Community Supported Agriculture Farms (CSA)

If you’re looking for fresh seasonal produce, finding a local CSA might be the perfect answer for you and your family. Some farmers include shares of eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, fruit, flowers or other farm products along with their veggies.

The Greater Rochester area has a variety of farms that offer a CSA. Some farmers include shares of eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, fruit, flowers or other farm products along with their veggies.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for families to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. There’s no way to get!

CSAs aren’t confined to produce. Some farmers include the option for shareholders to buy shares of eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, fruit, flowers or other farm products along with their veggies.

This is how it works –  a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share, membership or a subscription and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

This arrangement creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer.

The Farmers:

• Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
• Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm’s cash flow
• Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow

For You and Your Family:

• Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
• Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
• Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season
• Find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm, even veggies they’ve never been known to eat
• Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown

For more information about local CSAs visit www.localharvest.org/csa/