Joining a CSA has easily been one of the greatest food-related decisions that I have ever made. It is a great way to obtain the freshest in-season produce while also supporting local farmers and the local economy. Being a member of a CSA has also pushed me out of my cooking comfort zone. Every week I receive some items that I would normally never buy, and sometimes I get things I have never even heard of (sweet potato greens were a truly a revelation for me). It has without a doubt helped me expand my recipe repertoire.
I’m lucky to be part of an amazing CSA here in Atlanta called Global Growers. It is a non-profit with a mission to connect international refugees to the local community through agriculture.
I asked Sara Mosser, Communications and Outreach Manager at Global Growers, a few questions about her take on CSA’s and what separates Global Growers from the others.
What is Community Supported Agriculture?
It’s a really bad name for an amazing concept! It’s often referred to as a CSA, and we’ve given a go with ‘farm share’ instead, but CSA has stuck. The idea originated from farmers needing to have literal ‘seed money’ in the early spring to plant, long before the harvest. Their community would support the farmer by pre-paying for their season’s worth of produce, giving the farmer the financial resources to grow good food. The community would share in the bounty, as well as any crop failures.
Today, it’s not quite the same. It’s more of a produce subscription program. As it turns out, people want to know that they will get a certain value for their money! In the case of Global Growers, the benefit is not only having the revenue in time for seed orders, but also knowing how much food to grow. It really helps us avoid food waste.
Why should consumers want to buy local produce or be part of a CSA?
Let me count the ways!
- Great value for the money
- Sustainably grown, and transported.
- Food did not travel from California or another country
- Food grown organically has only the good parts of food, not the risks associated with conventionally grown produce. No one will publish a study proclaiming organic vegetables as the next big cancer culprit!
- Food has a higher nutritional content. Growing organically means that we are building up the soil with nutrient-rich materials so that the plants are healthy. If you’re adding chemicals, you can grow in pretty much any soil, regardless of the condition. That’s not the food I want to feed my family.
- Supporting the local economy
- Supporting the good food movement
- Voting with your dollars for a better food system in America
- Causes you to get out of food ruts, get creative in the kitchen, try different foods and find new
favorites. - Ensures that you eat your veggies!
- Knowing your farmer, or sometimes in our case, knowing the people who facilitate your farm!
- Exposure to volunteer opportunities
- Supporting an amazing organization that is doing great work in and around Atlanta
What makes Global Growers different than other CSA’s?
For one, we’re a non-profit that provides farmland and education to growers who came to the States as refugees. We have an incubator farm, which means that it’s one farm divided into many smaller farms, each with its own farmer. The farmers share infrastructure, supplies, and a market co-op.
For the consumer, we’re different because we offer the freshest of produce to our customers at a great value, and we include ‘partner products’ with our CSA shares. These are locally produced food items that are mostly not produce. They vary from week to week, but include bread, eggs, cheese, granola, and more.
We also have a great online store, where customers can add additional items to their share, allowing more of their grocery shopping to come from Global Growers.
How are growers selected into the program?
We operate Clarkston International Gardens at the 40 Oaks Nature Preserve in Clarkston, as well as Decatur’s Kitchen Garden behind the Methodist Children’s Home on Columbia Drive. The growers start at the Clarkston garden, and if they enjoy it and would like a larger plot of land, they progress to the Decatur site. These are more of ‘kitchen gardens’ where they are
growing much of the food that their families consume. Most of the growers choose to stay at that level and pursue other kinds of work as a revenue stream, but some decide to make farming their career or partial means of income. That’s when they move to the incubator farm.
What crops are produced on the farms? What is in season right now?
Basically, it’s a wide variety of whatever grows in our climate, which is a lot! Right now, we’re in this really cool time of year when we transition out of summer and into fall, so we’re still seeing some tomatoes and green beans, but they’re starting to ease up, making way for new plantings of root vegetables and leafy greens. We’re looking to start harvesting lettuces and kale soon, along with beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes. The okra and eggplant will hang on for a bit longer as well. I referenced some interesting produce items coming from our farmers’ plots- you get to try some of those as well! Shiso, longbeans, and roselle, to name a few. We don’t overwhelm with those items, but it’s nice to have them once in a while.
How did you become involved with Global Growers?
Having been in the local food circles in Atlanta for a number of years, I had some familiarity with Global Growers. After deciding to pursue a career in the local food system, a colleague sent me the job description, and I knew I had to have it! It was exactly the type of work I was seeking, and I love my job.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? What is the most challenging?
Hearing the feedback from our amazing CSA customers and Chefs is awesome. Working alongside a great team and getting to know some of the farmers, their families, and the interesting crops they sometimes grow is super rewarding. Also, communicating in broken English with the community gardeners, most of whom are refugees, then seeing them show up at the gardens with their families is another great part of the work we do.
The challenge for me is that with a small staff, there is a ton of work to do! It’s sometimes difficult to get everything done, and frustrates me if I let something slip through the cracks. I’m also learning that it’s okay to say no to some things!
How do you personally incorporate local produce/products into your lifestyle?
I buy things like bananas, apples, garlic, onions, and salad mixes year round. Otherwise, I try to eat with the seasons and rely on my CSA, farmers market, and home garden for the bulk of my produce, then fill in with groceries or restaurant meals. I buy most of my meat from Pine Street Market, or order it from White Oak Pastures. I love eating this way!
It took some getting used to, but when you’re eating food that was just harvested, it tastes so much better. Plus it’s better for you.
The key is moderation: I find that it’s near impossible to eat local all the time. I’ve gone back and forth about this, but with kids and life, it requires such a commitment that it feels like a part time job! So I try to have an 80/20 split and don’t sweat the small stuff.
How can someone get involved with Global Growers?
Get a 10% discount on our CSA when you agree to volunteer for 10 hours on the farm. Come to our events, volunteer at our community gardens, or intern with us! if you follow us on Facebook, Twitter @globalgrowers, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter, we will keep you in the loop.
Join up with a big group for a huge impact by checking out Community Bucket or joining your school’s service organization if you’re a student. You can always email me for volunteer opportunities.
For more information on Global Growers, including how to join the CSA, check out www.globalgrowers.org or email community@globalgrowers[dot]net. CSA spots are already filled for Fall/Winter 2015, so be sure to register early for the Spring season!