Why I Like My CSA
This column is scheduled to run in the Capital Press in May of 2006I used to buy my produce at the supermarket during all seasons except the summer, when I would shop at the farmer’s market. Sadly, the produce at the supermarket isn’t what it used to be. The reasons for this are many but they are largely attributable to the move toward more centralized buying for most supermarket chains.
Centralized buying ensures that supermarket chains can get the best possible price on their produce. Whole Foods Market does the best job of all major chains at this, so they are largely exempt from the following discussion. Price is the primary factior. Quality, a factor of shelf stability and appearance, is a secondary consideration. Flavor is a tertiary attribute, at best. The end result of centralized buying is that the entire chain is only as smart as its limited number of buyers.
The nature of corporate politics ensure that there will be a percentage of the buyers who have risen through the ranks less as a result of their skill and intelligence than their tenacity and their ability to make fortunate allegiances. The end result is that the consumer, whose choices are already limited, is forced to buy food of questionable flavor and freshness. I welcome angry responses from decision makers at the major supermarket chains regarding these facts.
I have changed my produce purchasing practices in the last few months. My family joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in February and this has fundamentally altered the way we eat. The beauty of the CSA is that it links farmers and consumers in mutually reliant fashion. The farm provides my family with fresh, seasonal organically-grown produce and the we provide the farm with a consistent flow of cash. Through our relationship to the farm, my family is connected to the whims of nature, logistics, and seasonal cycles.
This relationship is not without its risks. For example, when my CSA went through a personnel change in their sorting and packing shed, I had to deal with more aphids in my produce. So I called the farmer and we discussed the situation. He thanked me for my concern and assistance and solved the problem. I felt like I was part of the team.
When you contrast this relationship with my relationship with my other produce providers, the difference is stark. I called Safeway corporate headquarters to complain about the abysmal quality of some cauliflower. I was on hold for about forty minutes before I could get to an actual person’s voicemail box. The modern phone system made it nearly impossible to speak to another human and the call was never returned.
Eating is an economic and political act. I want to avoid giving money to systems that I despise. I like my CSA because I know the farmer and his food is good. When it is not so good, I can call him and he can tell me why. At the end of the day, the genuineness of the human relationship is much more powerful to me than perfection.
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posted by Brian J. Kenny @ 11:03 PM
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