Here on the farm, we are passionate about providing a sustainable, close to home, food source for those nearby. Hence this year’s creation of a CSA. Community supported agriculture, or CSA, provides an opportunity for local families to take part in both the risks and rewards of small scale farming.
As an amateur historian, I took it upon myself to research more about the origins and development of the first CSAs. Here I found that CSAs had a longer history than I expected, and that small farmers have struggled with the same issues for many years- how to grow more for others without having to absorb all the cost. Subscription farming fails to deal with the beginning of the season financing, while utilizing the CSA model helps farmers start the growing season with stable financing. Michigan State University also offers a similar explanation– as we grew toward a global economy, we lost touch with the people who produce our food. By supporting a CSA, you are able to know who grows your food. Sometimes you can even participate in the harvesting!
In doing additional research for the farm, I’ve worked through some of the writings of Virginia farmer Joel Salatin. His ideas of livestock helping improve the land has been inspirational to us as we pursue reviving the land from decades of soy bean farming. While he doesn’t run a farm on a small scale like ours, some of his ideas have bled into our methodology for our own farm. We want people to have a hyper-local food source, to have a dependable source of fresh food in the summer months.
Do you want to know where your food comes from? Do you like trying new varieties of foods? Do you want produce that was picked less than 12 hours ago? A CSA might be for you! Many CSAs, including our own, grow a larger variety of veggies then you would see in the store. This year, we will be growing different colored carrots and beans, several different types of salad greens, and many colored tomatoes.
We are getting really excited for this year’s growing season, and are offering more variety than ever before. From more than 8 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes and peppers to kohlrabi, radishes and bok choy, our CSA will help you experience the best of summer’s produce.
Please contact us if you would like to learn more about what we are offering this year.