5 More Ways to Eat Local

Whole Living

There are more ways than ever to support your local farmers and take back dinner. When you join a CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) you essentially buy a share in a farm and then receive a portion of each crop that is grown. While this used to mean huge boxes filled with mixed produce there are now others CSAs to consider.

Market-Style
Each week the farm sets up at a central location, such as a farmers' market, where members select the offerings they actually want and skip over those they don't.

Crop-Specific
If you can't get enough Asian greens, there might be a CSA near you specializing in them. More farms are offering niche shares like exotic ingredients (think ginger and daikon) or stone fruits.

Beyond Vegetables
Some CSAs have become a one-stop shop by teaming up with local creameries and pastures. For an additional fee, members can upgrade to milk and cheese, meats and seafood, even fresh flowers.

Plus: CSA Inspired Recipes

Meat Share
Join forces with a neighbor (or three) and invest in a quarter of a pig or half a cow from a local farmer. The more you buy up front (some shares provide more than 500 pounds of premium cuts), the more you save.

Fish Share
Gaining momentum along the Atlantic, residents of coastal areas pay local fishermen for a weekly share of enviro-smart catches such as fresh lobster from Maine or flounder from North Carolina.

Head to localharvest.org to search the CSA options near you

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