Page 38 - Valley Table - Spring 2021
P. 38

                                                     Community through CSA
  COMMUNITY IS HARD TO BUILD during a global pandemic. From masked identities in public spaces to the insular nature of working or learning from home, the past year has made it nearly impossible to establish kinship beyond socially distanced solidarity. Many independent Hudson Valley businesses have suffered due to this abrupt loss
of personal connection. However, one industry
has actually seen a large rise in popularity due to COVID-19: Community Supported Agriculture.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is
a membership-based agricultural model. In exchange for an upfront payment or series of installments, CSA members regularly receive a “share” of their farm’s bounty — whether it be an assortment of fresh vegetables and/or fruit, herbs, mushrooms, flowers, eggs, dairy, and/or meat — over the course of the growing season.
CSA is expected to remain an invaluable resource as the pandemic continues into 2021. Most CSA farms offer their share pick-up outside, meaning social distancing is a natural fit and the process is inherently safer than shopping indoors. It’s an affordable way to eat locally and support sustainable farming. While shares often have
a high upfront cost, CSAs are typically much cheaper than equivalent items at farmers’ markets and are competitive with prices at the grocery store. Finally, CSAs offer the freshest food around, with farmers often harvesting your produce the very same day you pick it up.
Grown by kind, hardworking farmers just down the road, CSA shares are an incredible way to invest in your health and in your community alike. Browse farms from the Hudson Valley CSA Coalition’s directory, starting on page 42, to find the perfect farm for you.
FARMS, FOOD & MARKETS
            36 THE VALLEY TABLE APRIL – MAY 2021 PHOTO BY EVA DEITCH
























































































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