We are lucky to live in an area with a number of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms which provide members with fantastic locally-grown vegetables and fruits.
Whatley argued that the club model, as well as pick-your-own farms, would help small, often Black-owned, farms survive. “The clientele membership club is the lifeblood of the whole setup. It enables the farmer to plan production, anticipate demand, and, of course, have a guaranteed market,” Whatley said in an interview with Mother Earth News in 1982 (The Small Farm Plan By Booker T. Whatley – Mother Earth News).
The Indian Line Farm began with an apple orchard which sold shares for cider, hard cider, and vinegar. Jan Vander Tuin had worked and studied at an organic farm near Zurich, Switzerland. He, along with co-founder Robyn Van En, believed that members of the community had different needs and income levels that could be met by selling shares in the produce of the farm.
The Temple-Wilton Farm was founded by Anthony Graham, dairyman Lincoln Geiger, and German émigré Trauger Groh. The farm began with community pledges rather than a fixed price. Members would be shown the cost of running the farm for the year and would then pledge money to support it according to their means and needs.
Of course, by now the CSA movement has spread across the country. Benefits of joining a CSA are numerous. Members are often introduced to new varieties of fruits and vegetables to try. Eating seasonally fresh, local products allows small growers to survive, and family farms to continue production; this not only benefits farm families, but the local economy as well. Local consumers have a direct connection with local growers, building community and trust. Growers can be asked questions about their growing practices and the varieties of plants they choose to grow. Finally, along with their CSA boxes, growers often include recipes for new or unfamiliar varieties of fruits and vegetables.
The cost of joining a CSA varies from farm to farm depending on what's being offered. A CSA box will often save members money because the cost of wholesome, organically-grown food can be high at the grocery store. And many people who purchase shares in CSA's believe that the benefits of eating fresh, locally-grown food far outweigh the cost of membership.
Also, many local growers have farm stands on or near their property. Often simply driving down back roads will reveal a farm stand or pick-your-own (“U-pick”) opportunity. One such U-pick is Boysen Berry Farm in Orland, which grows heritage boysenberries from an original vine developed in 1923 by Rudolph Boysen, the current owner's grandfather.
Supporting local farmers by joining a CSA, buying produce from a farm stand or farmers market, or taking advantage of a local farm's U-pick are sustainable choices with long-term benefits to the environment and the local economy, as well as ourselves and our children and grandchildren.
UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu or leave a phone message on our Hotline at 530-552-5812. To speak to a Master Gardener about a gardening issue, or to drop by the MG office during Hotline hours, see the most current information on our Ask Us section of our website.
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
"We've heard some people say when the box gets delivered, it's almost like Christmas. The kids unpack it and they get very excited," Ryan Galt, professor in the Department of Human and Community Development at UC Davis.
But subscribers should understand being a member of a CSA is not the same as going to the grocery store for their produce. Some suggestions from the experts:
- Be aware there's more growing on vegetable farms than just carrots and potatoes
- Be willing to take risks in the kitchen
- Take time to research recipes and to cook
- Because some farmers need up-front money to start the season, you may have to pay a substantial sum before receiving produce
- Food is provided strictly in season for the farm, so don't expect asparagus in September
Galt said it's also worth asking how the farm is doing financially for committing to the CSA.
"It's hard to ask because it's not a normal conversation topic in the U.S.," he said, adding that the point of CSAs in the beginning was the community figuring out how to help small farmers survive. "Farming is extremely difficult on all ends."
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
A community support agriculture farm (CSA) with a large customer base generally makes a large part of its income selling through more traditional channels, reported Grace Hood on the NPR program The Salt: What's on Your Plate.
The reporter included a comment in the story from Ryan Galt, professor in the Department of Human and Community Development at UC Davis. Galt conducted a study of CSAs in the Central Valley
"Very often the larger farms [with CSAs] actually have a smaller percent of their sales from CSAs," because they have other, bigger points of sales, Galt said. "They're more likely to rely on a huge number of different outlets: farmers markets, CSAs, direct to restaurant, direct to retail and also wholesale."
The story related the tale of Grant Farms in northern Colorado, a CSA with 5,000 clients that went bankrupt in 2012.
"The problem with our farm was not its size," said farmer/owner Andy Grant. "In fact, within the farm, the CSA was probably one of the most dynamically well run, profitable things we did." (The story didn't give the reason for the failure of the enterprise.)
- Author: Eve Hightower
“It’s more than a way to sell food. It builds community, and that’s a powerful thing for students to learn,” said Raoul Adamchak, who coordinates the CSA and the Market Garden where the produce is grown.
Over the years, those involved in UC campuses’ food systems have garnered powerful lessons from students as well, resulting in organic gardens, student farms and increasingly sustainable food options at dining halls. These student-initiated components of campus food systems continue to nurture student opportunities to learn and get involved.
