Ever wish you could click ‘subscribe’ on local food? Well, actually – you can!
Community Supported Agriculture, more commonly known as CSA, is a business model for farms where a customer prepays for a “share” of the next season’s bounty. This model allows farmers to make the initial investments needed to start off their season, and supplies share members with the benefits – generally, a weekly allotment of the freshest possible produce.
This upcoming February 20th-26th, we’re celebrating CSAs in Michigan for CSA Week, hosted by the CSA Innovation Network. It’s a great time to look into your options for local CSA programs and sign up for the upcoming growing season!
“Traditional” CSAs
Though each CSA is different, a common standard for CSAs manifests as a weekly packed box of fresh produce from a single farm. In the West side of Traverse City and Leelanau area, look to Loma Farm, 9 Bean Rows, Second Spring Farm, or Homestead Hill for great organic options. To the East, and in Antrim county, there is Providence Organic Farm of Central Lake, which has a delivery range that spans several counties.
Market CSAs
CSAs have also evolved in ways to provide more flexibility for both the customer and the farm. For example, Coveyou Scenic Farm Market in Petoskey offers both a traditional share with a weekly box of veggies, but also an ‘Open Market’ share where you essentially prepay for what you choose to take home from the market, ensuring that your produce fits into your meal plan. Other farms offer shares that operate as a prepaid gift card, with perks for signing early. Check out Z&N Farm in Bear Lake, Daybreak Dreamfarm in East Jordan, or Bluebird Farm and Gardens in Empire for this prepaid ‘market style’ CSA share for 2022.
Cooperative CSAs
Cooperative CSAs bring together multiple sources of local fruit, vegetables, and more in one box. This allows a CSA member to make an impact with a number of local farms and eat broadly in a CSA structure. MI Farm Co-op in Leelanau county and Traverse City is a cooperative of 12 different local farms, and offers not only fruit and veggies, but also bread and eggs in every box, as well as the option to add on different proteins. Similarly, the Torch Lake Co-op in Antrim county also offers a CSA from its member farms. There are even local companies that deliver local goods in a subscription style service, like Farm Fresh Delivery, which serves Kalkaska to Traverse City to Charlevoix, or Local Eats Delivery, which covers the more Northern regions, like Mackinaw City and Petoskey.
Product Specific CSAs
Looking for something specific to ‘subscribe’ to? For those who love cherry season, Hallstedt Homestead offers a cherry CSA, and the Farm at Cherry Hill offers subscriptions to bring in fresh farm flowers throughout the Summer. For those looking to make sustainable choices in their proteins, Danu Hof and Up North Heritage Farm offer a CSA-like ‘club’ for stocking your freezer, with discounts and other perks for being a member. As another option, Bluestem Farm in East Jordan offers an array of specialized CSA shares, from eggs, chicken and pork, to a traditional vegetable share.
So with all of these different options for tapping into your local food network, how do you choose? The Michigan Statewide CSA Network is hosting virtual office hours to answer your CSA questions and get you paired up with a program in your area! Join this fair from the comfort of your home, and have an area expert match you with the best options for your family’s eating habits. Learn more here!
So what are you waiting for? Join a CSA in 2022, and make a difference for you and your local food economy! You can search for CSA farms throughout Michigan using the Taste the Local Difference Find Food and Farms directory.
Claire Butler is the Communications & Marketing Specialist for Taste the Local Difference.
Check out our top 7 tips for making the most of your CSA here!