If you live in the city, perhaps the only way you'd ever think of getting fresh produce would be the supermarket or the occasional farmer's market. These days, however, a third alternative is becoming more and more popular - the CSA farm. This growing trend among urban dwellers, CSA stands for "Community Supported Agriculture" and is a kind of co-op where, for a monthly fee, a member can get fresh produce on a regular basis (usually weekly). You can get a variety of produce, depending on which CSA you join, but for the most part, it's like getting a surprise package each time.

A CSA typically works something like this: During a given farming season, a member pays for a basket or box on a weekly basis. A farmer will then, deliver the said basket, filled with whatever happens to have been harvested that week. Some farms will even have eggs, dairy products and meat and chicken.

There are many advantages, both to the farmer and the member with this system. First, the farmer improves his cash flow, since he will have the membership fees on hand, even before he starts harvesting. He doesn't have to spend as much time going to the market and trying to sell his goods, and he reduces the leftovers. For the member, of course, there's the benefit of eating and cooking with the freshest produce available. Most CSA members are families, and parents often find that their kids prefer the fresh veggies, and the kids are more willing to eat the produce, especially if the particular farm encourages their members to visit the farm.

CSA farms do have their disadvantages as well. First, is the cost. A typical CSA membership fee can range from $400 to $1,000 per year. For some families, shelling out this much cash all at once is virtually impossible. Next, getting unfamiliar vegetables could mean wasting a lot of ingredients, especially if you're not an adventurous eater or cook. It could also mean that it would be difficult to plan meals ahead of time, so a little flexibility is required.

Still, having fresh and organic produce does have its advatages. As many cooks can assert, fresh ingredients simply taste much better and can improve your over-all health.

Labels: Gardening