Bringing CSA Awareness to Teachers & Educators
The classroom is a great place for students to learn about how society works and the impact local farms have within a community. One of the best ways to spread this knowledge is by bringing awareness to teachers and educators. Valley Schools, which provides employee benefits and insurance to Arizona school districts and other governmental agencies, recently partnered with Local First Arizona to deliver CSA produce bags to Arizona educators and staff.
Supporting Local Farms & Improving Well-Being
Checking out a CSA bag during Valley School’s CSA Day
Valley School’s CSA Day was a great opportunity to place locally grown produce and recipes, created by Valley School’s registered dietitian Kristen DeCosta, into the hands of 120 school and city staff throughout Maricopa County. The fresh, local produce was provided by Sun Produce Coop, an organization that sources fresh food from smaller-scale, local farms creating alternative distribution streams for these producers.
CSA Day not only informed teachers and educators about the benefits of CSAs and supporting local farms, it also educated individuals on how to optimize their health through fresh food. This is important as it is one of the aims of Valley Schools’ wellness program called WellStyles. “We know that the food we put in our body is a major lifestyle factor that can improve our overall well-being, and it is important to provide access to produce to our members, as well as support our local farms,” said Kendall Taylor, Valley Schools’ Wellness Director.
WHAT EXACTLY IS A CSA?
When you sign up for a CSA box, you’re actually buying “shares” in a local farm’s harvest. When the crops are harvested, you receive a share of the bounty that comes in a regularly-delivered produce box. CSAs ensure the financial stability of the small farmer since the income is something they can count on at the beginning of a season when costs are high and revenue is low - and it carries them through to harvest. Depending on where you purchase your CSA box, contents can range from seasonal fruits and veggies delivered directly from a local farm to a combination of fresh produce, grains, eggs, or dairy products from a group of local food producers. Each box you receive will be slightly different, depending on what’s in season in your area.
The best part of a CSA subscription is that it gives you direct farm-to-table access to various locally grown produce and food. Often, these subscription plans are flexible and are made to cater to your family’s needs and budgets. To make it even easier, some CSA programs deliver directly to your home or set up designated times and weekly pick up locations.
Local farmers are still weathering the economic storm and trying to stay afloat. So participating in a CSA is one of the best ways you can help to #saveazfarmland. With seasonal fall produce planted and sprouting up in the fields, getting a CSA box subscription is the perfect way to sample some of the best tasting produce grown right here in Arizona.
Looking for a local farm that is offering a CSA near you? Click below to find more CSA offerings.
Check out these local farms currently taking CSA sign-ups:
A sampling of fresh produce grown at Forstdale Farms.
For those of you in the West Valley, Blue Sky Farms offers CSA boxes filled with produce grown on their farm. Currently, they have over 100 produce varieties popping up in their field for their fall boxes.
The current bounty found in Maya’s Farm CSA box includes basil, eggplant, cucumbers, rosemary, onions, and potatoes.
Sun Produce Coop sources from a number of farms, so every box is different each week!
Project Roots offers seasonal produce bags that can be ordered weekly and change with the seasons, see their list here.
Tucson CSA boxes include produce, dairy, eggs, and meat sourced from multiple farms in southern Arizona.
Forestdale Farm provides vegetable starters so you can grow your own small veggie garden.
Are you a local business or organization interested in hosting a CSA for your neighbors, employees, congregation, or community? Learn more here.
Are you a local farm hosting a CSA, but aren’t listed on our CSA page? Email us with your details and we’ll get you added!