Join a CSA Farm in 2008!
With updates for the 2008 season, plus resources for gardeners and a mouth-watering spring recipe.

Spring is just around the corner - and that means this is the perfect time to sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture farm, or CSA. >>What's a CSA? Every winter, we bring you a listing of places to find CSA farms and other local organic food in NC. This year, we've found lots more available than in years past, especially in Eastern NC. This is great news for consumers, and great news for NC's economy and environment! When you choose locally-grown organic foods, your whole community benefits from greater availability of healthy food, a cleaner environment, and a more vibrant local and regional economy. >>Find CSA farms in NC We'd also like to share with you some great resources for gardeners, and a delicious recipe that features two tasty spring vegetables - beets and salad greens. Yum. Enjoy the first glimmers of spring, everyone, and remember to make locally-grown, organic and fair trade products part of your Valentine's Day celebrations this week!

A very delicious photo of one CSA member's weekly share from Wild Onion Farms in Middlesex, NC. Lettuce, spinach, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, onions, and cooking greens are all typical springtime offerings for farm shares in NC. The selection changes every week according to the season. Many CSAs offer meats, dairy products, eggs, flowers, and/or herbs in addition to veggies. Photo courtesy of Flickr user justinhenry. Take action Today! >>Find CSA Farms in NC. >>A few resources for home gardeners, and a recipe for elegant beet salad.

What's a CSA?

Community Supported Agriculture Farms, or CSAs, are farms with membership or subscription programs. Members usually pay one bulk price at the beginning of the growing season, and then get a variety of seasonal fruits and veggies fresh from the farm every week during the growing season. Most CSA farms use organic and/or sustainable growing practices. Some CSA farms also offer flowers, herbs, eggs, meats, or dairy products.

Every CSA works a little bit differently, but a few things are always the same: As a CSA member, you get produce that is locally grown and in season, as fresh as can be, and at a price lower than what you'd pay at the store. You also get a chance to know the farm your food comes from and the people who grow it, so you know exactly where your money's going, and exactly what's going in to your body. Many CSAs also hold social events and work parties. Joining a CSA is a fun, delicious way to participate in an organic farm and connect with like-minded folks in your area!

More about CSA farms from Project Green Leaf at UNC Greensboro

Top | Find a CSA Farm | Resources for Gardeners | Recipe: Elegant Beet Salad

Find CSAs and other Locally-Grown Organic Foods

Statewide & National CSA Searches Local Harvest *Check out their greatly expanded listings in Eastern NC! The Eat Well Guide NC Farm Fresh from the NC Department of Agriculture Western NC Buy Appalachian Local Food Guide, from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. Search Western NC and the Southern Appalachain mountains for CSAs, farmers' markets, restaurants, grocers, and more. Carolina Organic Growers. Can't find a CSA in your area? Look for information here about starting a Buying Club. Locally-produced foods listing from Slow Food Asheville. Central NC Growing Small Farms, from NC Cooperative Extension. Frequently updated listing of CSAs in North Carolina, plus Chatham County Farmers' Markets, and a Chatham Regional Buy Local Guide. Project Green Leaf at UNC-Greensboro. Statewide listing of CSA farms, plus Triad listings of Farmers' Markets and Restaurants. Local Food Guide from Slow Food Piedmont-Triad. Local Farms & Markets listing from Slow Food Charlotte. Slow Food Triangle Eastern NC Center for Environmental Farming Systems in Goldsboro, NC. Offers courses for farmers and gardeners, and also coordinates local food systems projects. Eastern Carolina Organics. Marketing and distribution for Eastern NC organic growers. Call them about setting up a buying club in your neighborhood, or to find out about local restaurants and markets that feature their produce.