Sande, Sorry for being cryptic.
CSA stands for community supported agriculture. In a CSA, you have a direct relationship with the people growing your food. You pay the farmer in advance for a share of the season's harvest, in effect sharing the risk. I'm told the idea was started in Japan, and that the Japanese name translates into "giving the farmer a face." The payment in advance gives the farmer cash at the time it's needed most, and provides more security than waiting for an unknown (if any) profit at the end of the season. The combination makes it possible for small farmers to stay on their land, and not take on huge debt that they may be unable to repay. The economics of "conventional" farming make it really hard to make a profit unless you are a really big farm, and huge numbers of small farmers find it's better to sell theirr land to developers. So many of the businesses and people that are leaving Philadelphia are moving to new developments and office parks on what used to be farmland. The farm we bought from last year is surrounded by new office parks, and they have terrible problems with runoff, because the parking lots don't absorb rainfall, so the farm loses precious top soil every time it rains. My food co-op experience is limited to a two month membership with Mariposa, but it seems to me that shopping at the co-op (though very cool) is more like shopping in the supermarket, becasue the food (even the organic produce) comes from distributors, instead of the growers. There's always a variety ot items that aren't in season and/or can't be grown in this climate, so a portion of the cost is "hidden" in transportation. Food that's grown on a large scale, or shipped any distance, needs to be uniform, and it needs to travel and keep well. Hence the flavorless supermarket tomato. Since CSA's are selling food locally, they can be less concerned about the keeping qualities of a particular variety. Most organic farmers grow several different varieties of each crop as a way to hedge their bets against disease and weird weather, so you often get heirloom varieties that you won't find in the supermarket. Like exquisite tomatoes (which are, as far as I'm concerned, the best excuse for August weather). I'm resisting the urge to babble on about genetic diversity of the food we eat, and the merits of growing organic. Sorry if I've been at all preachy. Best, debra kimmelman --- "Knight, Sandra (US - Philadelphia)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > What does CSA stand for? And how is is different from a food co-op? > > Sande Knight > Deloitte & Touche LLP > 215-246-2424 > 215-448-2233 fax > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > -----Original Message----- > From: debra kimmelman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 2:36 PM > To: Matthew Snyder; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [UC] local CSAs > > > --- Matthew Snyder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I'm looking to join a CSA in the Philadelphia area. I'm > > looking specifically for a few things: > > > (snip) > > > Any recommendations? Scarecrow Hill was suggested to me, > > and I'd be interested in hearing more about SH or others. > > > > Dear Matthew, > > Info about local CSA's can be had at > > www.greenworks.tv/csa > > The page has descriptions of five CSA's who have a relationship with Farm to > City, the folks responsible for the farmer's market in Clark Park. At the > bottom, you will find a link to other CSA's in the area that don't work > directly with Farm to City. > > None will deliver to your door. Most are organic, many will let you order > organic/biodynamic/free range eggs and/or cheese and/or poultry and/or meat > in > addition to produce. Look at the desciptions of each farm to find out what > items are available. > > Last year (before we moved to West Philly) we did a CSA with Maysie's > Conservation Center, in Exton. We were able to buy shares by the person, > and > there was some choice in our weekly produce, but we had to go to the farm to > get it. As far as I know, all of the CSA's that deliver to Philly sell just > one share size, and will drop off a box of produce, so there would be > limited > choices, if any. > > I would suggest contacting Bob Pierson at Farm to City. e-mail > [EMAIL PROTECTED], phone 215.722.9599. They are doing some > "matchmaking" > for those who want to split a share with another household. You might be > able > to find someone who likes tomatoes. :) > > Scarecrow Hill Farm delivers to the White Dog Cafe (34th and Sansom). In > the > spirit of full disclosure, I should mention that friends of mine had a share > with them last year, and they thought that the quantiies were small, and > that > there was way too much bok choy. Bob Pierson told me that the excess of > bok > choy was an accident, not planned. Apparently, the strange weather we had > last > season blighted lots of crops, but did wonders for the bok choy. On the > otther > hand, we had much more balance (only moderate amounts of bok choy) and we > were > delighted with the produce we got from Maysie's farm, so it seems there's > variety. > > The Lancaster County Farm delivers to 17th and Sansom. Herrcastle Farm, who > sold last year at the Clark Park Farmer's market is only doing CSA this > year. > They deliver to 49th and Chester on Tuesday evenings, but they are not > organic, > only IPM (integrated pest management). > > Good luck, > debra kimmelman > > > ---- > You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the > list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see > <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. > This message (including any attachments) contains confidential information > intended for a specific individual and purpose, and is protected by law. If > you are not the intended recipient, you should delete this message. Any > disclosure, copying, or distribution of this message, or the taking of any > action based on it, is strictly prohibited. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! 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