: Members pay an upfront fee at the start of the season. This provides the farmer with essential working capital to purchase seeds, equipment, and labor without relying on high-interest loans.
At its core, a CSA is a membership or subscription service for fresh food. share to buy
: In exchange, members receive a weekly or bi-weekly box of seasonal produce throughout the harvest. : Members pay an upfront fee at the start of the season
Joining a produce share program offers several advantages over traditional grocery shopping: The Importance of Buying Locally Grown Produce the share may be smaller
: A defining feature is that members share in the risks of farming—if a crop fails due to weather, the share may be smaller; if a harvest is bountiful, members receive more. Benefits for Consumers