Full disclosure: I know next to nothing about farming co-ops or community-supported agriculture. It…read morewas only recently that we made our first foray into the world of CSA. So, take all of this with a grain of salt since I'm a total noob at this.
Through Creme de la Crop though, I experienced my initiation. The way that it works is at the beginning of the season (in our case late spring) you enroll into the share program signing up for either a Standard Market - selection of basic farm produce - or "Epicurean" - larger amounts of every fruit and vegetable they grow. Paying a flat fee (2014 Standard full $720/half $360) you then weekly receive their finest summer produce for 18 weeks. Simply pick up your weekly take of assorted veggies at one of the designated locations. Easy peasy.
The upside: The quality of the produce was crazy good. This wasn't your standard supermarket fare--not by a long shot. Everything we received over the 18 weeks was organic, grown on their farm, and from taste, touch, sight, and smell absolutely phenomenal. Green beans, peppers, lettuce, carrots, eggplant, cucumbers as well as various herbs...and much more. We were rarely disappointed with what we got.
The people and actual farm were also part of the experience. Most of their produce is grown right there along US 30 just west of town. The actual farm leaves little to be desired. It's basically a collection of rundown old buildings and a few muddy fields. But, the staff and volunteers running it are amazing. They manage to create a unique atmosphere of education and community that really draws you in. They are helpful, friendly, and passionate about their work.
The downside: As much as it pains me to say it, it just isn't practical or economical. First off, what produce you get any given week depends entirely on what they are harvesting. One week you get crap load of beets and then next you're swimming in beans. If there are veggies you eat regularly, you'll probably find yourself looking elsewhere many weeks. You also frequently are trying to figure out creative ways to use up the unique produce you end up with. Edemame, chard, kale are interesting, just not the most useful.
Second, it's expensive. Some may argue that the quality as well as the environmental sustainability are worth the extra cost, but it was hard for me to swallow. There are other ways to procure organic produce without overly burdening the budget.
Finally, there's also the convenience factor to consider. Creme de la Crop does a lot to make it easy to get your hands on your weekly allotment with multiple pick-up locations around Valpo. But, you still work around their schedule and accessibility. In the end it's worth it if you're really committed to CSA.
Having principles costs money. If you're willing to pay the cost, a CSA is an excellent way to get great fruits and vegetables and support environmentally sustainable agriculture. If not, find yourself a Whole Foods somewhere.
