← All Of It with Alison Stewart
All Of It with Alison Stewart
How to Join a CSA (What the Hack)
00:22:57
Community Supported Agriculture, or a CSA, is a unique way to up your produce game at home.
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- [00:10]
A
This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Are you a part of a csa? CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. The big idea is you buy a share in a local farm for a certain amount of time and each week you pick up items grown by that farm. For the next edition of our what the Hack series, we are talking about the best ways to get the most out of your csa. How to join one, what to do with the huge amount of radishes you got this week and a whole lot more. We are talking CSAs and we want you to take the time to shout out your local csa. Joining us to help a bit more to explain about CSAs is Angelina Montanez Montez. Thank you, Angelina Montez. She's an editor for Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center. Angelina, thank you for coming to the studio.
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B
Thanks so much listeners.
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A
Are you part of a CSA in the city or in your town? Shout out your local CSA right now. Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. What made you interested in joining a community supported agriculture in the first place? What do you like to make with your produce? Do you have a favorite fruit or vegetable from the farm? What have you made? Do you have any advice for someone who's interested in joining a CSA but isn't sure where to start? You can call or text us 2124-3396-9221-2433-WNYC. Okay, so I went down a rabbit hole to try to find out, like, when did the first CSA start? And this is the sentence I came on. There's no consensus on the origins of the CSA concept. However, it did say later in the article that it did start to gain momentum here in the United states in the 1980s. So CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. What does that mean?
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B
Yeah, so it's run by farms for the community. So what happens with the CSA is you will choose what farm you like, you will pay upfront at the beginning of the season for the share that you're going to be getting every week for the next four or five months. And it's community supported because all of those funds are going directly into the farmer's pockets and they know how much money they're making on that produce. And also a lot of farms partner, especially in the city, partner with other local organizations, bookshops, restaurants, things like that as pickup sites. So you get to like explore your neighborhood, see what other organizations or shops are around and talk to people, get to know your farmers and where your food comes from.
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A
What can the impact be of a CSA on the local food system?
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B
Yeah, so farming is a little bit of a process. It is a little bit tricky to kind of anticipate your financial margins. And so when you bring produce to a farmer's market, you don't know, you hope, but you don't know that all of the produce will sell for that day. So you can't really anticipate how much money as the farmer you are getting back. And so CSAs go a long way to give farmers predictability about how much money they will be able to make for the season because you pay up front.
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A
Let's take a call. This is sue calling in from the Upper west side. Hi, Sue. Thanks for making the time to call all of it.
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C
Thank you. I'm really happy to have this segment. I thank you very much for doing it. We belong to the Roxbury Farm CSA, and we've belonged for probably about 10 years. And how I joined was really quite a curious accident. My knitting group was looking for a new location, and we went to the church on west end in 86th street, and we were talking to the minister there about renting a space. And I saw a group of people who seemed to be gathering vegetables in the courtyard. And I said, what is this? And I went down and I spoke to the woman who was organizing it locally, and she said, take a few vegetables. And I took them home. And we immediately joined. We were very lucky someone had moved, so we were able to join in the middle of the summer. And we've been members for 10 years. And I will tell you that when the vegetable season ends in late November, I am incredibly sad because nothing tastes as good. The vegetables are phenomenal.
- [04:47]
A
Thanks for calling in. This says Tributary Farm, best CSA I ever joined. This says I have a fish share. It buys directly from day boat fishermen. This says my first CSA was on Signal Mountain, Tennessee, with biodynamic farmer McGregor. No joke. Fantastic. You want to hear about your experiences with a csa? Shout out your local CSA Now. What made you interested in joining the community supported agriculture in the first place. Any advice for someone who's interested in joining a csa? Tell us what you make with what you get from your CSA. Call or text us now. It's 212-433-969. That's 212433, WNYC. I'm speaking with Angelina Montes, an editor for Hunter College's NYC Food Policy Center. She's here for our life series what the heck? We're discussing CSAs. I know you've been a part of a CSA before. Tell us about your experience.
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B
Yeah, so I was a part of Rocksteady Farms csa. They are a farm in upstate New York. They do some drop offs here in the city as well. They're in, I think Manhattan and Brooklyn as well. And I was getting their CSA when I was still living upstate. So we were driving to the farm itself to pick up our share, which was fantastic, a beautiful drive. And then at the end of it, you get pounds of beautiful produce.
