Are you interested in moving towards a zero waste lifestyle? One easy step towards living with less waste is to start shopping for your food package-free. By decreasing the amount of packaging associated with your food, you will notice an immediate decrease in the amount of waste that you are sending to the landfill. Some easy ways that you can decrease your packaging waste is to shop the bulk aisle, shop at your locals farmers market, and join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
A CSA is a farm-to-table program where the consumer agrees to pay a fixed price for a weekly box of fruits and/or vegetables from a local farm. Some CSA’s also offer items like fresh eggs or meats. A CSA means you share in some of the risks of supporting a business that depends on the weather. For example, if a big hail storm hits your farm you may not get the crops intended for you, but your money will help the farm recover and rebuild.
All CSAs are different, with different prices and different perks, so do your research before you commit to a CSA. Some things to consider might be: how many weeks does the CSA last for? What kind of crops does the farm produce? Do the farming techniques align with your ethos and values? Spring or early summer is the perfect time to find a CSA in your community, but sometimes you have to sign up early to get a spot in the CSA program.
I love my CSA , which is from Untiedt’s Farms in Waverly, Minnesota, that I’ve been a part of since 2013. I recommend it to anyone living in Minnesota who is looking to be part of a CSA program. Untiedt’s is a larger farm, family owned, and delivers fresh and fantastic fruits and veggies to its CSA members from June – September. They offer a full share (feeds a family of 4-6 people) and a half share (feeds a family of 2-3 people). I love that they offer weekly newsletters that includes food storage techniques, recipes, and a note from Farmer Jerry.
CSAs are a great way to not only support your local farmer and be connected to your food, but it’s a great way to reduce your waste. By joining a CSA, you can avoid the plastic associated with grocery shopping for fresh produce. I will warn you that Untiedts Farm does use some plastic bags for transport in some of their CSA boxes. I try to re-use these plastic bags for as long as possible before recycling them at my local grocery store.
To sign-up for Untiedts Farm CSA please visit their website. You can also support them by following them on Instagram.