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Anyone who’s ever tasted
a fresh-picked, sun-warmed, homegrown tomato knows
that they are nothing like those found in the bin
at the supermarket. Sometimes it amazes me that
we even call them by the same name. Supermarket
tomatoes are picked while still firm and unripe,
in order to hold up better during their 1500-mile
truck ride from vine to market, then gassed to redness.
Homegrown tomatoes are allowed to stay on the vine
until they are juicy and luscious, producing not
just red skin but red flesh. Unlike the supermarket
imposters, these beauties need only a sprinkle of
salt and grind of pepper to hit perfection. I find
it hard to eat supermarket tomatoes without somehow
gussying them up. But, yes, I know, some of us live
in apartments and therefore have no space to grow
a blade of grass, much less a couple tomato plants.
Still, there is a solution, which not only will
give you all the produce you desire, but usually
for a lower price and always better quality –
Community Supported Agriculture farms (CSAs). CSAs
are a way for city dwellers to get dirt under their
nails without having to inherit the family farm.
Now, they can adopt a farm.
At its roots, CSA farms offer
people a chance to purchase a “share”
of farmland and become part of the relationship
between farmers, food and sustainability. The farmers
do the planning, planting and harvesting, relying
only on the member to pay a fee up front. In return
for this fee, members can expect to receive a weekly
delivery of locally grown, fresh, typically organic,
portion of the farms produce, usually starting in
late spring and ending in early fall. This relationship
takes some of the strain off farmers, who each year
are at the mercy of weather and pests. Members share
the risk of a bad crop, as well as the abundance
of a successful growing season. Each farm varies
on the quantity, fee and shares available, but they
are all sound in the decision to supply their members
with the freshest, best produce they can deliver.
Some farms deliver to the member’s doors,
while others have drop-off sites where the members
come to pick up their products. Most farms range
from 100-150 shares, while others have as few as
30 or as many as 400. That’s the beauty of
the local farm; each one is different, supplying
what their community demands.
The concept of CSA started
in Japan in the 1960s. A small group of women, concerned
with the decrease of local farms and increase of
food imports, decided to buy directly from a local
farmer. In Japan, they called this arrangement “teikei,”
which translates to “putting the farmer’s
face on food.” From Japan, the idea quickly
spread to Switzerland, then to the United States
in the late 1980s. Since the first farm in Massachusetts,
CSAs have primarily centered around urban areas
in New England and the Great Lakes area.
Minnesota alone has over 500
farms participating in CSA, focusing on not only
produce, but locally raised meat and poultry, eggs,
and even Christmas trees! Joining a CSA couldn’t
be any easier. At the most basic level, all you
need to do is find a local listing of CSA farms
in your area and contact them. You can find a comprehensive
list at www.localharvest.org. Most farms have email,
if not a web site, which will provide you with any
information you need, such as cost, delivery options
and what they produce. Typically, members send in
their first payment early in the spring, then pay
the remainder of the fee in August. This is not
to say, however, that farms will turn you away if
you make your selection a little later in the season.
Most farms continue to take members throughout the
season until all the shares are bought.
My experience with CSA was
a positive one. Not only was it rewarding to know
that I’m supporting my local farmers but it
was such an eye-opener to receive produce that was
harvested only hours prior to my delivery. I won’t
lie though; I thought at the time that if I ever
saw another zucchini or kohlrabi, it would be too
soon. But, I also learned many different ways to
prepare a variety of vegetables. I received garlic,
dill, carrots, potatoes, lettuce, chard, brussel
sprouts (still on the stalk!) and, yes, vine-ripened
tomatoes. Also in my weekly box, I received a newsletter
with updates on the farm and recipes. While I never
made it out to the farm, most strongly encourage
members to come out for a festival or help with
the harvesting. It’s just another way that
you can connect with the farmers in your area.
Look into CSA. You won’t
regret it and your local farmers will thank you
wholeheartedly.
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Make
Way for Summer’s Bounty