Share program gives area farmers financial support, members get fresh harvests, such as peaches, flowers and other locally grown produce

peaches.jpg

(Photo by SARAH PLATANITIS)

Did you know you can help support area farmers and ensure plenty of locally grown produce — even flowers — for your table, through a program called "Community Supported Agriculture?"

CSA shares enable the public to buy from participating farmers in away that helps farmers have a line of equity during the year, and members, weekly harvests this time of year. In 2013, more than 50 farms in the Pioneer Valley offer shares of vegetables, meat, fruit and dairy through CSA.

"What's interesting is that CSA farms started in New England in the early 1980s and Western Mass had two of the first three CSA farms in the country. There was one in New Hampshire, a second in Berkshire County and the third was Brookfield Farm in Amherst," said Philip Korman, executive director of Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture.

CISA is a non-profit organization based in South Deerfield that runs a marketing program for farms, institutions and restaurants.

The organization makes it possible for consumers to find locally grown food via its website (buylocalfood.org) and its free annual "Locally Grown" farm products guide. Anyone interested in the CSA program can go to the website and under the heading "Buy Local," click again on "Find Local" and under "CSA Farm Listing" read about participating farms, the weekly cost to be a share owner and related websites. More information can also be found under the guide to selecting a farm share.

"I think what's really honestly beautiful about the CSA farm model is that you are partnering with a farm and you are providing income to the farmer at a time when they usually don't have money coming in, because they haven't harvested anything yet and can't sell anything to make money," said Korman.

The return on investment is a slice of the harvest in full or half shares. In the summer, this bounty includes seasonal vegetables like greens, tomatoes and peppers. Fall shares include winter squash, potatoes and garlic.

"The amount of produce you get can be intimidating, but wonderfully intimidating," Korman said. "It really starts encouraging you to cook and eat with some vegetables that maybe you haven't in the past. It's also a different quality of food. CSA produce is higher quality, incredibly fresh and most all the farmers are participating in sustainable growing practices."

Depending on the farm model, customers have different options to pick up their shares. They can drive to the farm, get a ready-packed box or fill a reusable bag as they would at a farm stand. Many farms have ways to pick-your-own berries, herbs and flowers, and a few have a farm store stocked with eggs, dairy, meat and fruit from other local places.

Donna Calabrese, owner of Calabrese Farms at 257 Feeding Hills Road in Southwick, started offering farm shares in 2012.

"We had been looking into it for a couple years and my daughter Danielle was interested in starting it up. She worked together with CISA to get it up and running," Calabrese said. "We started small —with 35 shares — and people were so pleased, and we had such a great turn-out, that we increased it to 70 shares this year. Next year we hope to have 100 shares available."

To find out more about 2014 farm shares at Calabrese, which has operated since 1950 with the help of three generations, call (413) 569-6417. Applications will be available in September and filled on a first-come first-served basis.

Calabrese said she likes having the working capital up front for fertilizer and seed. The farm offers boxes — at peak about a half bushel every week — at a lower cost to their customers, with a different selection for them to try.

"Rather than just corn and potatoes and the regular stuff, we put new things in like beets and vegetables that people wouldn't have tried otherwise. Our customers love it and say that it's an adventure to cook and learn each week," Calabrese said.

Some farms in the share program deliver to homes, and many farmers have started to offer potlucks, workshops, workdays, farm dinners and other activities for members.

Easthampton's Mountain View Farm has partnered up with Baystate Health Systems to offer shares that employees can receive at their offices.

Similarly, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, in Northamptom, has partnered with The Kitchen Garden farm, in Sunderland, to offer shares to hospital staff.

Members of the UMassFive College Federal Credit Union can take advantage of an interest-free CSA share loan that pays farmers in one lump sum and automatically withdraws the share cost from a customer's checking account over six months.

"CSA farm shares have gotten more sophisticated, and there's still that concept that you're venturing with the farmer a little bit, way more than it would be you would be at your local supermarket," Korman said.

He noted members are "with them for more than one season."

"Now farms have expanded the seasons with green houses and hoop houses. They may offer a share right around Thanksgiving or maybe a winter CSA," Korman said.

CISA is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary.

"First, we want 25 percent of the food that people eat in Pioneer Valley to be local. It would have tremendous benefits for farms, communities, the local economy and keep land open and undeveloped," Korman said of his vision.

He hopes enough funds will be raised this year through benefits, donations and matching donations to help assist "beginning farmers" in Hampden County, where he sees a strong base for potential buyers of shares.

The idea, he said, is to give people greater access to locally grown food "when they go to school or college, a hospital, a corner store or a nearby restaurant or food retail store."

He said 55 percent of new farmers do not make it past 10 years, similar, similar to many small business.

Out of the 230 farms that belong to the CISA's Local Hero program, long-lasting business models include some combination of selling direct to the public via farm shares, farm stands, through farmer markets or wholesaling to supermarkets and institutions, he said.

Besides the listing of participating farms at buylocalfood.org, the site also has recipe suggestions among its information.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.