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A
So with the CSA you get a chance to interact and talk with farmers like you did upstate producing your food. What can that connection do for people when they're talking to the people who make their food?
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B
Absolutely. I think it's a really, really important connection. I think that it really ups the value of everything that you're bringing home. Talking about how long it took to grow when they start putting things in the soil just like their day to day life means so much. I feel like every time I went home with my produce I was really, really excited to use it and also wanting to use all of it to its full capability because so much love, time and energy went into it.
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A
Let's talk realistic, how much does a CSA share cost?
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B
Yeah, so it ranges depending on the farm, of course, but your typical CSA share will be anywhere from maybe like $600 to $700, which is expensive. It is an expensive upfront cost. But you are also getting vegetables for sometimes five to six months out of the year. Every week you are getting anywhere depending on your share. If it's a half share, it's normally like 10 pounds of vegetables. If it's a full share, it's anywhere from 20 to 25. So that gives you more vegetables than you know what to do with per week.
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A
I would say let's talk about that. My sister was part of a CSA and there was one week we were like, I don't know what to do with all these radishes. I don't know what to do. Tell us a little bit about the. It's not difficulty, the challenge of you're getting a load beautiful vegetables but you're not necessarily, necessarily sure what to do with them.
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B
Absolutely. Yeah. I would always say host a dinner party, ask a friend.
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A
Smart.
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B
I love sharing my CSA with people. I have shared, gotten a full share and halfed it with a friend to cut the cost also. So I just like ask my friends, ask my family what they like to cook, how they like to do it. Also, if you, like, make anything, you can make gifts, you can pickle things, you can make things like hot sauce and stuff. But yeah, if you host a party, you have 10 people come over, you make a bunch of stuff. The food goes pretty fast.
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A
I want to go to Colum in central Harlem, who is going to weigh in on the history of the csa. It's a very important part of the history. Hey, Colum, are you on air?
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C
Yes, I am. Thank you.
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A
All right. I'm so sorry.
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C
Yeah. Okay. So the sort of godfather of community supported agriculture is an African American horticulturalist and agricultural professor who taught at Tuskegee University in Alabama. His name is Dr. Booker T. Whatley, and in the 1960s, he was the first person to introduce the concept of farm subscriptions in the United States with the idea that African American farmers would be able to plan better and make better money if they knew, because the were excluded from many markets. So if they had club members who they knew would purchase their crops, they could plan and, you know, budget accordingly. So he's the godfather of the csa. Booker T. Whatley.
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A
Thanks for calling. Let's talk to Emily and Yonkers. Hey, Emily.
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C
Hi, Allison. I called in because I thought this was such a wonderful segment. I am a CSA member, but I also just this morning did a volunteer shift with my CSA because our pickups are on Mondays, so that means I went, I helped set up. Once the farmers drop off the produce, we set it all up so that when members come to pick up their shares, it's a really seamless process. And I just. I really can't stress the importance of supporting small farmers and shout out to Stone Ledge Farms in Leeds, New York, because that's the farm that brings all their wonderful produce downstate to us, and it's all organic. And so they will sometimes they'll send out a newsletter and they'll send out recipe ideas, they'll send out what we're getting, but then they'll also talk about the farming process. And it's just incredible when you think about organic farming, you just don't know the work that goes into it. And when they talk about, you know, oh, we are harvesting our potatoes this week, and those little. These little beetles that love to get in under the tarp, we have to hand pick them off. And, you know, thinking about, like, just the tedious work that it takes, and that's just for one, potatoes. I just have so much respect for the people that grow and pick our food, and it's so important to support them and so I really just want to encourage listeners to do so.
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A
I really, I appreciate your enthusiasm. Thank you so much for calling. I wanted to get to Rebecca on line five because she's got a baby. So we wanted to get that call in. Hi, Rebecca, thanks for calling, all of it.
