Join a CSA for local produce

One of the easiest ways to eat locally and have plenty of produce throughout the farming season is to join a CSA. CSA stands for “community-supported agriculture”. Essentially you pay for your “share” of the farm before the season begins, which helps the farms to have the money ahead of time to buy supplies, seeds, equipment and such. Your options among the various farms may include weekly or biweekly pickups at a variety of locations (or even delivery in some instances); one, two, or four person shares; vegetables, fruits, bakery goods, dairy, or meat. You are sure to find a combination that will work with your needs.

I joined for the first time last year with The Wayward Seed Farm Fruit CSA. Every other Saturday I picked up my two person share at the North Market, which was perfect because I’d buy the rest of my produce at the farmers’ market while I was there. The shares turned out to be $12/pickup last year, though I believe it to be $15/pickup this year, which is still a great deal. I received a variety of fruits (usually 3 types at a time) in a sufficient amount, with apples being the most abundant because after all, this is Ohio. There are many pickup locations and days available between the different farms.

For more information, check out this article from the Restaurant Widow. She’s quite the expert on CSA’s and includes the local farms offerings, along with the links. The best resource for across the country for CSA’s would definitely be www.localharvest.org.