Rising fuel prices and growing awareness of environmental issues are leading to increased interest in the local food movement and a sharp upturn in the number of people joining community supported agriculture (CSA) farms.
The number of CSAs in the U.S. has gone from 50 in 1990 to more than 2,000 today, according to an Associated Press story.
CSA members pay roughly $500-$600 dollars for a seasonal membership in a farm and receive a weekly box of produce in return. Farmers benefit from up-front capital and a guaranteed, stable market for their crops. Members receive fresh, often organic, produce and the opportunity to volunteer on the farm. The money stays local, benefitting the community and saving on fuel and emissions required to ship food from California.
And as fuel prices go up, purchasing food from a CSA is becoming more economical–but the benefits of returning to locally grown food and developing direct relationships with farmers and their land go much deeper.
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