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C
Hi. Just wanted to give a very big shout out to the 607CSA. They do sliding scale, they take snap, they do half shares, full shares. You can get it delivered every week or every other week. Tons of pickup locations. They have, of course, fall and winter share too. And you can do add ons with like baked goods, coffees, all sorts of things. So just a huge shout out to the 607CSA. And I think they're a like alliance of several different farms. So big recommendation there.
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A
Why is it called the 607? Is that the area code?
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C
I think, I think it's the area code. You know, I've been a member for over five years and I've never looked into it because I'm just so satisfied with what I get. I never think to like look further. But big recommendation for them.
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A
Thanks so much. This is an interesting text that we got. There was a joke that CSAs were invented by Kohlrabi or maybe Swiss Chard. When we did it, it had a lot of veggies, but we didn't like them very much and very few apples that I would like more of. We realized Farmer's market was better for us and less overpriced. Thank you for that call as well. I want to pick up on one of our callers. Said Angelina, first of all, how does pickup work? You just show up and they give it to you? Yeah.
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B
So basically at the beginning of the csa, you pay, you select what pickup location you would like. They normally have a couple and then every week at a certain time you go, you say your name, they normally have a list, they check your name off, you get a box, you go home.
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A
Is, is there anything that you should do to make pickup easier?
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B
Bring a trolley or a cart for yourself. Sometimes they're really heavy. It's pounds of vegetables. And if you're in New York, you're probably commuting home.
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A
There are dozens of CSAs in New York and around the city. What are a few different ways you suggest that people go about trying to find a CSA that'll work for them?
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B
Yeah, a couple of options. One in doubt. Google it. You can look up CSAs in Queens, in the Bronx, near me. That's a really good way to get a bunch of lists. How I found out a bunch of out about a bunch of CSAs is going to farmers markets. A bunch of farmers at the markets will have their own CSAs that you can either pick up there or somewhere else in the city.
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A
Let's talk to Elise from Bergen County. Hey, Elise, thanks for making the time to call all of it.
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C
Hi, I want to give a shout out to Laughing Fork Farm. They're located in Goshen. And every week the farmer comes down to my house and has about. We have about 25 families in town. And I just open my garage door, set up the boxes, and everybody signs up and picks up their share with a mushroom share if they want. And it's open, you know, nine to six people sometimes text me if they're ready, running late. And it works out great. And then the farmer goes to Chappaqua in Cold Spring and has an adorable store on the property too, on the weekends, actually, in New Paul's. But what's great also about this CSA is that Monday evening a newsletter goes out and explains all the work that's been put into it so you could appreciate how hard the farmer works. And then they give recipes to go with the vegetables to inspire you. Some people don't know how to use the vegetables.
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A
You know, that is really smart. The recipes. That is very smart. Let's talk to Colleen, who is calling in from Tewksbury Township, New Jersey. Hi, Colleen. You are on all of it.
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C
Hi, good afternoon. So I've been a CSA user member for probably close to 20 years, but a quick insert to that is I just realized as I was waiting on hold that when I was growing up in Short Hills, my mother had a guy, a farmer, who came from who knows where in New Jersey, he would in season, come once a week in his truck and do a drop off that she had, she had agreed to in advance for a $20 minimum, which was, you know, factored into her, her grocery budget. So that was sort of, I guess, my concept of csa. But my tip to add is scout's honor. Be prepared. If you know when you know your day and that you're going to pick up, plan to bring it in and don't even put the things away. Go directly to your stove, to your sink, rinse, start munching on some things while you're preparing something to have with that night's dinner, cooking something to have for the next night's dinner, and maybe even if you're at the stove cooking something else, mixing a few things together to put in the freezer, use it as quickly as possible. Don't let it sit there and be pretty because it won't be pretty after a week.
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A
Thanks for your tip. What do you think of that idea?
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C
Angelina?
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B
I think that's a great idea. It's normally so exciting when you get your box anyway. It's like opening up a present. So I think that's perfect.
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A
I'm speaking with Angelina Montez, Editor for Hunter College's NYC Food Policy Center. She's here for our latest installment of our Life Hack series. What the Hack we are discussing CSA is Community Supported Agriculture and we are taking your calls. Are you part of a CSA in the city or in your town? Shout out your local CSA now. What made you interested in joining a community supported agriculture in the first place? Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyc. You can call in and join us on air or you can send us a text to that number as well. There's traditional fruit and vegetable SSAs. I remember my sister joined a flower CSA which was pretty cool. There are different kinds of CSAs. What kinds could we look for? For maybe not that interested in vegetables.
