Project Green Leaf

CSA Information for Consumers

Is It For You?

Becoming a member of a CSA arrangement may not be practical for everyone. There are several things to consider before deciding to join.

Being a member may mean reorienting your household’s food habits and routines. Shares you receive from a CSA arrangement are seasonal; variety is limited to what’s in season. Therefore, you will need to learn to eat in season with new varieties of produce.

It may also be important to learn different cooking, storing and preserving techniques. Members have to be prepared to deal with the food once they receive it before it spoils. This is often a new challenge for many members.

Find out how the food will be distributed. Where will you have to pick up your weekly share?  Evaluate your time to determine if you can spend time volunteering or visiting the farm.

If a CSA arrangement works for you, the benefits are great. Besides enjoying, fresh, great tasting, local food, you become directly connected to your source. You will be supporting a small farm and contributing to your local economy. There is also the opportunity to see how your food is grown.  Another great benefit is the chance to build community with farmers and other shareholders.

Listed below are useful web sites with useful information on storing, preparing and preserving fresh farm products:

• http://www.canning-food-recipes.com/canning.htm
• https://randolph.ces.ncsu.edu/canning-and-preserving/

Becoming a Member

CSA membership policies and practices vary greatly. A consumer can contact a farmer with an already established CSA arrangement or a group of consumers can organize and contract a farmer to grow for them.

If you would like information about CSA arrangements in North Carolina, contact Project Green Leaf at: s_andrea@uncg.edu