Sign up for food from the farm
A CSA box from Encompass Farm contains a variety of produce. ASAP photo
Celebrate CSA Month by lining up your source for fresh fruits and vegetables this growing season, with a CSA Fair planned for 4-5:30 p.m. Friday, March 8, at the YWCA of Asheville.
A CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, program allows members to purchase a share of a farm’s harvest upfront and receive a weekly box of fresh produce or other farm goods. The best time to sign up is February and early March, prompting the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project to declare Feb. 15 to March 15 as CSA Month.
The March 8 fair will highlight farms offering a CSA in Buncombe County. To find opportunities in other Western North Carolina counties, as well as bordering counties in South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, visit asapconnections.org/csa.
When choosing a CSA, consider the convenience of pickup times and locations, the farm’s growing practices and appropriate share size. Some farms offer variations on the traditional model, such as online selection, shorter commitment or a market share in which members pay upfront but select their own produce at the farmers market each week.
