Small Towns, Wisconsin Southwest Region Fall 2015 | Page 19

In recent years, community-supported agriculture has been growing in popularity. Members of
a CSA pay at the beginning of the growing season for a share of the anticipated harvest, and
then receive regular shares of produce once harvesting begins. In this way, they share the risks
and benefits of food production, allowing farmers to concentrate on growing the food without
worrying about selling it and providing members with fresh, locally-grown, often organic food
delivered regularly. Because food goes to the consumer immediately after being harvested, it’s
grown for quality and flavor rather than shelf life. There are a number of variations – some CSAs
provide meat or other non-produce options.
In Wisconsin, many CSAs belong to the FairShare CSA Coalition. FairShare-endorsed vegetable
farms must be certified organic or be in transition to organic certification, and meat farmers must
raise their animals in humane conditions. There are many CSA options depending on your needs,
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