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B
Or yeah, well a flower CSA like you just said is a really pretty option. There are also some medicinal herb CSAs, so I'm actually currently a part of one. It's from Ayni Farm, a Y N I herb farm and this one is once a month instead of weekly, but you get five to seven bunches of herbs, chamomile, calendula, lemon balm to make teas with, to make salves with. And then they're a really educational farm as well. So the week after pickup we all get on a zoom call together and talk about whatever everyone is making with all of the plants.
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A
Oh, that's so interesting. You must have learned a lot.
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B
I've learned so so much from like lore about different plants to like medicinal uses for them to how people use them in different parts of the world. It's been amazing.
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A
Here's a couple of texts. We have huge shout out for Flocktown Farm in Pittstown, New Jersey. This is an organic CSA that partners with other wonderful farmers and specialty food producers and it delivers. Also, agree with your guests that sharing a full share with a friend helps with the cost, but also means you get a greater variety each week. Love the show. This says CSAs accept snap food stamps. Want people to know that Regarding CSA My name is Yasmine from Port Washington. I have been a member of Golden Earthworm on Long island for more than 15 years. Agree that the end of the season is so sad. One tip. I freeze so many of the veggies, especially greens. It extends enjoyment into the winter.
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C
Love it.
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A
All good advice. I want to ask a little bit about your background. You grew up on the Lower east side, right?
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B
I did, yes.
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A
It's not like you came from afar.
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C
No.
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A
How did you get interested in food and food policy?
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B
Yeah. So I've been cooking for most of my life. It's been a familial activity. So I've loved food and vegetables for forever. And it wasn't until I moved upstate that I kind of understood where things were coming from. I was in the Hudson Valley for five years, and it's a food hub. There are farms a stone's throw away everywhere. And so I was just able to start going to farms and actual farmers markets and talking to people, and it was just amazing. And I wanted to follow that. How food production worked, how it impacted the people doing the actual work. Yeah.
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A
Let's talk to Mike, who is calling in from Blairstown and is a CSA farmer. Hi, Mike.
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C
Hey. Hi, Allison. Appreciate your work.
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A
Appreciate your work.
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C
Yeah, Yeah. I don't know. It's a whole hell of a lot of it.
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A
Tell us a bit more.
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C
Well, you know, we've been doing this 30 years. We were assuredly the first in New Jersey. Back in those days, we always thought that it kind of started in Temple Wilton, Indian Line Farm up in what, New Hampshire? Massachusetts, A couple of farms up there. And, you know, we tried to sell vegetables at the side of the road. And then we heard about this idea and the community really went for it. And we've been, you know, that's all we do is csa. It's never easy. The business side is always tough. But we. When we get people, we usually hang on to them for quite a long time. And the first thing that I say to anybody who was interested in a share is, do you cook? Do you spend time in the kitchen? Because we are selling work. And sometimes people have a kind of a romantic notion about it, but there's, you know, it's a commitment because, you know, as I've heard, a lot of people get a lot of stuff and sometimes don't know what to do with it.
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A
All right, Mike, thank you for your service. We appreciate it. Flower Club Spring Wind Farm in New Jersey. Give them a shout out. Mermaid's Garden. That's the name of a fish share. We're about to run out of time. Angelina, is there something that I haven't covered. You think everybody should know or be aware of.
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B
A couple of people said it. So thank you to those people. There are a bunch of CSAs that do accept SNAP and if you are looking for them I would go to hudsonvalleycsa.org they have a list of farms in New York State and in New York City that will accept SNAP for your csa trying to make it more accessible.
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A
That's a walk. The Hack Series our discussion of CSAs Angelina Montez is an editor for Hunter College's NYC Food Policy Center. Thank you for joining us. We really appreciate it.
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B
Thank you so much for having me.
- [22:27]
A
And to our listeners, a reminder to you, there will be transcripts of this conversation up online, so if you didn't get the name of something, you can check it out in the next couple of days. After the news, it's an issue of Full Bio. We're talking about a love story. Stay with us.
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C
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