Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
What is CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a model for growing and distributing food that connects growers and consumers through a shared risk and reward system. This is how it works - Instead of buying X pounds of produce at a fixed price of $X/lb, individuals or families buy a "share" of a farm's harvest in advance and receive a weekly basket of what is seasonally ripe on pickup day.
The CSA model offers many benefits to the growers and consumers. A sampling of these benefits include:
Lower marketing risks and costs for the growers, freeing up more time to focus on quality care of soils, crops, animals, co-workers, and serving customers.
Decreased food waste and financial risk due to growers knowing their customer base before the season begins.
Stronger relationship between consumers and growers through farm visits, direct farm-to-consumer communication, and farm work-days.
Increased kitchen creativity through recipe exchanges, food preservation workshops, online forums, and consumer exposure to new foods.
Long-term investment in local agriculture through funding of a farm's whole seasonal budget in exchange for quality foods.
For all the reasons above, G.A.L.A. beleives that supporting the CSA model is one way to move closer to its goal of building a sustainable, resilient, accessible, and delicious local food system. In an effort to achieve this goal, G.A.L.A.is currently sposoring the first CSA in the Lakes Region at the Pork Hill Farm in Water Village, Ossipee. You can learn more about the Pork Hill Farm CSA and how to participate by visiting the link below. Summer "shares" are sold out, but Fall shares are still available. Sign up today!
Link to Pork Hill Farm CSA