Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) lets you be involved in a local farm without having to grow the food yourself.
Why?
By investing in local agriculture, you help support the livelihood of a young farmer and an alternative to the harms of the industrial food system. You know exactly where your vegetables are coming from, who grew them and how they were grown. You can be confident that labourers aren’t being exploited, toxic chemicals aren’t ending up in the ecosystem and that your food isn’t travelling thousands of kilometres to get to your plate.
CSA members are welcome to stop by the farm and check out my growing practices anytime.
It’s an easy and convenient way to make sure the food you’re eating aligns with your values of sustainability and justice!
How it works:
Members sign up for a weekly box and pay upfront for the produce they will be receiving.
Most farms ask for the sum for the whole season to be paid in the spring, which allows the farmer to buy all the supplies needed for a successful growing season like seeds, compost and new tools.
At Rake and Radish Farm, I recognize that not everyone who would like to join the CSA has the financial privilege to pay upfront for 20 weeks of produce, so I also offer the option to pay in monthly instalments. Check out the pricing page to learn more!
History of CSA:
The CSA model is based on the Clientele Membership Club first developed by Black horticulturist and professor Dr. Booker T. Whatley in Alabama during the 1960s. He advocated for regenerative growing practices and for farmers to sell directly to customers and be able to make a fair living. His creation of the CSA model was in direct response to discriminatory government and loan policies.
