CSAs: A Response to Middlemen Raising Food Prices

If you haven't been in a grocery lately you'll be surprised, possibly shocked, to see how prices for food continue to rise.  What's more shocking is that the folks who produce the food are not seeing increases in their revenues, only continually rising costs.  So where does the pressure for higher prices come from?
Middle men.

The hundred and one companies who get the food from the farm to your supermarket - the merchandisers, distributors, transport, warehousing, food processors, etc. who stand between you and the farmer.  And these companies are often not driven by the needs or concerns of individual local owners who live in the communities they serve.  No, they are owned by nameless, faceless investors whose management team tries to milk every possible nickle out of every transaction for their shareholders (who are often themselves).  It's a no win proposition for farmers and end consumers it seems...or is it?

Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a new approach to cutting out middle men in the food chain.  Essentially, farmers sell "shares" of a future crop to members of the public, using the money to grow the food and make a reasonable profit.  In exchange the shareholders will receive (or pick up) a percentage of the freshly harvested food based on the number of shares they purchased.  Sound to good to be true?  This approach is currently working in thousands of locales across the United States with good results. 

An excellent website to learn more about CSAs is LocalHarvest.  LocalHarvest  makes it possible for local farmers across America to direct folks to their farms - in addition to CSAs, LocalHarvest also provides information on organic farmers, restaurants and grocers.  A truly groovy site. 

So when the sticker shock at the big box grocery wears off, check out LocalHarvest and CSAs near you.  It gives you access to the freshest local seasonal produce, keeps your money in the local ecconomy, and supports true family farmers in the business of growing healthy food for their neighbors.  Sounds like a deal to me!