Community Supported Agriculture

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, a relationship between a farm and its community. Mainstream CSAs gained popularity in America in the 1980’s, though the model has been around much longer due to contributions of Booker T. Whatley and Japanese Teikei cooperative models. To read about the extended history of CSAs, check out this article. CSA members commit to supporting the farm by purchasing a share of the harvest at the beginning of the year. Each week from mid-June until late October, members receive a ‘share’ of what’s in season at the farm, picked within 1-2 days of distribution. Unlike a simple retail transaction, CSA is a community food program. It’s a partnership that shares not only the bounty but also the risks of farming, including weather, pests and disease. CSA provides the farm with early-season cash flow needed to purchase seeds, soil, equipment, and more, while members get access to first dibs on the freshest fruit and vegetables, the opportunity to connect with their farmers and neighbors, share recipes, try new vegetables and eat truly seasonally. Continuing this year, CSA members will be able to bring their pre-consumer food waste to the farm for composting.

Our CSA began in 2009 when the organization itself was merely a seed. 25 founding member families were involved in everything from crop choices and seed orders to planting and harvesting. Since its humble beginnings, our CSA has expanded to include over 150 families. Our membership is based on a sliding scale fee structure and a portion of shares are donated to local food pantries. 

For questions, please email csa@sylvestermanor.org.