{"id":2654,"date":"2012-10-12T03:00:51","date_gmt":"2012-10-12T10:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/?p=2654"},"modified":"2012-10-11T09:01:40","modified_gmt":"2012-10-11T16:01:40","slug":"six-reasons-to-join-a-csa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/2012\/10\/12\/six-reasons-to-join-a-csa\/","title":{"rendered":"Six Reasons to Join a CSA"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Creamy avocados, aromatic basil, and juicy oranges.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just another weekly delivery from my local CSA!<\/p>\n

Wait\u2026 what in the hell is that?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCSA\u201d is short for \u201ccommunity-supported agriculture\u201d and involves buying a share in a farm\u2013just like you would buy a share in Apple stock.<\/p>\n

But instead of getting paid dividends in cash (or even risking its value decreasing), you get \u201cpaid off\u201d by getting a box of fresh fruit and veggies every week.<\/p>\n

Here in the States, CSAs are pretty common (especially in big cities) even though not many people are aware of them.<\/p>\n

After joining a local CSA a couple weeks ago, I don\u2019t see why I didn\u2019t try it long ago, and here\u2019s a few reasons why you<\/em> might want to join one.<\/p>\n

1. The Produce Is Better<\/h2>\n

Is organic\/local\/natural food healthier and more environmentally friendly than conventionally grown?<\/p>\n

Maybe. The jury\u2019s still out.<\/p>\n

But when it comes to taste, organic blows conventional out of the water.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seriously, when it comes to flavor and texture, there\u2019s something about the natural stuff that really shines compared with all the mass-produced stuff at your supermarket.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

2. You\u2019ll Be Less Stressed Out<\/h2>\n

In his excellent book The Paradox of Choice<\/em><\/a>, Barry Schwartz makes a startling claim: the more choices we have in life, the more we stress over our choices and regret our decisions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

By simply having defaults or letting someone else decide on the \u201cnon-essential\u201d questions in our lives, we reduce our anxiety levels and don\u2019t deplete any more of our limited willpower than necessary.<\/p>\n