Issue #38 Spring 2017

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

At this time of the year it’s a good idea to research your summer CSAs, so you can join before they fill up. Fortunately southeast Michigan has plenty of CSAs for you to choose from. 

For those of you who don’t know what a CSA is, let me explain. A CSA—Community Supported Agriculture—is a partnership between a farmer and a consumer. The consumer pays a lump sum ahead of the harvest, called a share. As the crops come in, the consumer receives a box of produce each week.

The consumer is guaranteed access to fresh, locally grown produce all season long, and the farmer can stop worrying about money and get to farming. 

The way a CSA runs depends on the farmer. For example Zilke Vegetable farm in Milan offers a flexible CSA where members can choose the type and amount of produce they receive and choose when to use their share.

City Commons CSA in Detroit is made up of several small urban farms. In addition to produce shares, they offer a flower share and a Thanksgiving share.

In Ann Arbor, the Community Farm of Ann Arbor varies their share distribution from weekly, bi-weekly to monthly.

One of the great benefits of a CSA is the partnership between the farmer and the consumer. By paying upfront, the consumer agrees to take on the risks of farming with all its weather variables.

To find a CSA, check with your local farmers’ market to see if any of their farmers offer CSAs. If you can’t make it to the market, try a search on CSA Day or Local Harvest. 

—Chris Hardman, Executive Editor