Winter squash, garlic, mushrooms, pears, potatoes, turnips, and apples are the only fruits and vegetables in season during December in Connecticut. It hardly seems to be the time to imagine planting anything, but it’s the time of year to join a CSA. Community Supported Agriculture is a different approach to stocking one’s refrigerator and shelves with produce, but as the public’s awareness of food politics increases, so does the popularity of CSAs.
Joining a CSA means making an investment, which may or may not have a good return. The consumer purchases a share or half-share, typically, and is entitled to an agreed upon amount of produce. This might mean the CSA member can pick up one bag of fruits, vegetables, and herbs every week. However, there is risk involved, as growing seasons can be plagued with things like drought and blight. The advantage of joining a CSA is having access to very fresh, local food and the opportunity to directly communicate with whomever is growing that food. Some CSAs require the consumer to pick up the food while others will deliver.
There are about a dozen CSAs in reasonable driving distance from Hartford, and one within city limits. Grow Hartford C.S.A. is now accepting applications for 2011 shares. They are located at 75 Laurel Street, in the Frog Hollow neighborhood. This CSA writes:
Members help pay for seeds, fertilizer, water, equipment maintenance, labor, etc. In return, the farm provides, to the best of its ability, a healthy supply of seasonal fresh produce throughout the growing season. Becoming a member creates a responsible relationship between people and the food they eat, the land on which it is grown and those who grow it. This mutually supportive relationship between local farmers, growers and community members helps create an economically stable farm operation in which members are assured the highest quality produce, often at below retail prices. In return, farmers and growers are guaranteed a reliable market for a diverse selection of crops.
I have had no direct experience with this CSA, but have heard mixed reviews of it. Their season is a little shorter than others in the area, and last year, members said it took some time before they were getting much besides fennel. Bags were not as filled as they should have been. Later, it was reported that the reason for this was that whole plants were stolen from the farm. While rural CSAs may not have theft as one of the harvest variations to consider, this is certainly an issue in an urban setting. One other criticism heard about the CSA was that their hours for pickup were not always consistent. At the end of the season, they requested feedback from members, which seems like they are willing to put forth the effort to change the things that did not work so well in the past. The Grow Hartford C.S.A. offers a deeply discounted low income rate– $75 for a twelve-week membership. That breaks down to $6.25 per bag. Some deliveries are made via bicycle. They are involved in the community, offering locals the chance to learn about and participate in farming. The location is convenient to two major bus routes and the site has a parking lot. You can learn more about the Grow Hartford C.S.A. on their website and Facebook page.