Local Woman Eats Well
Our Valley is full of surprises, including at least six CSAs.
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and that’s an apt description. It’s a direct partnership between the farmer and the consumer, no middleman. When you sign up for a CSA, you pay in advance for a weekly share of the farmer’s harvest. It’s like a prepaid calling card, but instead of phone minutes, you get locally grown produce.
There are multiple reasons for a farmer to offer a CSA: receipt of upfront monies to prepare for the season ahead, the ability to match crops to demand, and a direct connection to grow a loyal customer base. And we consumers benefit by enjoying the freshest possible produce, knowing exactly how and where the food is grown–and by whom, and getting to experience all the good feelings knowing we’re supporting our neighbor farmers directly.
Probably the best known CSA is “Muddy Boots,” a classic CSA model offering amazing vegetables from multiple farms. Produce includes classics like tomatoes, salad greens, and the ubiquitous kale, as well as more unusual items such as eggplant, chard, and Napa cabbage. This year, Muddy Boots also offers flowers and yogurt in partnership with other farms.
The Hartshorn Farms CSA offers delectable vegetables and sweet blueberries straight from their bushes.This CSA is more like a prepaid account, allowing shoppers to select exactly what they want anytime the farm stand is open.
Gaylord Farm offers a vegetable CSA as well as meat and egg CSAs. While you can find Gaylord Farm at the Waitsfield Farmers Market every Saturday in the summer, you can guarantee availability via their CSA. The breakfast sausage is delicious!
CSAs are not just about veggies. There are two flower CSAs in the Valley. Mountain Flower Farm grows the most fragrant peonies you have ever enjoyed, and they offer both a local pickup and shipping if you want the Valley vibe somewhere farther away. And Von Trapp Flowers produces bouquets of amazing flowers galore. Their winter CSA brings colorful tulips into your home. You can find their summer bouquets locally at Mehuron's Supermarket.
If veggies and flowers aren’t quite your vibe, how about joining the Von Trapp Farmstead raw milk CSA? You can meet the cows and buy some of the Von Trapp’s award-winning cheese at the farm store when you stop to pick up your weekly gallon of milk.
No matter which one (or many) of the CSAs you choose, you can feel good knowing you’re supporting the Valley and its local farmers. And if you know of other CSAs not listed here, please shoot me an email so I can share the info.