We keep talking about shares and farm shares and CSA's so I thought a little glossary would be helpful.
CSA: Community Supported Agriculture; is a way for the food buying public to create a relationship with a farm and to receive a weekly basket of produce. By making a financial commitment to a farm, people become "members" (or "shareholders," or "subscribers") of the CSA. Most CSA farmers prefer that members pay for the season up-front, but some farmers will accept weekly or monthly payments. Some CSAs also require that members work a small number of hours on the farm during the growing season. A CSA season typically runs from late spring through early fall. The number of CSAs in the United States was estimated at 50 in 1990, and has since grown to over 1000.
Vegetable Share: We are members of Red Fire Farms for our vegetable CSA. We bought one share, which averages out to about 10 lbs of vegetables each week. The farm delivers shares weekly on a set day and time to several different locations in our area. K picks up our share on Fridays where he works. Each week we get one share of whatever is in season that week on the farm. Red Fire also offers pick your own strawberries and peas. At any time we can go to the farm and pick our own.
Meat Share: We are members of Chestnut Farms for our meat CSA. Again we bought one share which comes to about 10 lbs of meat per month. We pick up our meat USDA cut, labeled, wrapped and frozen each month. We pick up a cooler and return the one we took last month. We get a variety of pork, chicken, beef, lamb, and fresh eggs.
CSA: Community Supported Agriculture; is a way for the food buying public to create a relationship with a farm and to receive a weekly basket of produce. By making a financial commitment to a farm, people become "members" (or "shareholders," or "subscribers") of the CSA. Most CSA farmers prefer that members pay for the season up-front, but some farmers will accept weekly or monthly payments. Some CSAs also require that members work a small number of hours on the farm during the growing season. A CSA season typically runs from late spring through early fall. The number of CSAs in the United States was estimated at 50 in 1990, and has since grown to over 1000.
Vegetable Share: We are members of Red Fire Farms for our vegetable CSA. We bought one share, which averages out to about 10 lbs of vegetables each week. The farm delivers shares weekly on a set day and time to several different locations in our area. K picks up our share on Fridays where he works. Each week we get one share of whatever is in season that week on the farm. Red Fire also offers pick your own strawberries and peas. At any time we can go to the farm and pick our own.
Meat Share: We are members of Chestnut Farms for our meat CSA. Again we bought one share which comes to about 10 lbs of meat per month. We pick up our meat USDA cut, labeled, wrapped and frozen each month. We pick up a cooler and return the one we took last month. We get a variety of pork, chicken, beef, lamb, and fresh eggs.