Community Supported Agriculture: Owning a Share of a Farm

by Les@SpillingBuckets on April 27, 2010

Last winter, when growing green things was still a daydream, Ryan and I signed up to be members of a local CSA. CSA or Community Supported Agriculture allows regular folks to become participants from seed to table in the fresh food that they eat.

As shareholders of the farm we participate in the success of the harvest as well as the risk. We, along with 139 other families in the Rochester area own a portion of the output of Mud Creek Farm.

Our CSA is unique in the fact that it allows “work share” members who agree to work a certain amount of hours in exchange for free harvest. You can either pay for a share, or work for your share. Mud Creek Farm is organized by one Farmer, Erin, and her apprentice, Beth.

Now that Spring is finally here we’ve been able to start experiencing some of the benefits of having a share in a local farm.

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/52242522001?isVid=1
This weekend was an onion planting party, and we decided to go out and volunteer by helping to plant the seedlings. The day was perfect; it was 60′s and mostly sunny and the forecast called for rain overnight. Perfect for our young onion friends in their new bigger home.

For a chunk of the day we were out in the field planting all sorts of scallions, red onions, and white onions in varieties that I know Wegman’s doesn’t have available. There were 16 other volunteers ranging from photography graduate students, to families with kids. There were first time members (like us) and members who had been there from the beginning.

The onions were planted 4 inches apart – and were laid out by hand. One group of people separated the seedlings from their greenhouse planters and laid them out in a straight line while a second group came up behind and stuffed them in the ground.

It was surprisingly easy to plant the onions – just use the “thumb technique” to smush the bulb and roots into the tilled soil making sure it was somewhat upright – no need to dig individual holes.

“Roots on the bottom and green on top”

It was very satisfying to see the straight lines of seedlings coming out behind us as we worked.

It was a lot of fun, and very satisfying to get out in the sun and work. And let me tell you – we were both sore the next day!

We planted hundreds (maybe thousands) of onions and enjoyed delicious apple pie afterward.

I am excited to watch the plants grow and mature and to learn how to use all sorts of vegetables that I haven’t used before. Participating in growing the food that we will eat alongside other families changes something inside me. I can’t quite explain it. Proud might be the feeling, or appreciation. It slows things down.