CSA Day Offers Second Chance for New Year’s Resolutions
By Maegen Laney Noble and Kristen Laney O’Toole
Are your New Year’s resolutions already in the rear-view mirror? If so, you’re not alone, but you still have time to make good on those resolutions. February 24th marks the third annual CSA Day when you can join other like-minded people around the country who are committed to:
- eating healthful foods and preparing them for their families;
- supporting their local farmer;
- being kind to our planet;
- learning something new; and being adventurous in the kitchen.
CSA (community-supported agriculture) is a subscription to a season’s worth of sustainable, locally grown produce that is distributed to members throughout the harvesting season. It is a form of investment that allows small farmers to continue growing on a scale that may not be sustainable without the CSA model. CSA members enjoy the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables for their family, while supporting their local farmer.
According to Small Farm Central’s CSA Farming Annual Report, the most popular time to join a CSA each year is at the end of February. To promote this important time for farmers, CSA Day was coined, and each year it falls on the last Friday in February. It’s an entire day dedicated to the celebration of community-supported agriculture, and CSA farmers enjoy an influx of sign-ups from members, which gives them revenue when they need it most for the growing season.
Getting food from a CSA is different from going to a farmers market or using a grocery delivery service. As a CSA member, you make a seasonal commitment to a small farmer in your area, and the produce is either delivered to your door or you pick it up at a local distribution center. CSA members take pleasure in knowing where and how their food is grown, and typically have an open line of communication with their farmer.
“Community-supported agriculture is all about relationships and feeding families,” said Simon Huntley, CEO of Small Farm Central, a company that provides marketing support for small farms and started CSA Day. “CSA farmers typically teach members what’s in season throughout the year, and help them appreciate and cook food to which they may not otherwise be exposed.”
How to Get Involved with CSA Day
If you believe in the value of the work your local farmer does and would like to help that farm be successful, sign up for a CSA on February 24, and use the hashtag #CSAday to join the online conversation. To find a CSA in your area, search this CSA directory. You can also sign up here to stay up to date on news and updates about CSA Day.
About Small Farm Central and CSA Day
In 2006, Simon Huntley combined his passion for helping small farmers and his experience in technology to found Small Farm Central. The organization serves the technology needs of small business farmers, including websites, ecommerce, CSA member management and marketing tools. Small Farm Central coined CSA Day in February 2015 to celebrate local agriculture among CSA members and farmers. Small Farm Central has worked with more than 1,000 farms across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, please visit www.smallfarmcentral.com and www.csaday.info.
Yarden of Eatin' 
Reblogged this on Monadnock Matters.