What is a CSA???
What is a CSA?
Good question! For starters, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.
Still confused? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
A CSA is essentially an agreement between the farmer and the customer. It allows customers to pay their “share” upfront, which helps the farmer cover expenses like seeds, tools, or equipment. The customer in turn receives a regular allotment of produce over a predetermined length of time.
Beyond that, CSAs can widely differ with what is included in the shares, how shares are distributed, and the length of time the shares can last.
“While our shares are mostly filled with our fresh produce, we also include cow and goat cheese made by us and free-range chicken and duck eggs,” explained Farmer Rachel Houts, of ARNKA Acres in Dike, Iowa. “We also allow our members to choose the items they want to put into their share basket. Some CSA’s pack a box of veggies so all members receive the same items.”
Full disclosure here – my family belonged to the CSA at ARNKA Acres for a couple of years before we moved to the Omaha area. Farmer Rachel and her family have great tasting produce and amazing customer service. (And no, I was not paid to say that 😊)
When my family moved to the Omaha area last year, we still had two months left in our bi-weekly CSA membership with ARNKA Acres. That led to some creative ways to transport our produce.
More than just vegetables…
Visiting the goats was a highlight during our weekly visits to ARNKA Acres for our CSA pick-up.
But this speaks to the relationship between a farmer and their customers as to what makes a CSA so special. Farmer Rachel agrees. “My favorite part, without a doubt, is the relationship formed with members. I love how we get to know each other and can share food and hard times with each other.
Unlike shopping at a local farm stand or Farmers Market, the CSA experience requires that the customer be fully invested in the farmer’s success and failures.
When the harvest is abundant, there is more produce in the CSA shares. When the farm is struggling, there is less produce available for members.
This is a reason why joining a CSA may not be the right fit for everyone.
Five questions to ask before joining a CSA
Farmer Rachel encourages interested customers to make sure their expectations align with the philosophy of CSA before they commit. To help make this decision, she offers five questions for prospective customers to ask themselves:
Is the relationship to the actual farmer important to you and/or do you want to support a local farm?
Do you value having quality vegetable ingredients that actually taste good?
Are you willing to try new foods?
Are you willing to work at eating the CSA way?
Can you avoid the urge to compare the cost of the CSA experience to the price at a grocery store?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, then a CSA may be a good fit for you.
Eggplant Parmesan - my favorite late-summer comfort dish.
Without our CSA experience, my kids would have never tried kohlrabi or orange beets. And I wouldn’t have discovered my love for all things eggplant.
“Remember, CSA is just one model out there for getting fresh farm food onto your table,” explains Farmer Rachel. “For those who value the story, the journey, and the farmer relationship behind the food, it can be a great option that can change the way you eat forever.”
Want to learn more?
Have a question about how to store or prepare some of your weekly CSA produce? Check out the following blog posts:
Special thanks to Farmer Rachel and her family at ARNKA Acres!
To learn more about their adventures, you can follow their blog at www.arnkaacres.com/blog or sign up to have a weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox.
ARNKA Acres offers several CSA options, a weekly Farm Stand, and regular delivery service to several communities surrounding Dike, Iowa, including the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area.
What is your favorite CSA produce? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll work on a CSA Spotlight feature!
