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Community Corner

Feeding Kids Well Through Community Supported Agriculture

Joining a CSA now can be a great way to bring healthy, local and organic food into your home for six months or more.

While lower Westchester was once considered rural compared to the more densely populated five boroughs, now it's impossible to find a single farm in this area.

So what does this mean when it comes to our food? People in urban areas are increasingly looking toward rooftop gardens and other means of obtaining local food. One very successful method of eating local is found in New York City's  many Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs.

How interesting, that one of the world's largest metropolises has fostered a connection to New York's upstate farmers. CSAs also support the state economy, take power away from the industrial food system and reduce people's exposure to pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified foods.

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For parents, feeding our children healthy food is always on our minds. I know for me that the winter has made it tough to eat as locally as I'd like. And when we don't live up to our parenting ideals, that can often leave us feeling guilty. 

But with springtime on the horizon, there are some important moves we can make now in order to invest in healthy, local food for the upcoming season. Just like farming or maintaining a backyard garden, eating locally requires some planning. 

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CSAs provide a means to having local, often organic produce coming in for six months of the year. There are CSAs for meat, eggs, dairy and fruit as well. 

Here's how it works: Participants pay a farmer in full for the season's bounty so the farmer doesn't have to take out high-interest loans to pay for their up-start at the beginning of the season. The investors take a "shared risk" in the harvest. Some farmers are even willing to set up a payment plan within your budget if you can't swing a full payment. 

For families, CSAs are a great way to deter the guilt factor when it comes to giving your kids access to healthy food. In fact, learning to change our spending habits can be a good thing on many fronts. But it also is a way to teach kids about where food comes from while making an investment in their health. Another plus: If you're a CSA member, the farm might even be willing to give your family a tour. 

Even though lower Westchester is no longer conducive to farming, residents can look north to family-owned farms that will thrive with extra participation in their CSA programs. Time is of the essence with CSAs though, since they can fill up quickly. 

Here are some ideas for finding a situation that will fit your time and budget. The information provided is courtesy of each business' respective websites:

1. J&A Farm
   Goshen, NY (Orange County)

  • Pickup location: Pleasantville
  • Cost: Large and half shares available. E-mail for details.
  • For cost information and an application, click here or email jabialasfarm@live.com.

2. Roxbury Farm
   Roxbury, NY (Columbia County)

  • Pick-up location: Pleasantville, Mt. Kisco, Armonk or Katonah. (Note: The White Plains location is full.)
  • Cost: $571 for 25 weeks of vegetables. $70 for 22 weeks of fruit.
  • For forms and more info click here.

3. Norwich Meadows Farm
   Norwich, CT (New London County)

  • Pickup location: Westchester
  • Cost: $600 for 22 weeks of vegetables, half shares at $300. Also have meat, chicken, dairy egg and fruit shares.
  • For more information, click here.

4. Farm Share Ltd.
   Larchmont, NY (Westchester County)

  • Pick-up location: Farm Share Ltd. is a delivery service.
  • Cost: $625 for 22 weeks of vegetables, including delivery. Fruit and egg shares also available.
  • For more info, click here.

5. Farmers Market at Pepsico
   800 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, NY (Westchester County)

While this farmers market doesn't offer a traditional CSA, it has started a delivery service when the market is running on Tuesdays. Area residents can order from any of the market's vendors. Check out their Facebook page for more info on the ordering process.

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