The past year has been – to say the least – interesting. We’ve all navigated real life changes. Spending time cooped up in the house, encouraged to social distance instead of participate in group activities like grocery shopping, dining out and even gardening. We are now searching to find a new way of doing things once familiar, social and inclusive. 

And that got us thinking about food. We've all been ordering takeout, having food delivered, going grocery shopping, cooking and getting to know food in a whole new way. Because the growing season is almost here, we thought it appropriate to highlight Community Supported Agriculture programs, or CSAs for short. 

How many of you have heard of CSAs?

It’s when farmers are connected directly to the community and its residents. Instead of going to the grocery store to buy food (produce, meat, dairy, etc.) you get a “share” of what’s locally produced by farmers on a small scale. 

The shares are purchased one week to one season in advance (this depends on the CSA you sign up with). You’ll then pick up or have the shares delivered. Locally produced means it’s seasonal, more nutritious, uses less fossil fuels to deliver, and directly supports the local economy.

Below is a short list of the CSAs located in Cleveland and the links to read more about them and sign up for one that piques your interest. 

1. City Fresh, https://cityfresh.org/how-does-city-fresh-work/
2. Fresh Fork Market, https://freshforkmarket.com/our-program/
3. Other Hand Farm, https://www.otherhandfarm.com/csa
4. Market Wagon, https://marketwagon.com/pages/frequently-asked-questions
5. Ohio City Farm, https://www.ohiocityfarm.com/about

Do you have questions about selecting the CSA that’s right for you? Interested in recipes for the produce you receive in your shares? Perhaps you’re just curious and want to learn how to get started? Feel free to email our team member Philena Seldon at [email protected].