This week we’re going to give a quick update on our 2024 CSA package options! But first, a little history and context for what CSA even means.
What is a CSA? A Brief History
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Today, the acronym basically means that you pay a farmer at the beginning of the growing season and receive a periodic “share” of what they grow. The frequency of these shares varies, but it’s usually once per week.
The modern American CSA actually began in the mid-1980’s in the northeastern US. Small-scale farmers in the northeast developed the CSA after experiencing similar models being practiced in Europe.
In doing so, these farmers had a couple of important goals.
First and foremost, they wanted to connect farmers with the people who lived near them and ensure that as much of what they grew as possible could be consumed close by.
Their second goal was to encourage a “scale down” of farming that supported and celebrated larger numbers of farmers being more directly connected to their land. This was in response to the consolidation of farms and the expansion of agribusiness.
Both of these concepts continue to drive the CSA movement today, and in the US alone there are hundreds of independent CSA programs.
Why We Value a CSA
In addition to the above, at Good Dirt Farm we find even more reasons to have a CSA program that delivers fresh, healthy food to local folks.
The first reason is that the upfront investment by customers makes a huge difference to the success of the business. The business of farming is never an easy one, and many of the costs (seeds, supplies, compost, etc) come at the beginning of the season. Receiving cash from CSA members in the early spring offsets these costs and provides financial stability to the farm.
Perhaps the most important reason we have a CSA is that it aligns perfectly with our goals of a diverse farmstead that can actually support a healthy diet. Farmers can easily narrow down the things they grow in the name of efficiency and simplicity, but this has limits if you have a CSA. Think about it – would you really want nothing but radishes for a whole summer? Neither would we!
Our CSA will feature somewhere between 50 and 60 different varieties of produce, herbs, and fruit. It should be something that allows you to eat a balanced and delicious diet.
Amanda and I are our #1 customers. We couldn’t live without everything that we grow, and our customers deserve the same.
The community connections we hope to make are an additional benefit of using the CSA model. Having a CSA is truly the best way to “know your farmer”, and we hope to have a couple of in-person farm events this year to thank our CSA members.
Our CSA Package Details
You can visit our CSA page to connect with us for a share. In 2024, we’re offering two packages.
The first is the “Dirt Box” which is your standard CSA share of 8-10 fresh items picked in season and curated by us. If you want a weekly box of various produce, this option will deliver (literally).
The second CSA package we offer is called “Chef’s Choice.” This gives you access to our online store, where you can order as much or as little of everything we have fresh that week. If you won’t want produce every week or want to be able to pick your items, we hope this option will give you that flexibility.
Both CSA shares have a variety of options for how you’ll get your produce each week. They can be delivered to pickup locations near you or picked up from the farm on Fridays, or you can see us on Saturday mornings at the Ligonier Country Market for pickup.
We hope to have you as a member this year! If you have any questions, let us know!