Six Reasons to Join a CSA

Creamy avocados, aromatic basil, and juicy oranges.

Just another weekly delivery from my local CSA!

Wait… what in the hell is that?

“CSA” is short for “community-supported agriculture” and involves buying a share in a farm–just like you would buy a share in Apple stock.

But instead of getting paid dividends in cash (or even risking its value decreasing), you get “paid off” by getting a box of fresh fruit and veggies every week.

Here in the States, CSAs are pretty common (especially in big cities) even though not many people are aware of them.

After joining a local CSA a couple weeks ago, I don’t see why I didn’t try it long ago, and here’s a few reasons why you might want to join one.

1. The Produce Is Better

Is organic/local/natural food healthier and more environmentally friendly than conventionally grown?

Maybe. The jury’s still out.

But when it comes to taste, organic blows conventional out of the water.

Seriously, when it comes to flavor and texture, there’s something about the natural stuff that really shines compared with all the mass-produced stuff at your supermarket.

If you don’t like some of the produce that you find in your CSA box, try it anyway. You might be shocked at how much better it tastes.

2. You’ll Be Less Stressed Out

In his excellent book The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz makes a startling claim: the more choices we have in life, the more we stress over our choices and regret our decisions.

By simply having defaults or letting someone else decide on the “non-essential” questions in our lives, we reduce our anxiety levels and don’t deplete any more of our limited willpower than necessary.

Here’s a great video with a primer on why you don’t want to burn out of willpower on things that aren’t important to you.

By letting the farm choose which fruits and veggies you get, you sidestep the chore of running around the produce section to find exactly what you want and stressing out when you can’t find it.

3. It’s (Probably) Cheaper

If you’re surviving off generic ramen noodles, then yeah, the calories you get from CSA produce are gonna cost more.

But if you look at how much the same produce would cost at a supermarket, you are actually paying substantially less.

Cutting out the middle man means both you and the farmer saves money.

See all the produce in that picture above? It cost me only $30.

Personally, I can eat all of this in a week, but a box of this size is usually geared toward an entire family.

Done right a CSA can save you some real cash money.

4. You’ll Spend Less Time Grocery Shopping

As much as I love food, I hate grocery shopping with a passion.

To pick up fixins for a pot roast, I need to drive out of my way to a supermarket with comically narrow parking spots only to get lost within a massive store completely packed with people.

No, thanks!

It takes forever, it’s frustrating, and I have tried many methods to eliminate the need for grocery shopping as we know it.

When you join a CSA, you can take care of all your fruit and veg shopping by just stopping by a house in your neighborhood once a week, where a box of fresh produce is waiting for you.

In terms of productivity and time management, CSAs are a big win.

5. You’ll Try New Things

I consider myself an adventurous eater, but never have I ever tried dandelion greens before a couple weeks ago!

Yes, they’re exactly what they sound like. Leaves from dandelion plants.

I would have probably never tried these had I not found them in my CSA box, but I’m glad I gave them a try.

Some other more “obscure” things in this week’s box include:

• Chard
• Eggplant
• Plums
• Summer squash

When was the last time you tried any of these things?

Joining a CSA means getting a greater variety of food than you would have normally picked.

6. You’ll Support Local Farmers

Call me an old-fashioned romantic, but I’d rather think of the money I spend on my food going to these people:

Rather than this guy:

(No offense Mr. Mortimer. You are still looking quite dapper.)

The conventional methods we now use may have insanely high yields, but it is unsustainable to produce food this way in the long-term.

I don’t think there are any easy solutions to feeding an ever-growing planet, but time-tested traditional methods of agriculture should always be available to those who want it.

By voting with your dollars and giving them to the rapidly diminishing small-time farms that often offer CSA options, you are making sure that this form of agriculture will still endure in a globalized world.

Is a CSA Right for You?

Have I sold you on the idea of joining a CSA yet?

Ready to start picking up a “mystery box” of delicious and fresh veggies and fruit every week?

Local Harvest is a great site to find out which CSAs are near you, and read more about the farms and their dropoff locations near you.

CSAs aren’t for everyone. You might live in an area with a short growing season. You might not live near a farm that has a program. You might even be a picky eater and don’t want to get out of your comfort zone. (Boooooooo!)

But if you like fresh fruits and veggies, hate grocery shopping, and are a little adventurous, then I suggest you give a CSA a shot.

Photo: (1, 2)