Learn more about the benefits of CSAs and find out why you should join one! 

Want the freshest, most delicious and nutritious veggies available? Then you should sign up for a CSA! Well, what even is a CSA? CSA Stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. The share consists of a box of vegetables, and other products from the farm. Members of the community can purchase a share (aka a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box full of seasonal produce every week throughout the farming season.

If you haven’t heard already, our owner, Kevin Jamison, has joined together with several partners to purchase New Earth Farm in Pungo. Check out Coastal Virginia Magazine to learn more about this story.

New Earth Farm is offering a CSA program for the Spring and Summer. The CSA will last for 15 weeks, and members will receive a box of veggies, herbs and fruits from the farm. The content of each week’s share truly follows the seasons, as everything is grown from seed to seedling, tended and then harvested on the farm. New Earth Farm follows sustainable farming practices and grows everything naturally – no pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

CSA programs benefit both the farmer and members. Some reasons CSA are beneficial to farmers include:

  • The opportunity to get to know the people they grow for.
  • Better cash flow for farms as they plan for a new season. Early payments from “shareholders” means enough money to buy seeds, farm supplies, and plan for labor expenses at the start of the season.
  • When farmers can identify their market before the beginning of the season, they can plan the use of their resources more efficiently, which means less waste of money and of crop.

CSA Benefits to Members:

  • The privilege of eating vibrant, just-harvested produce. If you’re a part of a CSA, your produce will be harvested when it’s ripe and, in most cases, find its way into your kitchen within a day of being picked. This means better flavor and more nutrient-rich produce.
  • Access to heirlooms and more unusual produce varieties, and the fun that comes with trying new things!
  • The ability to get to know your farmers and develop a relationship of trust with those that nourish your family.

CSA Benefits to the Planet and Future Generations:

  • Less CO2 emissions- less energy required to transport and refrigerate produce across long distances.
  • No groundwater pollution from pesticides and fertilizers, which ensures better drinking water for us and future generations.
  • No damage to the fish population from pollution caused by the runoff of fertilizers that feeds oxygen-depleting organisms and throws off the balance of our fisheries, lakes, ponds, and streams.
  • Management of healthy nutrient cycling of the soil by maintaining the balance of things like nitrogen, phosphorous, and methane. This means the soil remains productive for this generation and those to follow.

When you do decide to join a CSA, you’ll join a group of people who are decidedly close to their food. You will be paying for the most sustainable, nutritious and delicious food. The money you spend goes right into the food you eat and into sustaining the operations of the farm. If you’re ready to sign up for New Earth Farm’s CSA – sign up online today! Spots are filling up quickly, so don’t delay!