CSA stands for Community Supported (or Shared) Agriculture. Shareholders purchase "shares" consisting of vegetables and sometimes meats from local farmers on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. It is a shared-risk model, wherein the shareholder participates in the planning process and comes to know the farmer, as well as the root of his or her food source, and the farmer earns a reasonable wage for his or her labours.
The CSA model supports the idea that buying locally is better, both for people and for the environment. We live in a society where our food comes to large-scale grocery chains from hundreds or thousands of kilometres away. Food quality and nutritional value is diminished through the use of sprays and preservatives that allow the food to remain fresh-looking throughout its long journey to our supermarket shelves. Studies show that we are, quite literally, "preserving" our bodies with the foods we eat.
Further to that, the definition of "local" changes regularly for supermarkets. "Local" can mean anything from down the road to across the country. Produce travelling from British Columbia can certainly not make it thousands of kilometres without a little help from preservatives.
It's hard to say when we stopped buying directly from the farmer, but it is just as simple to revert that choice. When you consider the money you spend weekly on produce at the store, buying from the farmer - who is usually willing to deliver your share to your house - makes much more sense.
Do yourself and your family a favour this year. Try something new. Get to know a local farmer. Join a CSA.
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