Have you been considering joining a CSA in Central Pennsylvania? CSA stands for community supported agriculture. Farms sell shares in CSAs that essentially give you a weekly sampling of the products they provide, ranging from fruit and vegetables to meat. A typical CSA might include a head of lettuce, a bag of blueberries, a handful of peaches, a few sprigs of rosemary, and zucchini, providing you with a variety of products to try.
CSA memberships are available across the region, from Dover to Loysville to Lancaster. Here’s an in-depth look at the CSA concept, what benefits they offer, and where you can find them.
How Does a CSA Work?
When you join a CSA, you get fresh food grown at the farm each week for however long your CSA term goes. Most CSAs require you pay an upfront fee for the entire CSA run. For instance, you might pay $200 in March for 10 weeks of product running from March through May.
Some CSAs allow you to sign up for different sessions, depending on what type of food you want. Strawberries, for example, come into season later than asparagus, so if you have a strawberry lover in your household, you should sign up for a later cycle. Many CSAs provide pre-boxed selections, so you don’t have a say in what produce you receive, but some do allow you to pick it yourself or give you discounts to take part in “u-pick” activities.
Many farms also let you determine the size of your share. When choosing an option, ask how many people the products in each can feed before deciding.
Delivery options often vary, too. Some farms ask you to pick up on site. Others will drop off at a central location, such as a gym or library. Be sure you understand when and where your produce or meat will be delivered, so you don’t miss it. You’ll also want to find out what you can do with your share if you’re away for a week. Some CSAs allow you to designate a substitute or donate the contents of that week.
What Are the Advantages of Joining a CSA?
People choose to buy into CSAs for many reasons. The benefits include:
- Lowering your carbon footprint: When you buy directly from a farm, there’s no shipping of the product, which decreases your carbon footprint.
- Better quality of food: Nothing quite compares to the taste of freshly picked lettuce or raspberries. You may find your family will eagerly try new things that come from the farm.
- Encouraging community: Supporting local businesses, including farmers, brings you closer to the people who live around you and helps support friends and neighbors.
A Sampling of CSAs in Central PA
There are dozens of farms in Central PA that sell shares in their CSAs. This is a sampling of what’s available, not an exhaustive list. You can ask friends about their experience with CSAs in the area to expand or narrow your choices.
- Jade Family Farm
- Location: Port Royal, PA
- Cost: About $15 per week for a small share; $20 per week for a medium share; $28 per week for a large share.
- Dates available: May 27 to October 27
- What you get: Mostly vegetables, though the farm also grows a few fruits such as watermelon. You can choose the items yourself on their website.
- Pickup locations: State College, Harrisburg, Lewistown, Port Royal
- Healthy Harvest Farm
- Location: Bellefonte, PA
- Cost: $675 for a full share, which includes 23 straight weeks of pickups; $350 for a half share, which includes 11 weeks of biweekly pickups.
- Dates available: June 4 to November 7
- What you get: Seasonal produce, including some heirloom varieties.
- Pickup locations: State College, Bellefonte
- Cool Beans CSA
- Location: Dauphin, PA
- Cost: $550 for a full share; $375 for a small share. Free-range egg shares are also available.
- Dates available: May 22 to late October, 22 bags of produce guaranteed.
- What you get: A range of veggies, fruit, and eggs.
- Pickup locations: Dauphin, Harrisburg, Camp Hill, Middletown, Mechanicsburg, New Cumberland
- Spiral Path Farm
- Location: Loysville, PA
- Cost: Full share for $857.50 for a total season (35 weeks); $560 for a summer share (20 weeks); $112 for a sampler share (4 weeks). You can purchase medium shares at $612.50 for a total season; $400 for a summer share; $80 for a sampler share.
- Dates available: April 23 to December 20
- What you get: An assortment of organic produce.
- Pickup locations: Boiling Springs, Camp Hill, Carlisle, Chambersburg, Dillsburg, and more! Check their website for all locations.
How Can I Find a Meat CSA Near Me?
You can find many organic and non-organic meat farms in PA as well. Some offer chicken, beef, pork, turkey, and more as an add-on to their produce CSA. You may find some that only offer meat because they don’t grow produce or others that combine the two. Here are a few meat CSAs you may consider:
- Sunnyside Farm in Dover: A share of the chicken CSA costs around $200 for 10 chickens.
- North Mountain Pastures in Newport: You can customize the price, delivery and meats are available in this CSA.
- Mirror Image Farms in Bainbridge: CSA shares of 20 or 10 pounds a month available. Call for pricing.
CSAs make a worthwhile investment for those who are interested in buying local and getting the most nutritious food available. Plus, they can save you money. For more money-saving tips, check out our WalletWorks page.