Why You Should Join a CSA This Winter

Get seasonal produce sent right to you door, no matter what the weather forecast.

Winter is upon us and seasonal produce options are getting real slim in northern regions of the United States. The cooler months are usually synonymous with carrots, apples, potatoes and maybe kale if you’re lucky. Seasonal eating has a number of benefits, but it can be a challenge when there aren’t many produce options to pick from. Enter CSAs (short for “community supported agriculture“). If you’re not familiar, CSAs directly connect the public to local farmers by providing crop shares. As a CSA member, you’re able to purchase a share from one or various farms that collectively team together, and then you get regularly scheduled produce throughout the growing season. It’s genius.Shares oftentimes go beyond produce and may include eggs, dairy, meat and other farm products. Depending on your household size, you can also customize the size of your box and include food preferences if there’s something you don’t eat. Once you’re signed up, you can pick up your box from pick-up points (in cities, it’s common for farmers to have different pick-up points for convenience) or get your goods delivered. It’s a great way to support local farmers, eat seasonally and save some money in the process since buying in season is usually more affordable. Some CSA’s also accept EBT and provide sliding scale membership for low-income communities.

With limited produce during the winter months, CSAs provide this neat box of whatever is growing locally. You’ll likely get more variety than the seasonal produce options available at the supermarket and it’s also cool to experiment with foods you may not have tried before. I like to see it as a Pandora’s box, where each week I have an opportunity to explore new recipes and expand the types of foods I’m eating. If you’re still on the fence, here’s a list of the benefits of joining a CSA this winter.

Head on over to FOOD NETWORK to read the full article! Why You Should Join a CSA This Winter