As the golden rays of sunlight caress my face and the warm, heavy air embraces me like an old friend, I realize that summer is upon us. Hearing the word “summer” immediately conjures up thoughts of ripe, juicy fruit and crispy vegetables eaten just hours after being offered to us by the earth. In my attempts to perform every action with intention, even the necessary act of eating, I am reminded of how the local farmers, with countless hours of hard work and an innate connection to nature, have allowed me to bring that delicious strawberry to my lips. As someone who has been involved in local Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) projects for many years, I am spoiled. Never before becoming involved had I tasted a strawberry, even though I have consumed imposters purchased from the supermarket. Now, I can’t even bring myself to enter the produce section of my “local” mega-chain grocery store, at least without being extraordinarily disappointed.

Cherry tomatoes. Photograph provided by the author

It all started about seven years ago when I attended a meeting at my local community center hosted by Farmer Katy of Hawthorne Valley Farm. Katy, along with her team, discussed what was to be expected from their upcoming garden season along with how we, the community, could participate. And by participate, I really mean enjoy the fruits of their labor—literally. She explained how her farm operated and how the members of the CSA contribute to their ability to sustain proper farming practices. All I had to do to enjoy organic and biodynamically grown fruits and vegetables delivered almost to my doorstep once a week from June through November was pay a fee up front (approximately $550 for a fruit and vegetable share) and volunteer five measly hours of my time. This idea was fantastic. As someone who abhors the business practices of mega-companies such as Wal-Mart and McDonalds, I am always looking to support mom-and-pop operations. I was thrilled and, thus, a beautiful relationship was born.

During my first year as a CSA member, I was minimally involved. I just made sure that I was home by 6:30pm on Thursdays so that I could grab my weekly share. Usually, this involved picking up my baskets from my apartment and walking to the delivery site (1 block), which was lined with green milk crate-looking baskets full of produce. Each basket had a sign—“1lb Carrots Per Share” or “2 heads of Lettuce Per Share.” It was clear that the acquisition of your CSA share was based on the honor system, a concept totally foreign to me. But, I really liked it. Later, people in my neighborhood who shared similar values about food and life in general encouraged me to become more involved. In addition to securing a highly coveted spot on the CSA member list, I learned about the existence of a winter share—a monthly delivery consisting of mainly root vegetables, apples and pears, and hearty lettuces—and eventually landed a spot as a volunteer coordinator. Working at this post made me fully aware of how the health and well being of a CSA was completely contingent upon its members; it was so much more than writing a check and re-filling baskets.

Now that I have recently moved, I no longer have the ability to be involved in my old CSA and the waiting list for my new neighborhood’s CSA is about a mile long. Why is it important to me that I am involved in such an organization? Aside from being able to use organically grown ingredients to feed my family, being a part of a CSA helps to keep up the momentum for our local agricultural industry. What does this mean to consumers and society in general? The first thing that comes to my mind is a reduction in carbon emissions. If you are eating locally grown food, as opposed to food transported from Mexico, Chile, or China, you are less dependent on food transportation and the associated gasoline usage. For me, this is the most important reason to join a CSA. Some other important reasons to participate in a CSA (or, at the very least, make regular visits to the farmers market) are:

1. You avoid eating foods that, due to the significantly increased time it takes to get from dirt to plate, have lost a large percentage of their nutritional value.
2. You become exposed to “new” fruits and vegetables as well as new ways of cooking.
3. You have the chance to visit the farm, form a relationship with the people growing your food, and learn about local farming practices.
4. You have the opportunity to purchase items other than produce. For instance, antibiotic- and hormone-free pasture-raised meats, dairy products, free-range eggs, and local honey can be ordered as can organically grown flowers.

Now that I have sung the praises of a CSA, I think that it is only fair to inform you of the potentially negative aspects surrounding the business model, especially the idea of shared risk. One cannot possibly predict natural catastrophes such as floods or, as was the case for tomatoes in 2009, a fungal blight. If something happens that compromises your ability to receive your share (from the farmers’ end), you cannot get a refund. Additionally, some crops can do much better than others, so it is possible that you get a disproportionately high amount of, say, beets and very few cucumbers. In spite of this, I still strongly believe that the benefits outweigh the risks and, therefore, I will always buy local (which is almost always equivalent with being the most fresh) and support my CSA whenever possible. I urge you to do the same.

For more information check out Hawthorne Valley Farm, Just Food, and Grow NYC