Join a CSA

Finally, we can sing- here comes the sun! Springtime calls for longer days, brighter skies, and a multitude of Hudson Valley farms preparing for an abundant growing season ahead.

Singing birds during sunrise and the vivid, lush green leaves suggests that life outside of our winter caves does indeed exist. What better way to get involved with the community again and defrost the Winter blues than to be involved in a Hudson Valley-based CSA farm. 

CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, encourages the connection between farmers and their local neighbors through seasonal food production and distribution. 

The support for a community-based farm can occur by shopping in the region’s many different farmer’s markets or by becoming a CSA member of a local farm of your choosing. Each farm will have different details for what your membership entails, however, the general idea remains the same. A CSA membership buys you a share of the farm that then allows for a weekly selection of seasonal fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and even meats. 

The constructive benefits for both the consumer and the farmer make the decision to be involved with a CSA farm almost too easy. 

Members will get the pleasure of knowing exactly where their food comes from, while at the same time, contributing to the local economy. Less time can be spent in a grocery store buying overpriced, organic produce and more time can be spent saying hello to your fellow farmer who just harvested your box of in-season, freshly harvested foods. 

The support from the community ensures a flourishing season for farmers. The investment from members lets farmers plan their upcoming season with more financial confidence due to the committed consumers. Having the stable income at the start of the season lets farms purchase seeds and tools necessary for the upcoming months. These committed members will grant farmers peace of mind so they do not have to worry about the financial outcome of the season before it even starts. All in all, these CSA programs and farms need the presence of a community in order to thrive.

To emphasize the community-based energy of CSA, Arrowood Farms Brewery and Distillery is partnering up with TransGenerational Farm this year where you can pick up your weekly farm vegetable share as well as a curated 4 pack of Arrowood’s thirst-quenching craft beers. What more could you ask for? 

It would be exceedingly impossible to drive from Rensselaer to Westchester County and ignore the presence of the many different farms along the ride. From Hilltop Hannover Farm to Eight Mile Creek Farm, all these farms hold the same transparent values of a devoted community. 

To become more knowledgeable of CSA and learn which farms are in your local area visit the Hudson Valley CSA Coalition website where their main goal is to make CSA familiar and accessible to everyone in the Hudson Valley. You can also check out our iHeart Farms section to browse local listings.

By Victoria Cymbal
Victoria is a freelance writer in the Hudson Valley where she spends her time either finding new ways to bring the community together or hiking the local Catskill mountains.