A California Bay Area resident's guide to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

So you're thinking about joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) ...great! Maybe you've been researching for awhile and are feeling overwhelmed with the amount of information you've found. Or maybe you've been trying to find information and don't know where to look. I know the feeling, in both cases, and I'm here to help!

Let's assume you don't even know what I'm talking about. Why join a CSA? The benefits are numerous and exciting!

• CSAs allow you to enjoy locally grown, farm-fresh (and often organic) fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, flowers, herbs, etc. You get to support local farmers, reduce your carbon footprint, and enjoy the best that the land near you has to offer. That's already good enough reason for most people but let's continue...
• Saving time and money! It's super convenient as most farms offer farm-to-door delivery service or pick-up locations in your town. That means less shopping trips for you. Some even offer discounts for being a pick-up site host! The cost is often cheaper or similar when you do the correct comparisons. For instance, if you have been only buying some organic produce in combination with conventionally grown produce, and then you join a certified organic CSA, you can't compare penny to penny. Same deal if you are used to buying meats from conventional grocery stores that may or may not be pasture-raised and then you sign up for pasture-raised, humanely treated, organically fed, and small farm processed meats...that's not comparable at all. You get what you pay for, and you can't put a value on your time or supporting organic, local farmers. Period. 
• Eating seasonally and adding variety to your diet. You can always choose a CSA that allows you to customize your delivery so that you don't receive items that you don't enjoy (like radishes...stop being picky!). However, joining a CSA means that you are eating what the Earth is providing the land at that time of the year. In California, you can buy strawberries year round. But have you ever tasted an organically grown strawberry in the peak of the season from a local farm? INDESCRIBABLE!

  

  Photo taken by me, June 2011.
  LEFT: organic, locally-grown strawberries fresh from Capay Valley, CA
  RIGHT: organic, store-bought strawberries

  Additionally, adults in the U.S. tend to rely on about 10-15 fruits and vegetables in their diet that they eat regularly. Seriously? There are hundreds out there, just waiting for you! A CSA will ensure that you discover foods you've never seen, tried, and/or heard of before! Many of the CSAs will even throw in some recipes and tips on what to do with what your find in your box via their newsletter or on their website! Your body will thank you. 
• Developing a relationship with a farmer. Most people have no idea what it takes to own, operate, and manage a farm but farms are vital to our very existence! When you get to know your local farms and farmers, your perspective on work, technology, food and eating will most certainly change...for the better! As a CSA member you may even have access to seasonal deals and events when farmers attempt to clear out their plots! Often times this means "U-pick" days which allow you to go directly to the farm and pick the produce straight from the land for free or at an extremely discounted price! Awesome. 

Ok, now that we understand the WHY, let's talk about the HOW

1. Start here. Local Harvest is a great source for learning about CSAs, subscribing to informative newsletters and blogs, discovering recipes, keeping up to date with CSA-related events, and most importantly, locating farms near you! They also sell farm fresh products right from their website! SCORE! 
2. I've compiled a list of local farms that offer various types of CSA programs. It's long but I don't believe it's inclusive. You'll want to find one that services the area you live in and that offers what you're looking for!

• Blue House Farm: servicing SF & San Mateo
• location: 5000 Pescadero Creek Rd. Pescadero, CA 94060
• offers: organic produce and eggs

• Buttercup Farms Garden: servicing Walnut Creek & Clayton
• location: 5181 Morgan Territory Road, Clayton, CA 94517
• offers: produce 
• Canvas Ranch: servicing Petaluma, Mill Valley & San Rafael 
• location: 755 Tomales Road, Petaluma CA 94952  
• offers: produce, pastured meats and eggs, and ecologically sound products
• CSA SF, operated by multiple farms: servicing the SF Bay Area
• offers: organic produce and pastured eggs and chickens
• Dig Deep Farms & Produce: servicing the SF East Bay Area
• affordable/multiple payment options and plans including EBT
• offers: produce

• Door Step Farmers: servicing Contra Costa County
• offers: organic produce 
• Eat Well Farm: servicing the SF Bay Area
• location: 5835 Sievers Rd, Dixon, CA
• offers: organic produce, pastured eggs, and add-ons
• Farm Fresh to You (Capay Organic): servicing the SF Bay Area 
• location: Capay Valley, CA
• offers: organic produce
• Fogline Farm: servicing the Santa Cruz area
• location: Soquel, CA
• offers: produce, pastured meats

• Full Belly Farm: servicing the SF Bay Area, Sacramento, and surrounding areas
• location: Capay Valley, CA
• offers: organic produce
• Full Circle Farm: pick-up direct from the farm
• location: 1055 Dunford Way, Sunnyvale, CA
• offers: produce and pastured eggs
• Happy Child CSA, operated by Frog Hollow Farm: servicing the SF Bay Area
• location: Brentwood, CA
• offers: organic produce
• Hidden Villa: servicing the SF Bay Area
• location: 26870 Moody Rd, Los Altos, CA
• offers: produce, educational programs
• Hudson Ranch: servicing Napa Valley
• offers: produce and pastured meat
• Laguna Farm: servicing Sonoma County
• offers: produce + add-ons
• Marin Sun Farms: servicing the SF Bay Area
• location: 10905 Shoreline Hwy, Point Reyes Station
• offers: pastured meats, poultry, eggs
• Riverdog Farm: servicing the SF Bay Area, Sacramento, Davis, and surrounding areas
• location: 7587 Road 49, Guinda, CA
• offers: organic produce

• Shooting Star Farm: serving SF and East Bay Area
• location: Fairfield, CA
• offers: organic produce

• Tara Firma Farm: servicing the SF Bay Area 
• location: 3796 I St, Petaluma, CA
• offers: produce, pastured meats and eggs
• Terra Firma Farm: servicing the SF East Bay Area
• location: 28025 California 128, Winters, CA
• offers: organic produce and nuts
• Valley End Farm: servicing Petaluma, Santa Rosa
• location: 6300 Petaluma Hill Rd, Santa Rosa, CA
• offers: produce + add-ons 

1. (<--- that should be a 3.) Check out Yelp to read up on reviews of these farms. Almost all of them are on there. If you visit your local farmers market with this list, I bet you will recognize many of these names at the tables and stands! Go talk to them, ask them questions, sample their produce, get informed!

Have fun with THAT list! :) The reason I highlighted two of the farms above is because I am hosting a farm visit this month to both of those farms. Click here for more information about the April 13 Tara Firma Farm visit and click here for more details about the April 27 Shooting Star Farm visit. You don't have to be a fan of my Eat Suite page (although you certainly should be) or even a friend of mine to join us, ALL are welcome! Feel free to add your own knowledge about CSAs or experiences with any of them in the comment section below. Now, excuse me while I go prepare a hearty stew with seasonal, organic, and local vegetables...all of this talk about farms has left me hungry!