March 2016

Unless you’ve been too busy to breathe, you’ve likely noticed the explosion of mail-order subscription options that can bring just about anything — clothes, razors, coffee, nerdery — right to your mailbox every month. The mail-order model has some pretty cool products to offer, especially to anyone who’s unlikely to keep up with emerging trends. Some of the most exciting opportunities are presented by subscription meal boxes, which pack a recipe and the perfect amount of ingredients into one convenient delivery. These days, anyone can take a shortcut to becoming a gourmet chef just by signing up for a service like Blue Apron or HelloFresh.

Well Hello, Fresh!

We definitely understand why it’s so exciting to receive perfectly portioned gourmet ingredients and the recipes to whip them into magical meals. But we’d like to share with you a local spin on subscription food that keeps your dollars — and your produce — local. CSAs are a little different. You have to pay up front, and you’ll probably have to pick up your weekly box. But there are big benefits to this older-school, lower-tech model of produce procurement.

CSA What?

If you’re new to the world of CSAs, we’re really excited to introduce you! “CSA” stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and it’s a model that prioritizes freshness and sustainability. Instead of traveling hours or days to your door, your CSA food comes directly to you from minutes away. In a CSA, a farmer or food producer sells shares to the public. Each member pays a lump sum up front for their share (which is like a subscription or membership), and in return receives a box of produce or other foods each week. The members get convenient just-picked local produce at a great price, and the farmers get stability in the form of income early in the season. There is an element of shared risk, because a lean harvest will mean lean produce boxes for members. But if you love knowing where your food comes from, and you’d rather reap the bounty of local agriculture than take part in the global industrial food complex, a CSA might be the perfect option for you.

Get fresh, locally grown food in Rochester.

There’s no substitute for the freshness of just-picked, truly local produce. If you’re accustomed to shopping at the Rochester Public Market or the Abundance Food Co-Op, you’re already taking great steps to support sustainable local agriculture. Still, you might find a CSA to be a great supplement that can save you money, add more variety to your at-home-meal menu, or ensure you get your greens when you don’t have time to shop. If the CSA lifestyle sounds interesting to you, check out individual local CSA listings at Local Harvest, or explore the abundant options brought to the Rochester region by The Good Food Collective.