CSA

Community Supported Agriculture

The main goals of community supported agriculture are community, health and supporting your local farmers.  The idea of Community Supported Agriculture or CSA’s was brought to the United States by Jan VanderTuin from Switzerland in 1984. However, there are projects in Europe that date back to the 1960s, when women’s neighbourhood groups approached farmers to develop direct, cooperative relationships between producers and consumers.

The tradition has continued, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a way for families to buy locally grown vegetables and create a relationship with local farmers. This is a win-win situation that enables local farmers to stay in business by keeping money in our community. When you know your farmer, you know who grows your food and how it is grown. Furthermore, CSA’s allow families to have the opportunity to visit their local farm. Vegetables are normally harvested within a day of a family receiving them so they have more flavour, nutritional value and last longer at home. 

We believe there are enough people in the Miami community that desire local fresh produce, which is grown approximately 25 miles from their homes.  This desire will help support this 3rd generation grower in his transition to a smaller farm.  His goal is to market the farms diversified vegetables to the local community (CSA, restaurants, resorts and hotels). 

Members make a financial commitment to the farm for a season (usually 6 harvest months) by buying shares which provides the farm with the upfront money needed to buy seed as well as grow and harvest the crops.  Shareholders in the CSA share the harvest bounty with the farmer- When the harvest is plentiful the shares are large.  However, just as when you buy stock in any company, CSA shareholders also take risks. For example, if a natural disaster (such as a freeze, hurricane or even a major pest problem) destroys a crop, the shareholders bear the burden along with the farmer. 

Teenaspride CSA