What is a CSA?
A CSA (community-supported agriculture) is a subscription to a season’s worth of locally grown produce. Fresh, nutritious produce is provided to CSA members by a local farmer throughout the growing season.
With Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a consumer purchases a share (also known as a membership or a subscription) in the farm’s harvest before the season begins and, in return, receives a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the growing season. Shares are usually picked up at the farm, but many offer additional pick-up locations and/or home delivery. This arrangement helps farmers by increasing cash flow early in the season when seeds and equipment need to be purchased and farm labor needs to be paid.
As a CSA member, you make a seasonal commitment to a small farmer in your area. CSA members take pleasure in knowing where and how their food is grown, and typically have an open line of communication with their farmer. Many CSA farms actively teach their members how to use the food they receive each week.
Farm Shares and ASCs (Agriculture Supporting Community) are similar to CSAs in that members receive a weekly box of produce. Farms Shares, however, are typically delivered to low-income neighborhoods, and members are allowed to pay for their shares weekly at pick-up. This makes fresh, local produce more accessible to people who may not be able to pay for the shares up front. SNAP benefits may also be used to pay for the weekly shares.
Buying Clubs are a market-style CSA. Rather than receiving a standard box of vegetables each week, members visit the farm and choose the produce of their choice.
CSA shares usually contain vegetables, but some farmers also offer the following great add-ons that make CSAs even more convenient: fruit, eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, flowers or other farm products.
There are many CSA offerings in the Greater Lehigh Valley; explore our list of CSAs by pick-up locations to find one that has a pick-up or home delivery option near you, then click on the farm name for more details!
Also Check out:
- Explore more local food options in your community with our Local Food Finder
- Take our “What Kind of Local Foodie Are You?” quiz to see which local food buying option best fits your lifestyle!
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CSAs by Pick-Up Location — 2022 Season Now Open!! County: Northampton
County: Lehigh
County: Berks
Additonal Options and Locations Home Delivery
Stroudsburg
Lake Naomi
Jim Thorpe
Buying Clubs and Online Ordering
Meat Shares
Full CSA List
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