Community Supported Agriculture: A Vital Link in the Food Web
Garden Farme is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in Ramsey County. It was started by Peter Seim in 1998 on land owned by Bruce Bacon. Pete studied environmental science and his
interest in soil and water quality extended into agriculture, particularly sustainable agriculture. World travel also piqued his interest in the wide variety of agrarian styles utilized in other countries. Upon returning to the states and finishing his degree, Pete decided to intern at a start-up CSA called Fields of St. Croix in order to learn more.
During his two-year internship at Fields of St. Croix, Pete learned the ins and outs of running a CSA, and was excited to have the chance to start his own on Bruce’s land. Bruce offered a unique opportunity to experiment with different management practices, including
* permaculture,
* no-till and
* mulching.
The Land Stewardship Project, in association with the Minnesota Food Association, included Garden Farme in their CSA directory and gave the farm a chance to participate in their annual community food fair. Through these venues and by word-of-mouth, enough members subscribed to have a successful first season.
How it Works
CSA farms work by selling subscriptions for weekly deliveries of fresh, generally organic produce throughout the growing season. Members pay for their subscriptions early in the season, so the CSA gets the capital to run the farm up-front. Most CSAs also offer their members a chance to visit the farm during festivals, or spend a day or two during the season helping with harvesting and other farm tasks. Joining a CSA is a unique opportunity for urban people to get to know where their food comes from and to benefit from supporting small farms in their area.
Farmers Benefit
Farmers also benefit from this relationship by getting payment for their crop before harvest and by increasing the awareness of the role of small farms on the urban fringe. CSA farmers get a price above wholesale for the crops, which is becoming important for small organic farmers in the Midwest who must now compete with large, mechanized organic farms in California that produce crops year round. CSAs may also get around paying for organic certification because of their close relationships with consumers. Because of the way CSAs are structured, farmers can explain their management practices to individual consumers through member newsletters and field days. This way, members get a better feel for organic and sustainable methods than they would just by reading a label.
Pete sees signing up for a CSA membership as akin to registering for a health or cooking class. It is certainly an educational experience. Most CSAs, if not all, include newsletters in the weekly deliveries that describe the produce included and give some recipes and updates about farm happenings. CSA membership is a great way to learn about issues that city folks may not think about very often. This builds an urban constituency that can back farmers in support of legislative initiatives and other local policies in favor of small farms.
The Road to Success
It does not take a lot of land to create a successful CSA. With intensive management, an acre can feed quite a few families, and intensive management is the key to successful CSAs, especially in Minnesota, where the season may last only 16 weeks. It is important plan the season carefully in order to have a succession of crops ready for harvest each week through out the season. This may sound like a daunting task, and it probably is, but there are benefits that balance out this hard work. For example, most CSAs rely more on manual labor than machines, so start-up costs are minimal. This does mean that CSAs need to coax people to help out during the productive season. Many offer internships, some paid, some unpaid. These internships are a great way for people to learn hands-on how to farm.
As with almost all farming enterprises, CSAs are risky ventures with a lot of rewards. Not only do CSAs provide fertile ground for cross-cultural (urban-rural) learning experiences, but the intensive practices used by most CSAs means that other land on the farm can be left unmanaged. This unmanaged land provides habitat to a variety of plant and animal species and helps control storm-water runoff. Most CSAs use organic (or as close to organic as possible) agricultural practices. This reduces potentially dangerous chemical inputs into the environment and the food supply.
Companion Planting
Another benefit of intensively managing small pieces of land is that farmers can focus on such details as companion planting. This means planting crops together that benefit each other. Pete plants certain umbiliferous crops (parsley, carrots, etc) near cabbages. These plants attract predatory wasps that parasitize cabbage worms. This above ground diversity also increases the life in the soil, and a healthy soil is the basis for a successful farm.
The great thing about CSA farms is that they actually benefit from being near urban development, for this is where the large part of their membership lives. Although CSA farmers on the urban/rural fringe have to face the same difficulties as other farmers in the area such as rising property taxes, they are in a better position to increase their income by producing high-value specialty crops specifically for the nearby urban populations. Many CSAs sell produce at farmer’s markets and to gourmet restaurants in cities as well as to their individual members.
Getting Started
For those interested in starting a CSA on their land, Pete advises to first apprentice and learn from a few other CSAs in order to learn the standards for quality and consistency. Pete found that during his internship at Fields of St. Croix, other area CSAs were more than willing to offer advice and help with any problems. Another important consideration for organic CSAs is creating a strategy for pest and weed management. As with all new ventures, it is best to start small and not risk more than you can afford to lose. Fortunately, even a half-acre can support a successful CSA.