Sunrise Organic Farm, Lompoc CA
Getting a farm cart organics farm box means you are now a member of a CSA, woo!
What exactly is a CSA?
A CSA is a way for small farmer’s to build a loyal community of believers and supporters around their farms. This concept of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) began in the early ’90s as a result of large-scale industrial farms pushing small farmers out of the marketplace.
With a CSA membership, we the people were given the power to support the farms that mattered to us, and in turn, the farmers that mattered to us were able to grow and thrive with the people in their corner. The true power of the CSA has been giving the organic farmers of our community the ability to predict and rely on the members of CSA’s to be there to eat what has been planted and what is harvested.
Why are CSA’s important?
Farming is difficult. Nature is always changing. The farm is in a constant state of change, and the farmer, especially the farmers that are worth supporting, are always adjusting, moving, and adapting to nature in order to bring their crops up healthily and happily.
Good, powerful, natural organic farming on its own is more than a full-time job. When this farmer also has to bring their crops to market to compete in a commodity-driven, ever-changing marketplace that does not see the deep value of their farm practice and does not care for anything other than the appearance of the crops, and the price of the crops, the farmer is entirely overwhelmed, and most often is pulled under by the weight of the endeavor.
This is where the CSA member steps in
Predictability
A CSA member is a predictable force of power for the farmer. A member can be counted on by the farmer to be there when it matters. To us farmers, it is hard to put into words what it means to have members to predict and forecast by. You are the power behind us small farms.
Appreciation
When things go just a little bit wrong, and the arugula has holes in it, a CSA member understands and appreciates the food as it is. A member cares and knows what the farmer is going through.
Reliability
In a farmers world of difficulty and noble struggle, the member is a rock. A stable force. An unchanging force. Someone to be counted on.
We started as the Shepherd Farm’s CSA in Carpinteria in 2011, and extended your predictable CSA membership
power out to the other farmers that we believe in as we have grown.
Today we are an extended CSA providing predictability and power through YOUR farm boxes to;
John Given’s, Sunrise Organics, Earthrine Farms, Cuyama Orchards, Frecker Farms, Alcantar Organics, Shepherd Farms,
and any other farmer’s coming up with the organic values.
