women and life on earth bookshelf |
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Food sovereignty/seeking solutions
Community Supported Agriculture is a connection between a nearby farmer and the people who eat the food that the farmer produces. Robin Van En summed it up as "food producers + food consumers + annual commitment to one another = CSA and untold possibilities." The essence of the relationship is the mutual commitment: the farm feeds the people, the people support the farm and share the inherent risks and potential bounty. This inspirational and practical partnership between farmers and consumers has untold benefits. Money, jobs, and farms are kept in the community. Children grow up knowing how food is grown, and delight in eating fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes and greens and beans. Members with a great diversity of incomes and cultural backgrounds can transform their food-buying and eating habits. The interdependence between small-scale growers and loyal consumers takes us back to the past, as it also takes us forward to a new way of seeing the world. This book is a hands-on, working manual, providing encouragement and practical advice to everyone interested in community supported agriculture. It is a terrific resource both for those new to the concept, and for seasoned farmers and advocates. You can refer to a specific chapter or you can study the whole book. There are first-hand accounts, sample budgets, share prices, crop selections, descriptions of all-farm workdays and celebrations. There are explanations of how CSAs contribute to a secure food supply and creative land stewardship, while strengthening the fabric of local communities. For farmers and consumers, as well as policy-makers, this book is compelling. From the Goranson Farm in
Maine: The concept of community supported agriculture is highly adaptable, and CSAs show a wide range in their age, membership size, production methods, and involvement with the larger community. Most are less than a generation old, in the US and Canada, with shares varying from 3 to 800. Some are an extension of one farming family's operations, some have been started by people new to farming. Most are organic or Biodynamic, and most produce food for other markets - farmers markets, stores or restaurants - in addition to their membership. Members can pick up their share of the harvest at the farm, or they may have it delivered. "Like grapes or garlic, CSA takes on the flavor, bouquet, and integrity of where it grows, becoming appropriately adapted to each unique situation." From Arctic Organics in Alaska: From Winter Green Community
Farm in Oregon: Author Elizabeth Henderson sums up the importance of CSA in this way: "Growing food is the most basic use of the natural resources of the Earth, and through food production, we make our own working landscapes. How each society or nation produces and distributes food in large measure determines its identity." No matter what your background, you'll find "Sharing the Harvest" broadens your perspective about food production and consumption in a hopeful and supportive way. --- review by Bonnie Acker, herself a working member of a CSA farm in northern Vermont back to top |