I have been increasingly intrigued by the idea of CSAs(community supported agriculture) while reading about another blogger's adventures along these lines.I have seriously been considering this option for myself and just coincidentally I recently had two spontaneous conversations about CSA 's available in my area with two different people at work. I definately wanted an opinion from someone who'd done this here and it was pretty funny/odd that both of these women brought up the topic. What they had to say made me think. Both of them had chosen to do a CSA last season and both had two very different opinions, although both had also come to the same conclusion. Co-worker 1 was basically happy with her program, although she had a few minor complaints about pickup times and locations. She did think the foods available were varied and quality was consistent and she liked the 'artisan' items that were included. She did say however that she wasn't going to choose this option this year because of the difficulties involved in picking up the items and the price increase for the coming season. Co-worker 2 hated the whole thing. From the pickup issues to the items offered. She also said she'd not try this again because she did not feel she was getting good value for her money.
I did some research myself and took a look at the limited number of CSAs with pickup locations/times (I was surprised that so many of them only had 'during work hours' times) that were not inconvenient to me. I found all of them to be more money than I am willing to spend. We have so many local seasonal farmer's markets (as well as two excellent year round ones) with lots of fruit farms within driving distance that do pick-your-own or who sell their own products on sight in this area that I think I will pass on this option. I am not willing to dedicate what amounts to $65 a week for 22 weeks, paid in full upfront, from my food budget. Having taken a year end look at what I averaged on groceries last year (just over $400 a month, or $100 a week) this is more than half my weekly expenses.
So now I am turning my interests towards looking at what I can grow in my back garden and which local seasonal markets I am interested in patronizing this year. Adult son has promised to make me two more raised bed boxes and fill them with dirt as a birthday present again this year. I am good with that and am currently browsing seed catalogs deciding what to grow.
Nancy
ReplyDeleteCan you clarify the cost? $65 x 22/weeks is $1430/year which seems high to me. While I have just joinded a new to me CSA, adding 2 additional "seasons" for early Sprig and then Fall, my costs for this 30 week program, I prorate them over 12 months, as typically some of the weekly shares are frozen/canned/dried for future use. Using the numbers you provided, this equals $119.17/month. Just a thought.
Carol
Carol Your math is correct and it seems high to me too. Which is why I decided to shop myself at local sources. I also like to pick out my own produce. One thing I hated when I'd shop at the vendors at Cleveland's Westside Market (smaller version of Seattle's famous Pike Place) is that they would choose your fruits and veggies for you and so often I'd get home and discover produce that was at the tail end of its freshness or already going bad. Needless to say while I still enjoy some of the meat/poultry and artisan vendors at the market I never shop the produce vendors anymore.
ReplyDeleteI've been paying between $500-$625 for a 16-20 week long Summer season CSA that is organic. Spending more this year, by adding an early Spring and a late Fall CSA thru the same farm. My total CSA program will run 30 weeks, for which I will spend less than what you would be. Smart to seek alternatives. Also, we select our own, so no off produce as u experienced.
ReplyDelete