What is a CSA and why should you sign up for one?

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posted on

January 2, 2024

Where it all started:

Here's a story that starts with something bad and ends with something good.

Japan, 1956: A Japanese doctor reports an epidemic of an "unknown disease of the central nervous system," marking the official discovery of Minamata disease. [1]

The cause of the disease turns out to be industrial chemical contamination of nearby Minamata Bay. Thousands who source food from its waters are subsequently found to be affected with severe methylmercury poisoning.

Japan, 1965: As national concern grows over food safety and chemical contamination in the wake of the Minamata disaster, a group of women creates Teikei - a model of food sourcing and distribution that emphasizes mutually supportive producer-consumer relationships. [2]

By the 1970s and '80s this collaborative model spreads to other communities worldwide. In the United States, it becomes known as "Community Supported Agriculture," or CSA.

What is CSA?

Community Supported Agriculture—usually called simply "CSA" for short—is a relationship-based, mutually supportive model of farming and food distribution that connects consumers directly with farmers for win-win collaboration.

The Japanese women who pioneered the CSA model in the 1960s disliked the way agriculture and food had become impersonal, chemical-laden, processed, unhealthy and destructive to small local farms and farming families. [3] They were looking for an alternative model that would support local farmers, provide wholesome food to consumers, and allow communities to connect directly with the people and land that produced their food.

Their idea spread.

The first Teikei-inspired CSA farm in North America was founded in Massachusetts in 1984. [4] Today, there are thousands of CSA farms in the US alone. [5] It is a model that continues to boom in popularity as demand for clean, local food has increased, and its appeal accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic when weaknesses in the industrial food supply became starkly apparent to everyday people.

How does CSA typically work?

When you sign up for a CSA membership, you pay in advance for a share of a local farm's upcoming harvest. [6]

In return, CSA members receive boxes of farm-fresh, nutritious foods at regular intervals from the farm's harvest throughout the growing season.

Their early investment in the upcoming harvest softens the risk that is often shouldered by farmers alone, by sharing it with community—allowing farms to grow, become economically stable, and continue producing high quality foods for communities.

What makes our CSA arrangement unique?

Our arrangement with Saint Luke Farm offers some unique alternatives to the standard weekly delivery/pickup schedule used by most CSA farms.

Instead of weekly delivery or pickup, we offer every-other-week frequency when you select UPS Home Delivery or Farm Store Pick-Up as your delivery method. (12 boxes)

Or you can choose the equivalent of once-a-month delivery—we will deliver once every 4 weeks to our Northern Virginia drop sites when we come to deliver our pastured meats and clean, wholesome farm products on our usual delivery schedule. (6-7 boxes)

It's our hope that this unique flexibility will encourage you to take the plunge, enjoy farm-fresh veggies all summer long, and introduce you to the fun, flavor, and connectedness of this community-based model of food production.

Why you should sign up

If you still need convincing, here are 25 reasons to join—one for each week that our Farm Friends will be enjoying the freshest beyond-organic produce from Saint Luke Farm this 2024 CSA season...

fresh crunchy leafy juicy handpicked beyond-organic chopped diced grilled sliced nutritious clean wholesome sauteed raw dipped dressed steamed skewered healthy summery delicious vibrant seasonal yes

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Notes:

[1] https://www.glynwood.org/conne...
[2] https://www.glynwood.org/conne...
[3] https://growingsmallfarms.ces...
[4] https://growingsmallfarms.ces...
[5] https://www.localharvest.org/d...
[6] https://www.nofavt.org/about/b...

Whole Chicken = $$avings!

When I take a whole chicken (or two, for my family of 6) and use every bit of it to nourish my family each week, it not only feels like a beautiful choreographed dance, but it makes me want to dance like a little kid. I feel peace and strength in knowing that I can take a whole chicken and have the flexibility to use it in so many ways and use it well for my family. We need more of those feelings in our lives, don't you think? If you want that same happiness, peace, strength, and savings that come from using a whole chicken in your kitchen and knowing you're using your food dollars well, this post is for you.The best practice in using whole chickens is to begin by thawing your chicken in your refrigerator for at least a day before you plan to cook it. Thawing the bird this way allows you to season it before cooking to ensure the best flavor, or cut it up to use individual pieces. (Jordan made a really cool video showing how we cut up our chickens. You can find that here on YouTube.) The great thing about learning to cut up your own bird is there's no quiz at the end. You can practice in your own kitchen at your own convenience, and before you know it, you'll feel that confidence in your skills. For cooking the bird whole, my favorite cooking method is in a Dutch oven or covered roasting pan. But before placing your chicken in a pan, use a paper towel to pat the bird dry. This lets all your spices penetrate the meat and results in a more robust flavor. I season my chicken (you can rub seasonings into or even under the skin) with salt and pepper, and then choose one or two more spices like garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, oregano, or thyme. An easy option is to keep your favorite pre-mixed seasoning mixes on hand. You can also cook the bird in the crock pot or Instant Pot. In most cases, roasting the whole bird in the oven gives the best flavor and texture. My family's personal favorite way to cook whole chickens is in an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven. (My children always love the crispy skin and eat it like chips!) Whatever method you use to cook your birds, I always recommend placing chickens breast-side down. This ensures the white meat doesn't dry out as it cooks, but stays moist and juicy! In the oven, plan to cook your chicken at 350 for about 20 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to check that your chicken reaches at least 165 degrees. I usually shoot for about 180 degrees, because we like the meat very tender and falling off the bones. Let your bird rest 10-15 minutes before you cut into it. This allows the juices to redistribute and locks them in for tastier chicken. On the day you cook your bird, enjoy the mouthwatering flavor by serving it whole. My husband and I both enjoy the dark meat most, so we eat the thighs on the first night. My 5 and 3 year-olds always request "bone meat", so they usually eat the legs or wings. Now that all 4 children love roasted chicken, we usually cook 2 chickens at a time so that we have more left over after our first meal. After dinner, I pick off the bones what meat is left and store the bones and the chicken in separate containers overnight. And save that juice! The bones and juice cooked off the chicken will be used tomorrow for making bone broth. From a 4-5-pound chicken, you can expect 5-7 cups of boneless, skinless chicken (total). One of my chickens was around 5 pounds, and you can see in the photo that I ended up with nearly 8 cups! If you want, you can freeze your shredded chicken to use later. Most recipes call for 2 cups of shredded or cubed chicken, so keep that in mind if you decide to freeze it. It's a good idea to freeze it in 2-cup bags or containers. When deboning, I like to separate the chicken into large chunks. Then, with a clean, sharp pair of kitchen scissors, I can simply cut it up into cubes of any size I want. These easy chicken cubes make the BEST white chili, soups, or chicken salad you can imagine! Since it will easily keep in a sealed container in your refrigerator for up to 7 days, you can also spread your chicken meals out and alternate with another protein source some nights, or plan for easy homemade lunches. (We eat a LOT of chicken salad around here.)Here are some of our favorite ways to use this homemade boneless, skinless chicken: Chicken chiliChicken pot pieThai chicken curryAny casserole that calls for chickenHomemade pizzaChicken saladChicken enchiladas Chicken FajitasAsian stir fryCheck out our library of Tried and True chicken recipes A good chicken should be more than just a nourishing meal. You should have peace of mind knowing that you used your hard-earned dollars well, and it's great if it makes you want to do a happy dance, too. Do you have a favorite way to prepare a whole chicken? Share your recipes, stories, and those little traditions that make a meal feel like home to you. Here’s to gathering often, eating well, and savoring every bite. Hannah