How Community Supported Agriculture Helps Farmers
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an interesting idea, where people give farmers financial security, by paying for the harvest in advance, leaving farmers free to focus on growing food.
Rather than having to sell out at low prices to supermarkets (who sometimes even cancel orders at the last minute, leaving farmers without income, if the crop is not suitable or the harvest fails).
Isn’t Paying a Farmer in Advance Risky?
Not really. You are pooling your money with others. So if the crop harvest fails due to say a flood, you may have lost £50 at most. But you have saved the farmer’s livelihood, for years to come. It’s a small price to pay to keep local food, and it’s unlikely to happen in most cases anyway.
Why Pay Farmers in Advance?
Because small organic farmers often live and work on long-held family farms, and have to sell to supermarkets at tiny prices (some even earn just 1p for some crops). A loaf that sells in supermarkets for over £1 may only make a wheat farmer 9p profit.
If we want good food at affordable prices, the obvious start is to cut out the middlemen, and buy direct from CSAs and farmers’ markets (even farm shops can be expensive, as they are taking profit).
If a supermarket sells a 1kg bag of carrots at 70p, the farmer is not making much profit, and if locked into supermarket contracts, is unable to sell elsewhere. And supporting local farmers is good for local economies, as they are more likely to support other local businesses.
Where To Find CSA Farms
Just enter your postcode to find local CSA farms! You then choose a category (there are over 135 vegetable CSAs listed). If you eat animal foods, ensure any listings are for certified free-range organic foods, for best welfare.
How to Order from CSA Farms
Each one works differently. But as a rule, you just pay for the harvest in advance, then receive your ‘money back’ in the form of a harvested crop, or sometimes a regular organic box.
Veg boxes can be left in a safe place if you are out (say a shed or garage or porch). Keep them away from pets (onion, garlic etc are not safe near animal friends). Read more on food safety for people and pets.
Unless you’re an expert composter, avoid composting acidic scraps (onion, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives, tomatoes, citrus, rhubarb) as this could harm compost bin creatures. Just bin them, to break down naturally.
If ordering plants or flowers, read up on pet-friendly gardens (never face indoor foliage to outdoor gardens, to help stop birds flying into windows).
The Community Farm (Bristol & Bath)
The Community Farm is a good example of a non-profit CSA Farm. It offers a wide range of veg boxes (potatoes, onions, carrots, beetroot, sweetcorn, kale, parsnips, cauliflower, runner beans and kohlrabi). The warehouse handles allergens (gluten, mustard, celery/celeriac).
Profits have been reinvented back to create 30 quality jobs. You can also add £3 to your order that goes to their Community Fund, to provide organic food to local people on low incomes.
This farm’s organic methods protect hedgerows (which has led to an increase in numbers of endangered bees and butterflies). Other wildlife enjoying their land include deer, badgers, stoats, and birds (skylarks, kestrels, buzzards, yellowhammers, tawny owls, woodpeckers and endangered lapwings).
Can CSA Be Used for Other Foods?
Yes! The Handmade Bakery (Yorkshire) is a good example of how a thriving enterprise was launched, by offering ‘bread bonds’ to local people, who received ‘share dividends’ in the form of freshly-baked loaves.
Peaceful Politics in Action!
The government and big food chains are not going to change the food system, so it’s up to us to make small empowered changes. Switching some of your shopping to a CSA farm helps to keep good organic food local and affordable, and supports farmers directly, who don’t have to sell out.
