Fresh from the Local Farm

Want to treat yourself to the freshest vegetables possible this summer—and support local farms in the process? Get involved with community-supported agriculture

Want to treat yourself to the freshest vegetables possible this summer—and support local farms in the process? Get involved with community-supported agriculture (CSA).

CSA has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food. Here’s how it works: A farmer offers a certain number of “shares” of his or her harvest to the public in late winter or early spring. Interested customers purchase a share (or a half share at some farms), paying up front for the entire season. (The price for a share is around $30 a week.) This early bulk payment helps with the farm’s cash flow and enables the farmer to plan for the season, purchase seed, repair equipment, etc.

In return, you receive a box or basket of vegetables every week throughout the season—typically May or June through October or November. Every week, the harvest is a surprise: lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, broccoli, beets, corn and much more.

Contact Mendies Farm in Roosevelt (mendiesfarm.com) and Earthen Harvest in Jackson (earthenharvest.com) for information about becoming a CSA member.