The origin story for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has deep roots and tendrils, but the short story is that a group of organic farmers looked at biodynamic agricultural traditions from Europe and developed a CSA model for the United States. The basics of CSA is that customers reduce the burden on farmers by purchasing a share, which gives them a weekly portion of the harvest. CSAs traditionally produce fruits and vegetables but may include meat, dairy, grains, herbs, maple syrup or honey, and even natural medicines.
The first formal CSA was founded by Robyn Van En at Indian Line Farm in South Egremont, Massachusetts, and is still going strong. After Van En died in 1997, Elizabeth Keen and Al Thorp (now married) rented from Van En’s son, David, and continued farming and running both the farm and the CSA.
Keen and Thorp had just completed farming apprenticeships and weren’t prepared to run the farm. “We had no experience,” Keen says, laughing. “We each had two years of apprenticing, which—in the scope of what you need to know to run a farm—is certainly not enough.” They figured it out, and although Thorp now works off the farm as a land surveyor and engineer, Keen is entering her 28th year of farming at Indian Line.
Sharing the Risk
Keen’s tenure at Indian Line is impressive, and she gives a lot of credit to the CSA, which she refers to as the “lifeblood of the farm.” Another safety net that has helped Indian Line succeed is that the land is in a land trust—which ensures permanent access, control, affordability, and stewardship—and is owned by The Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires, Inc., who purchased the land in the summer of 1999 for a lump sum. Knowing the land is secure removes a significant part of the financial burden for farmers. “One reason people fail is because they don’t have a long-term situation to lean into,” Keen says, and that security has been critical to their success.
Whether due to drought, flooding, disease, or some other reason—like injury or illness to a farmer—farms can have off years. “2018 was a washout year,” Keen says. “So many farms lost so much.” Some years, Keen has bought produce to make sure her CSA members had enough in their weekly share because she recognizes the financial burden she’d bear without the steady support of her members and wants to make sure they feel taken care of.
Connecting People with Food
Besides the basis of CSAs, where members shoulder some of a farm’s financial burden and risk upfront, there’s no single model for how CSAs function. There are variations in pick-up protocol, pricing structures, working hours on the farm, and whether shareholders select the produce in a free-choice model or if boxes are pre-packed. Luckily, there’s no right way, and CSAs thrive by adapting to their members’ wants and needs.
When CSAs have pick-up locations—such as a school, church, food co-op, hardware store, brewery, etc.—it’s easy for members to quickly collect their weekly shares. While convenience is an undeniable boon, it doesn’t help customers connect with their food as profoundly as when they go to the farm and choose their food. Another bonus of on-farm pickup is interacting with the farmers and other members during pick-ups, a surefire way to increase social capital, an essential component of all CSAs. “CSA members deepen their relationship with the land where their food is grown and with the farmers who labor in the fields,” explains Maddie Schmutz, CSA and workshare manager at Poughkeepsie Farm Project.
“CSA is more than a transactional relationship with food,” Schmutz says. “It’s a gathering place of peer-supported learning, a system of reciprocity, and an investment in the well-being of the family and fellow community members.”
Indian Line doesn’t offer off-site distribution, and neither does Glynwood in Cold Spring. “Everyone comes to the farm, and that means there is this social fabric woven at the farm, at the farm store, and at CSA pick-up,” explains Kate Anstreicher, Glynwood’s Program Manager. “Many young families use it as an opportunity to run around and play together, and we have a pick-your-own section where people can pick herbs and flowers,” Anstreicher says. “That’s something that I’ve seen two-year-olds to 80-year-olds enjoy on a nice day.”
Anstreicher points out that being able to go to a farm and select your own produce is a privilege, and having a variety of pick-up locations increases accessibility. “Some farms, especially those in really rural areas who want to increase the physical accessibility of their CSAs, might have more urban pick-up locations within reach by walking or by public transport,” Anstreicher says. Even when people pick up off-site, they still interact with other members and feel connected to their food and each other in ways that aren’t possible under the fluorescent lights of a corporate supermarket.
“Being part of a CSA fosters a sense of community and belonging, which can help combat the growing issue of social isolation,” says Mahla Zare, PhD, Associate Professor of Agribusiness Management at SUNY Cobleskill. “The connections between members and farmers create a deeper appreciation for where our food comes from and strengthen local networks.”
In addition to helping reduce food insecurity, eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables has widely known health benefits. Healthy eating starts with what we have in our kitchens, and one way to eat healthier is to pre-pay for a share of produce through a CSA so your fridge and cupboards are stocked with nutritious food.
Local Food Is Better
It’s a tricky metric to measure, but experts agree that local food is also more nutrient-rich. “From a health perspective, CSA produce is typically harvested at peak ripeness, which means it retains more nutrients compared to food that has traveled long distances,” Dr. Zare says. “This freshness not only enhances the flavor but also contributes to better nutrition.”
In addition to the health benefits for our bodies, eating locally is much healthier for the planet. “CSAs reduce the need for long-haul transportation and often rely on sustainable farming practices, which helps lower carbon emissions and supports a healthier planet,” Dr. Zare explains.
Eating is Believing
“Seeing is believing, and eating is understanding,” Keen says, speaking of the almost undeniable fact that local food is fresher, delicious, and more nutritious, but it’s bigger than that.
Peace of mind comes from knowing who is growing your food, especially when we’ve seen large-scale contamination in everything from salmonella in cucumbers and peanut butter to listeria in widely distributed Boar’s Head lunch meat. “CSAs often provide greater food safety,” Dr. Zare says. “With a direct relationship to the source, members can trust that their produce is handled with care, reducing the risk of contamination that sometimes occurs in larger industrial systems.”
If you’re unsure if local food is better for you and the environment, Keen and Anstreicher suggest the simple act of seeing, smelling, and tasting local food so you can see for yourself. If you’ve ever eaten a sad tomato—conventionally grown, trucked thousands of miles, and typically spotted in January—you know exactly what they’re talking about.
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This article appears in January 2025.
