Join the Farm-Fresh Fun in Minnesota With a CSA This Summer!
Can you feel that, Minnesota? The snow is finally melting, the days are getting longer, and summer is just around the corner. That means one thing – farm fresh fruits and veggies are about to be popping up everywhere! One of the coolest ways to get your hands on all that local produce goodness is through a CSA.
I’m a huge fan of fresh veggies. Did you know you can get them delivered straight from local farms to your door (or nearby) through a CSA program? It’s true!
What is a CSA?
If you’re thinking “a CS-what??” let me explain. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.
It’s like a subscription box, but instead of meal kits or beauty products, you get a weekly or bi-weekly box with the season’s best crops from a local farm. How awesome is that?
A Rotating Produce Parade
Each box is a surprise mix of whatever fresh goodies are being harvested that week. One delivery might have crisp leafy greens, bright red radishes, and sweet strawberries.
The next could be loaded with zucchini, broccoli, new potatoes, and a gorgeous bouquet of wildflowers from the farm’s fields.
Part of what makes CSAs so fun is not knowing exactly what you’re going to get! It pushes you to get creative and try new foods you might skip over at the grocery store.
Where to Find Local CSA’s in Minnesota
Signing up is super easy too. Just head to www.minnesotagrown.com to find CSA farms near you. The Twin Cities area in particular has a ton of great options with flexible pickup locations around the metro.
If you want to meet some local farmers in person, check out the big CSA Fair put on by Seward Community Co-op each April.
The Benefits of Joining a CSA
Of course, joining a CSA is about more than just the food. When you become a member, your upfront payment helps support hard-working small farms in your community and keeps that cash flowing locally.
Many CSAs also focus on sustainable, environmentally-friendly growing practices like organic and regenerative methods. So you can feel good about where your food is coming from!
Adjusting to the CSA Lifestyle
That said, getting a CSA does require a little commitment. Shares can run anywhere from $400 up to $800 for the whole season depending on size. And since you’ll be getting a awesome but kind of random assortment each week based on what’s fresh, it pushes you to go with the flow and use up everything before more shows up. But to me, that’s half the fun!
Plus, most CSA farms share newsletters, guides and recipes to give you tons of ideas for using up even the most head-scratching veggie varieties that land in your box. And there’s something really special about being that connected to your local farms and harvests.
Supporting Local Sustainable Farmers
As one of my favorite local farmers, Eleanor Babcock-Jensen from StrongHeart Farms, told me: “We started our CSA to help change the huge industrial food system and create closer ties between farmers and eaters who care about sustainability.”
Even though Minnesota has been losing farms overall, small community-focused operations under 50 acres have actually been growing. CSAs provide a vital way for these local growers to stay viable and keep doing what they do best.
Join the Local Food Movement!
So if you’re looking for the freshest seasonal flavors, trying new foods, and supporting sustainable agriculture in your area, I highly recommend joining a CSA this summer!
It’s such a fun way to mix up your meals and really taste the hard work of Minnesota’s finest farms. Plus you’ll be part of an awesome community bringing more light and life to our local food scene. What could be better than that?
