Fri 17 Dec 2010
CSA Reason #1 – Value
Posted by admin under CSA, Essay
No Comments
10 Reasons Why a Brix Bounty Farm CSA Membership May Be Right For You
A Series Written and Published by Brix Bounty Farm Throughout the Winter 2010/2011
(“10 Reasons Why” Series Archive)
Reason #1 – Value: More For Your Money Reducing Transportation Costs
by Steve Murray
One of the most talked about parts of CSA programs (Community Supported Agriculture) is the amount of vegetables shareholders (also known as members) get each season. Most people find that they receive more produce and of better quality then they could possibly buy for an equal exchange of money at a market. Essentially what this boils down to is Value – more for your money. A closer inspection of CSA programs, and more specific CSA programs run by biological farmers, bring about the reasons for this great Value.
We live in a world where the average piece of produce travels over a fifteen hundred miles from farm to grocery store. Just like anything else, it cost money for food to travel such distances, frequently called food miles. Generally speaking, CSA shareholders are located much closer to the source of produce, therefore drastically or totally eliminating transportation cost. Another added benefit of not having your produce shipped long distances is that they can be picked at peak quality and nutrition, last longer and taste much fresher. Most of the produce that you will be receiving through the Brix Bounty CSA will be picked the day of your pick-up, that’s fresh.
Another aspect that lowers the cost of our produce is the stability of our market. By joining our CSA you are providing us a stable market for our produce, reducing the need to find markets and ensuring that our financial well being. Having a home for our produce lets us focus on growing quality produce, increasing yields and passing the bounty on to the shareholders.
Yet another aspect that lowers the cost and increases the Value is that we are biological farmers. We focus on feeding the soil, correcting nutrient imbalances and applying sustainable soil nutrition. By focusing on creating a healthy environment we can reduce our long term fertilizer inputs and totally abstain from using herbicides, pesticides and fungicides. Those elements reduce our production costs, grow higher quality produce and increase the health of our environment.
For those focused on getting more for their money, CSA’s can really pay off. Not only do they provide fresh nutritious vegetables, they can typically provide them at very competitive prices.