While the Student Farm has run its CSA for 16 years, the farm has been a part of the campus food system for 30 years by selling fresh organic produce to the UC Davis Coffee House, which is run by Associated Students, UC Davis. Most recently, it began selling produce to Sodexo-run UC Davis Dining Services – further diversifying its customer base.
“When Dining Services initially wanted to buy from us, we were hesitant,” said Mark Van Horn, director of the Student Farm. “Our CSA was well established and is still our highest grossing market. We’re at the upper limits of production and didn’t think we could grow more without negatively effecting education – the primary purpose of the farm. What changed our minds is that we realized our relationship with them is about education as well as production. We’re collaborating with Dining Services to educate students – more students than ever – about the entire food system.”
Dining Services also serves a key audience – incoming undergraduates and potential interns for the Student Farm, Russell Ranch at UC Davis and other programs that contribute to the campus food system.
“We’re trying to engage students in the food system so they can learn about where their food comes from and what’s in it,” said Dani Lee, UC Davis University Dining Services’ sustainability manager.
Dining Services labels the origin of campus-produced food. It regularly hosts outreach events, features displays about and organizes tours of the Student Farm, Russell Ranch and other campus-based partners. It has also established internships for students interested in waste reduction, gardening and sourcing food more locally.
Lee and Van Horn hope these efforts will help inspire students to learn more.
“We’re seeing more interest from students today than ever before,” Van Horn said. “I attribute it to a bigger cultural awakening catalyzed by folks like Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser. They figured out that if you talk about agriculture, the environment and the whole food system just as ‘food,’ it’s more interesting. Students are coming in with more knowledge and commitment to these issues than ever before. Encouraging them to get actively involved in the food system is a great way to nurture what students years ago began when they founded the Student Farm, started the Coffee House, and got University of California administrators to commit to meeting a list of sustainability criteria by 2020.”
UC Davis Dining Services already exceeds the UC goal of 20 percent sustainably produced food by 2020, but it isn’t stopping there.
“We’re constantly working on sourcing more products locally,” Lee said.
Lauren Cockrell, a fourth-year UC Davis student majoring in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems is pleased with the trajectory and believes ensuring student involvement in the effort to build a more sustainable food system is key.
“I’d like the next step to be an independent, entirely student-run food retail business that, at its core, values sustainability,” she said.
- Author: Eve Hightower
“It’s more than a way to sell food. It builds community, and that’s a powerful thing for students to learn,” said Raoul Adamchak, who coordinates the CSA and the Market Garden where the produce is grown.
Over the years, those involved in UC campuses’ food systems have garnered powerful lessons from students as well, resulting in organic gardens, student farms and increasingly sustainable food options at dining halls. These student-initiated components of campus food systems continue to nurture student opportunities to learn and get involved.
While the Student Farm has run its CSA for 16 years, the farm has been a part of the campus food system for 30 years by selling fresh organic produce to the UC Davis Coffee House, which is run by Associated Students, UC Davis. Most recently, it began selling produce to Sodexo-run UC Davis Dining Services – further diversifying its customer base.
“When Dining Services initially wanted to buy from us, we were hesitant,” said Mark Van Horn, director of the Student Farm. “Our CSA was well established and is still our highest grossing market. We’re at the upper limits of production and didn’t think we could grow more without negatively effecting education – the primary purpose of the farm. What changed our minds is that we realized our relationship with them is about education as well as production. We’re collaborating with Dining Services to educate students – more students than ever – about the entire food system.”
“We’re trying to engage students in the food system so they can learn about where their food comes from and what’s in it,” said Dani Lee, UC Davis University Dining Services’ sustainability manager.
Dining Services labels the origin of campus-produced food. It regularly hosts outreach events, features displays about and organizes tours of the Student Farm, Russell Ranch and other campus-based partners. It has also established internships for students interested in waste reduction, gardening and sourcing food more locally.
Lee and Van Horn hope these efforts will help inspire students to learn more.
“We’re seeing more interest from students today than ever before,” Van Horn said. “I attribute it to a bigger cultural awakening catalyzed by folks like Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser. They figured out that if you talk about agriculture, the environment and the whole food system just as ‘food,’ it’s more interesting. Students are coming in with more knowledge and commitment to these issues than ever before. Encouraging them to get actively involved in the food system is a great way to nurture what students years ago began when they founded the Student Farm, started the Coffee House, and got University of California administrators to commit to meeting a list of sustainability criteria by 2020.”
UC Davis Dining Services already exceeds the UC goal of 20 percent sustainably produced food by 2020, but it isn’t stopping there.
“We’re constantly working on sourcing more products locally,” Lee said.
Lauren Cockrell, a fourth-year UC Davis student majoring in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems is pleased with the trajectory and believes ensuring student involvement in the effort to build a more sustainable food system is key.
“I’d like the next step to be an independent, entirely student-run food retail business that, at its core, values sustainability,” she said.