Comments on: Should you join a CSA this summer?

By: Shawn Rosvold

Shawn Rosvold — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:48:37 +0000

I am a member of the Central Brooklyn CSA in Crown Heights. Here are some photos I took yesterday. http://bit.ly/cowEvL

By: Faye

Faye — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:41:19 +0000

love the photos, winthropst–thanks for posting them. how did you keep up with all of that produce in august?

By: Trevor Dye

Trevor Dye — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:59:39 +0000

Great point, no one I spoke to really mentioned that but it makes complete sense. I would hope some farmers would see people opting out of continuing the following year as a sign that such practices are unacceptable. But I guess it comes down to demand, if there are people lined up it doesn’t really matter.

And winthropst, from what I gathered it seems to vary. Most offer some sort of pricing alternatives, whether it’s in share sizing, accepting food stamps, and so forth. But you’re probably best off checking with the group you’re interested in joining. Organizing a work exchange with the farmer might be another alternative to reduce cost if you have the time.

By: Donna

Donna — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:54:45 +0000

I was part of a CSA last summer (Kensington/Windsor Terrace CSA), and felt like it was a bit of a hoax. The situation today is that there are far more urban locavore types than there are farmers to supply CSAs. As a result many of the CSAs get booked up. Taken together w/the fact that you pay in advance, this gives the farmers little incentive to give you their best stuff. Most of them also sell at farmers’ markets, where people pick and choose based on price and quality, so of course they sell the most attractive produce there. I’m not saying my CSA experience was a disaster, but it felt a little like a city slicker being taken to the cleaners’ by country folk. There was some great stuff, but there was also wilted lettuce, moldy strawberries, leeks that had turned to wood,wormy corn, and other stuff nobody would pay money for. Part of the procedure was that the farmer would ascribe a monetary value to each share, to give people a feel for what a great bargain they were gettiing. The prices were usually hilariously inflated.
I’m not saying I don’t like the idea of the CSA, but in practice it didn’t work for me. THis year, I am buying lots of stuff at my local frmers’ market (COrtelyou Road) instead.

By: winthropst

winthropst — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:08:45 +0000

the flatbush farm share is on a sliding scale system, takes food stamps and also has payment plans to encourage people who wouldn’t normally be able to make the investment. do the others csa’s operate the same way?

to jacob – it depends on what you prefer to cook. check out these photos to get an idea of what someone got for her half share every week last year with the lefferts garden csa:
http://www.plgcsa.org/2008/11/11/2008-12-share-photos/

By: Jacob in DP

Jacob in DP — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:36:12 +0000

As a brand new CSA member in Ditmas Park, I’m wondering what veteran CSA-ers find the best cooking month of the season?