[FIG-ALL] CSA Season is Here! Join one near you!

[Lisa Gruver]

Below is a list of some of the CSAs in the West Central Illinois region looking for more consumers like you to join for the 2009 season!  It is certainly not a comprehensive list, but is a start.  Please print and post this information (also attached) in your office, church, clubs, etc.  Email this to friends and colleagues.  There are millions of people who have never heard of Community Supported Agriculture.  Spread the word!!!!  Check the Macomb Food Initiatives Group food guide for updates on CSAs in the Macomb area (~70 mile radius) each year.  www.macombfig.org 



Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA)



 

CSAs take many forms. 
In its simplest form it is a food production and marketing strategy that
involves community members paying in advance for a ‘share’ of the farm
product—anything from vegetables, to cheese, to breads, to fruit and flowers. Some
CSAs are organized by the community and others are organized by the
farmers.  In some CSAs there are
community boards which arrange the share drop-offs, the social gatherings, and
the work days.  Other CSAs are simply a
commitment to pay for your product in advance. 
Share descriptions range from getting a mystery box, to full
customization to your preferences, to a combination of the two.  

 

Many people join CSAs because they want to know who is
growing their food and how it is grown. 
Purchasing food through CSAs commits your household to eating fresh and
locally grown produce, while supporting your local economy and community.  The upfront payment helps the farmer know
they have a secure market for their product and enables them to pay for seeds,
tools, and other supplies at the beginning of the season.  Joining a CSA can also be a way to learn more
about the production, preparing, storing, or eating of food through newsletters.  These may include recipes, storage tips, or tell
stories about the successes and hardships of the season.

 

Find a CSA near you and begin a wonderful adventure of
trying new foods, eating more fresh foods, and supporting a livelihood near
you!  To learn more about their
production methods and find out if they offer a newsletter, contact the CSA
near you.  To find a good fit for you,
think about how much produce you already eat and how much more you would be
willing to eat.  Many people drop out of
CSAs after the first year because of getting too much food and not wanting to
waste it.  Find a CSA plan that is
realistic for your appetite or use your membership as a commitment to
revolutionizing your diet!  

 

Country Corner

(309) 629-2359

Alpha, Illinois

http://www.country-corner.com/  

Offering fruit and vegetable shares.  Fruits include strawberries, raspberries,
blackberries, and blueberries. 
Integrated pest management used. 
Stay tuned to the website for updates on share prices, weeks, etc.

 

Fornoff Farm Market

Dale and Karen Fornoff

Havana, Illinois

309-543-2417

info at fornoffmarket.com

www.fornoffmarket.com

Starting a pilot CSA project this year-fruits and
vegetables.  Will offer a flexible
program where customers pay one week in advance.  Deliveries will be made within a 55 mile radius of Havana,
including Jacksonville and Macomb. 
Stay tuned to the website for updates on the CSA offering.

 

Good Earth Food Alliance

contact: Anne Patterson 309-251-6147

www.goodearthfoodalliance.com

An alliance of 10 producers offering CSA shares to Galesburg, Kickapoo, Farmington,
and Peoria
areas through drop-off sites in each town. 
Share drop-offs will be on Tuesday evenings.  Shares will comprise 5-6 items of “farmer
choice” with 3-4 items ‘customer-choice’. 
22 weeks for $600; 11 weeks for $325 
Shares will include fruits, vegetables, and herbs.  Stay tuned to the website for more
information and updates. All products grown chemical-free.

 

Good Hope
 Gardens

Mary Jo and Grover DeCounter

309-456-3884

Mid-late April through 1st week of September (~20
weeks; $425)

Deliveries made to your door (Macomb area, Good Hope area).  Shares include fruits and vegetables in a 10
gallon plastic tote.  Quantities increase
during peak season.  If interested
contact by March 1st.

 

M & M & m Farm

Mark and Mary Lou Mathews

217-659-7809

Provide vegetable and fruit shares for 20 weeks ($240), 15
weeks ($290), or bi-weekly for 10 weeks ($200). 
Shares include 6-10 types of vegetable or fruit depending on the
season.  They start about mid-May.  Shares are delivered to homes in LaHarpe area (Tuesdays) and Blandinsville area (Wednesdays).  Fruits include strawberries, blueberries, and
blackberries, depending on demand for membership. Complementary pumpkin and mum
offered in fall.

 

Scott Worl

309-221-1879

Producer from Plymouth,
 IL

Selling shares of non-vegetable items including grains,
beef, fruit, etc.  He’s interested in
exploring production of brown rice locally. 
Producers in CSAs or production networks or consumers interested in
advanced purchase should contact him.


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