I'm glad you asked. You may have heard of farms offering "subscriptions" or "CSAs" and thought to yourself, "what is that?" CSA (aka farm subscriptions) stands for Community Supported Agriculture. There are many forms of memberships that farms offer these days but the CSA is very much the traditional membership model. Essentially, a customer (or member) signs up at the beginning of a growing season and provides the farmer with a deposit of money. The money is used by the farmer to buy seeds, implements or anything needed to grow and harvest produce or flowers for that growing season. In return for a customer's "investment," they are rewarded in several ways. Not only does a customer receive a share of the harvest for the season, but he/she will also gain a sense of community and pride by encouraging local farmers to grow in the community. So, by signing up at the beginning of a season and for paying for your share upfront, the farmer can then accurately forecast the season ahead. It is a win win situation for everyone. Farm CSAs, memberships and subscriptions are one of the best ways to support small farm agriculture in your local community!
