist for The Ohio State University in a story reported at The Packer — the self-proclaimed ‘fresh fruit and vegetable industry's leading source for news, information and analysis.’

“That interest is reflected in an increased number of farmers markets, an increased number of vendors in farmers markets, more restaurants carrying local food, more grocery stores buying and promoting local food and an expansion of community-supported agriculture and produce auctions,” Fox said.

Farmers markets are opportunities for small-scale and/or urban growers to expand their customer base. In addition, many restaurateurs scour farmers markets for menu ideas and create contracts with farmers for food orders.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is recognizing the value of farmers markets. Its supplying $10 million in funding to help develop farmers markets throughout the nation.

“Farmers markets are an integral part of the urban/farm linkage and have continued to rise in popularity, mostly due to the growing consumer interest in obtaining fresh products directly from the farm. Farmers markets allow consumers to have access to locally grown, farm fresh produce, enables farmers the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with their customers and cultivate consumer loyalty with the farmers who grow the produce,” states the USDA website.

“Direct marketing of farm products through farmers markets continues to be an important sales outlet for agricultural producers nationwide. As of mid-2010, there were 6,132 farmers markets operating throughout the U.S. This is a 16 percent increase from 2009,” according to the USDA website.

Many online resources direct consumers to farmers markets throughout the country. The 2011 National Farmers Market Directory is accessible at the USDA website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/farmersmarkets.

Another such resource promoting the farmers-market industry is American Farmland Trust — the nation's leading conservation organization dedicated to saving America’s farm and ranch land, promoting environmentally sound farming practices and supporting a sustainable future for farms.

To promote the connection between fresh, local food and the farms that supply it, online voting is now available for participants in the “America’s Favorite Farmers Markets” contest organized by American Farmland Trust.

Countrywide media outlets and ordinary citizens are reporting about the farmers-market trend.

The Huffington Post released an interesting slideshow of the “Top 10 Farmers Markets” in 2009 and a consumer blog post has a list of the “Top 10 U.S. Farmers Markets Worth a Trip.”

There’s no doubt that farmers markets will continue in popularity in the coming years. Only time will tell just how they will shape the landscape of agriculture.

Do you sell/know of someone who sells food at your local farmers market? Do you shop at farmers markets? What is your opinion about farmers markets?