DAY SPA

One of the many benefits of living near Boston is access to top-class restaurants and healthy eating options. Many of our local restaurants are offering “farm-to-table” options, which got me thinking, “Why am I not doing this?” We are being encouraged to buy local and support farms — why not start at home?

I started the process of researching farm-to-table options and found the term “CSA.” CSA stands for community supported agriculture. CSA allows patrons to have direct access to high-quality, fresh produce grown locally by regional farmers. When you become a member of a CSA, you’re purchasing a “share” of vegetables from a regional farmer.

There are hundreds of options for us Massachusetts dwellers. A simple Google search can turn up what is available in your area — I found the Farm Fresh website helpful as well. Here are some things to consider when choosing your CSA.

Organic vs. chemical free vs. integrated pest management

Only you can make this decision regarding what fits your family. Organic is going to be more expensive, but this is an important quality to many folks. The hope with a CSA is that even if there are pesticides, they are using them very infrequently. The produce is farmed locally and doesn’t need to be transported, so it is sold during the crop’s peak.

Location

Depending on where you live, many CSAs now offer delivery for a nominal fee. Some still prefer you to pick up your share at their farm weekly. Some CSAs offer prearranged boxes, while some farms allow you to pick what you would like for your share.

How many people are you feeding?

Some shares are rather large, and depending on your household size it may be worth sharing with a neighbor or a friend. Ask the farm how large (usually measured in pounds) the share is and ask a friend to go in on the CSA with you!

Selection and growing season

With CSAs gaining popularity, there are tons of options. Veggie, veggie-fruit, meat, dairy, eggs, flowers… the list goes on and on! In New England, the typical CSA lasts around 20 weeks. Also, ask if there are “make-up” week options — if you are on vacation you don’t want your bounty going to waste. Or perhaps someone else could pick up your share in your absence.

Price

Price is a big determining factor. Shop around your local farms. Some CSAs also offer employment to defray the cost of your share. By volunteering a certain number of hours, it may cut down the cost for you!

We decided to dive in this summer and join our local CSA. My kids aren’t big on eating vegetables (unfortunately!) so I made sure our CSA is a combined veggie/fruit share. I also made sure our CSA allowed us to pick what we want in our box each week. My family and I will pick up our share on Thursday afternoons. My hope is to include the kids in picking our veggies/fruits, and by including them in the process it may increase their interest in what they eat (optimistic, I know!). I hope it will be a learning experience for both me and the kids.

Check back later this summer and I’ll let you know how the CSA is going!

Have you joined a CSA? What helped you pick yours?