Green Eating
Stewardship of our bodies starts with healthy eating. There are lots of ways to eat healthy for all different lifestyles. Beyond healthy eating, responsible eating is also important. Responsible eating starts locally and with all the wonderful resources in northeast Wisconsin you’re just a visit or phone call away!
The true cost of your carrot
Most produce in the US is picked 4 to 7 days before it reaches the supermarket, and is shipped an average of 1500 miles before being sold. Those distances increase substantially when we consider produce imported from overseas which means that the juicy carrot you’ve been crunching may have racked up more air miles in a week than the most seasoned traveller. Also consider that for every dollar spent at the supermarket, 82 cents go to the intermediaries and just 18 cents goes to the grower.
People worldwide are rediscovering the benefits of buying local food. It is fresher than anything in the supermarket and that means it is tastier and more nutritious. It is also good for your local economy–buying directly from family farmers help them stay in business Besides growing your own food or visiting your local farmers’ market, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is becoming popular in Wisconsin.
What is CSA?
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) provides a direct link between local farmers and consumers. Each season, members purchase a share of a farmer’s crop before it’s planted. This allows the farmer to pay for seed, water, equipment, etc, upfront, so s/he is less reliant on banks and loans. Each week, usually during June through October, the farmer delivers great tasting, healthy food to pre-determined locations. In some instances, members pick up the share from the farm directly. The food is harvested either the morning of pick up or the day before, ensuring fresh, great-tasting produce.
CSA farmers typically use organic or biodynamic farming methods, minimizing environmental pollution and encouraging land stewardship.
CSA members share in the harvest — when there is a good growing season, everyone benefits. When the season is not so good, members shoulder the risk. This type of arrangement helps people living in cities to connect back to the earth and the food they eat. Visits to the farm are encouraged to learn, see where your food is coming from and to help in the fields. Many also offer recipes and suggestions on how to cook the unique variety of vegetables that are offered each week.
Benefits of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
- creating local healthy communities by offering consumers the ultimate in convenience with home delivery of top-quality, safe, organic and LOCAL foods.
- building community amongst local, organic family farms by networking with them for access to a diversity of products (200 + varieties) to offer members.
- performing these services in a sustainable manner – with conservation, nurturing, sharing, cooperating, empowering and teaching as core principles of their business.
- providing members with an opportunity to take an active and ecologically friendly role in the production of high-quality chemical-free produce.
- cutting out the ‘middleman’, which lowers costs to both farmer and consumer.
Tips for Potential CSA Members
- Don’t expect all your produce to come from the CSA. For example, most CSAs do not provide families with enough fruit to meet their usual intake. Many don’t provide any fruit at all, so it is good to ask what to expect in that regard. Depending on the size of your family and how much you cook, you will probably find that you need to supplement the vegetables as well
- Consider sharing your membership with a friend if you are unsure or cost is an issue
- If you are not accustomed to eating seasonally, you may find that it takes a while to make a transition from eating whatever is at the grocery store (pretty much everything) to whatever is in your CSA basket (what’s in season). It may surprise you to find that tomatoes do not ripen until August in your area.
- You should expect the season to start off lighter than it finishes. Bad and good weather will also have an impact on your delivery.
- If you are not used to eating seasonally, do some research. Buy the CSA cookbook for ideas. Some CSAs produce weekly newsletters with recipe ideas.
Questions You Might Ask your CSA
Nothing beats a personal conversation with the farmer. Here are some questions you might ask before you sign up or before you buy at a farmers’ market.
- How long have you been farming? How did last season go?
- What pest controls do you use?
- Is your farm certified organic, biodynamic or naturally grown? What type of fertilizers do you use?
- How long have you been doing a CSA? Do you grow any heirloom varieties?
- Are there items in your box grown by other farms, and if so, which farms? How many different type of produce do you grow?
- I’d like to talk with a couple of your members before I commit. Could you give me contact info for a couple of “references”?
RELATED WEBSITES
www.localharvest.org For CSA and eating local. Enter your zip code to find farms and reviews
www.sustainabletable.org - In depth articles and information on sustainable living
www.jamieoliver.com - Recipes and healthy eating tips
www.bulkpricedfoodshoppe.com - Bulk prices with less packaging
Local CSA websites
www.Keuneorganicmeats.com - Organic meat farm