CSA : community supported agriculture
earth dance 2009 photo credit: Katia Somerville
Community Supported Agriculture is not a new concept. what began in North America in the 1960′s is now flourishing 50 years later. It is one of the fastest growing forms of agriculture in North America! Community members buy shares from a local farm, in some cases tending crops, and collecting a weekly box of produce. It is a popular way for people to get back to the earth and be a part of the food chain at a basic level.
CSAs help farmers by guaranteeing a market for their produce and supplying funds upfront which can be used to plant and establish a harvest. Community supported farms encourage local agriculture; in an ever growing population, where food security is questioned, this alternative is very appealing and gaining momentum.
Across North America hundreds of local farming initiatives are taking root. The benefits of local, organic, seasonal fresh food can not be praised enough. Our landscape of food has changed dramatically in our lifetime. Positive steps are being made by farmers and consumers alike to create a food culture that is sustainable and accessible.
In New York City, an old warehouse roof top now contains 200 000 ponds of soil and 30 varieties of crops. It has been transported into an urban oasis! A working 6000 square foot roof top farm! Eagle Street Rooftop Farm is relatively new at only two years old. There is a farmer’s market each week, free workshops and potluck meals shared together.
Back here in British Columbia UBC Farm has been operating as a CSA for six growing seasons. UBC is unique in that it is the only university in Canada to have an organic farm running on a large school campus. Honey bee hives and fruit orchards also abound. Farm festivals, and social events gather the community together to celebrate the abundance and create a sustainable and innovative food system.
veggies from royal city farmers market fall 09
However people choose to grow their own food, one thing is certain; we all must be a part of the food revolution. These are just two examples of real, tangible change that is taking place.
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