Community supported agriculture, often organic, growing in popularity

Community supported agriculture, defined as "a mutual commitment and partnership between a farm and supportive members of the community," got big play this week in The New York Times. "The concept was imported from Europe and Asia in the 1980s as an alternative marketing and financing arrangement to help combat the often prohibitive costs of small-scale farming," Susan Saulny writes. "But until recently, it was slow to take root. There were fewer than 100 such farms in the early 1990s, but in the last several years the numbers have grown to close to 1,500, according to academic experts who have followed the trend."

In a typical CSA program, people agree to buy at certain prices products delivered regularly from a farm, or make a direct investment in a farm and get products as dividends. "Some shareholders said they found the arrangement a bargain compared to grocery shopping, while others considered it a worthwhile indulgence," Saulny writes. "Most agreed that the urge to buy and spend locally — to avoid the costs and environmental degradation that come with shipping and storage — was behind the decision to join. Shareholders can pick up their goods at the farm or at a store across the street." (Read more)

Many CSA farmers, like Henry Brockman of Illinois, left, raise organic produce. Increasing costs of herbicides and fertilizers are pushing more farmers toward organic farming, which allows them to charge more for their products, Michele Deluca reports for the Niagara Gazette. Martin Yoder tells her that he made his farm organic after experiencing some health changes. "To me, (organic farming's) a way of life," he said. "I'm not exposed to any chemical sprays, chemical fertilizers. It's all bad. It's all poisonous. If you work with nature, you'll be rewarded."

Katie Porter, whose father started an organic CSA 14 years ago, told Deluca that investors share in the farm's success and misfortune. "We emphasize this is not a grocery store," she says. "You share in the farm’s bounty. A bad storm can wipe out a whole field. People learn about the trials and tribulations of farmers.” (Read more) For more information on CSA, see The Robyn Van En Center at Wilson College, Local Harvest or the publication Community Supported Agriculture, from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (from which we got the photo).