Reader
Services
Subscribe
Renew
your subscription
Temporary
stop
Carrier
opportunities
Newspapers
In Education
> More
reader services
Advertiser
services:
Place
a Classified ad
Media
kit
Digital
file requirements
> More
advertiser services
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Community supported agriculture gains interest If locally-grown, farm-fresh sweet corn, eggs or strawberries sound tasty, you may want to join the growing number of consumers reaping the benefits of community supported agriculture.
< On Saturday, the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition is holding its annual open house to introduce more people to the agriculture movement, known as CSA, which seeks to create a closer link between consumers and farmers.
< In CSA, consumers buy a membership or "share" in a farm, which provides each shareholder with a weekly box of vegetables, herbs, fruit or other goods. Depending on the farm, the growing season ranges from about 22 to 33 weeks.
< "It's the most substantial amount of support they can give a farmer," said Doug Wubben, the coalition's project coordinator. "A farmer doesn't have to worry about whether someone will come to the farmers' market if they're committed to a share."
< This year, the coalition expects participation from more than 2,000 shareholders - representing as many as 10,000 people - up from 240 shareholders when the coalition began 11 years ago.
< Currently, the coalition has 14 farms offering CSA memberships, Wubben said. Other coalition farms have alternative memberships, such as worker shares, in which goods are exchanged for labor.
< A typical coalition share feeds four to five people and costs about $320 to $600 depending on the farm and length of the growing season, Wubben said. Some farms also offer half-shares or bi-weekly box loads.
< Most farms in the coalition provide drop-off points throughout Madison; others require pick-up at the farm.
< In addition, several area farms that are not members of the coalition deliver locally or offer pick-ups on-site.
< Julie Kreunen, 42, has been a CSA shareholder for seven years.
< Joining a farm "has been a really nice way to have an assured amount of fresh stuff 20 to 22 weeks of the year," she said. "As a professional dietitian, it appeals to me on another level . After 24 years growing fruit and 12 years as a certified organic grower, Future Fruit Farm of Ridgeway is now offering shares and has added "Adopt-a-Tree" Fruit CSA to its name, said owner Ellen Lane. The all-fruit farm has apples, pears, apple and pear butters and pear cider. It offers full shares for $200, as well as half and quarter shares, Lane said.
< Tipi Produce of Evansville is new to the Madison coalition, but is known to Dane County Farmers' Market shoppers for providing vegetables there for the past 27 years.
< Its owners, Steve Pincus and Beth Kazmar, decided to leave the market and offer shares because they wanted to build "more interesting and longer-lived relationships" with their customers. At the farmers' market, "there's not much time for socializing and stepping back from the immediate selling," Pincus said.
< Tipi Produce, which also sells organic vegetables to natural food stores, co-ops and some Chicago restaurants, aims to sell 100 shares this year. Pincus said he would like the CSA to account for about one-sixth of his business the first year, with the potential for additional growth.
< The farm will offer shares at $500 each for 27 weeks and half-shares with drop-offs every other week.
< Another coalition member, Tricia Bross, owner of Luna Circle Farm in Rio, is offering CSA memberships for the 11th year.
< Bross said she "loves doing the CSA," because she can provide her members "with a connection to where food is grown, who's growing it and what they're eating."
< Like most of the other producers, Bross encourages members to visit the farm and holds potlucks and get-togethers at planting and harvest time.
< Seeing a 3-year-old girl "discover that food grew in the dirt was an amazing experience," she said. "For weeks she was asking her mom about where things grow."
< Although Bross said the majority of her business comes from two farmers' markets, she has 40 to 50 shares available this year for $375 each. Her farm provides 20 weeks of vegetables and herbs and is in the process of cultivating strawberries and raspberries.
< The coalition also provides subsidized memberships for low-income or elderly people looking to join one of its farms, Wubben said. The Partner Shares Program covers half the cost of a membership and allows participants to pay in increments rather than up-front.
< A raffle at the coalition's open house will help raise money for the program. There will also be cooking demonstrations and opportunities to meet the farmers and members.
< Contact Stephanie Turner at sturner@madison.com or 252-6158.
< |
||
|
|
|
Copyright
© 2003 Wisconsin State Journal
|
Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle
Fort Hood suspect ordered held until court-martial
China coal mine blast death toll jumps to 87
Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case
Ex-Air Force nurse acquitted of killing patients
More Americans expected to travel for Thanksgiving
Baby can wait as expectant dad finishes spacewalk
Motown caps 50th anniversary with hometown gala
Jackson moonwalk glove sells for $350K in NYC
No. 11 Oregon tops Arizona; on track for Rose Bowl