The Pros & Cons of CSA

Some families watch Saturday morning cartoons. We watch documentaries. And if you ever want to rethink how you eat, just log in to Netflix and check out a few of their documentaries on food {Supersize Me, Forks Over Knives, Food Matters, Ingredients, Hungry For Change, and Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead}. The biggest influencer for us though was Food, Inc. – that film made us really rethink how we eat and the decisions we make over food.

We wanted to develop healthy eating habits for our family. We wanted to change the way we ate. We wanted to eat less processed, and more wholesome food. We wanted to be conscious of the things we put in our bodies. We wanted to know where our food comes from.

So we decided to join a CSA {Community Supported Agriculture}. A CSA is a group whose members receive weekly shares of food from a farm {or groups of farms}. Instead of shopping at a grocery store or farmers’ market, group members buy directly from the farmer, removing the middleman and reducing the cost and distance between you and your food.  It’s been a total game changer for us.

Community Supported Agriculture

Here are some pros/cons of joining a CSA ::

  • Every Tuesday we get a bag full of vegetables {and sometimes fruits}.
  • A CSA is a way to support local agriculture and the local economy.
  • A CSA is a commitment. Often you have to sign up for 6 months or 12 months. So choose wisely.
  • CSAs are seasonal; so if you’re craving broccoli, but it’s not broccoli season, you can’t have broccoli.
  • Weather can impact the crop and completely wipe out your favorite fruit or produce a bountiful harvest of veggies you think you absolutely abhor.
  • There are no preservatives, so you have to use your veggies fast!
  • Farmers usually use organic or biodynamic methods of farming, minimizing negative environmental impact.
  • Veggies cost less from the CSA than buying organic veggies at the grocery store. Our rate is about $23 a week and could easily feed a family of 4.
  • We eat out a lot less and save money by staying in.
  • Cooking requires creativity. CSAs give you an opportunity to try new fruits and veggies you might not otherwise buy.
  • Plan themed days to use up the share – Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, etc.
  • Make it simple: Throw things into the crockpot – veggies from the share are great in soups, stews, gumbos, etc. Smoothies, omelets, and quiches are also a great way to use up veggies.
  • You find new ways to cook things you might normally just throw away. Like beet greens or carrot greens.
  • We have met our farmer. We have visited the farm. We know who grows our food and where it comes from.
  • Your food is really farm to table which in turn reduces the number of miles your food travels to reach you, reducing your carbon footprint.

Here are some Community Supported Agriculture options in Houston ::

  1. Plant It Forward
  2. All We Need Farm
  3. Wood Duck Farm

One thing is for sure – our food is fresh. We pick up our share on Tuesday, and we know our veggies were picked that morning. Carrots are still covered in dirt and leaves are wet from dew. Now that’s fresh.  What about your produce?

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