July 13, 2011
July 16, 2014
Vol 13 No 28
Support your Local Farmer
Recipes
Sample the Taste of Summer
11
Around Town
4
Business
7
School
8
Food Truck Frenzy
Each week from May 13 through Nov. 25 Greene’s CSA members receive a variety of six to 15 kinds of local produce and could include one or two locally produced goods.
CSAs give people produce and pride in buying local Imagine a crate full of onions, potatoes, summer squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and beans, and fresh herbs like basil, oregano and thyme. And it’s all been grown just for you. That’s not just a dream, but a reality for many local people who participate in CSAs. Community Supported Agriculture is an arrangement where people buy a season’s worth of produce in advance. In some cases, they receive other locally produced foods, including meat and honey. The arrangement gives farmers working capital up front, while it provides the members with a steady stream of fresh food over the course of the season. Greene’s Country Store in Lake Saint Louis is just one of many places locally that offers a CSA program. The store is now in its second year of operating a CSA. Owner Randy Greene said the store had built relationships with local farmers and he had interest in starting a CSA. When another member of the local community approached him about doing just that, he moved on the opportunity. Greene’s, located at 8612 Highway N, combines products from all of its local growers to provide the CSA. Some people like knowing that their money helps support local farmers. But buying a share in a CSA is not a completely selfless endeavor, Greene said. It has many benefits for the members.
“It’s quite a bit cheaper,” he said. “What you’re getting is a much better price volume-wise for what you’re getting overall [than if you bought the same amount by making weekly trips to the store or farmer’s market].” Plus, Greene said, he is not able to offer the same variety of products in his store as what he can through the CSA. He just doesn’t have the capacity. Another benefit sometimes takes hold of people more than they think. “It changes the way you eat,” Greene said. “I don’t know how many guys tell me that at the end of the season. You hardly eat anything out of a box. You hardly eat any fast food. You have the food you want. It’s a great way to get away from the prepared food or the processed food.” EarthDance, located on the historic Mueller Farm at 233 S. Dade Ave. in Ferguson, is another place that offers a CSA program. It started offering public CSA shares in 2011. Assistant Farm Manager Matt Lebon said the CSA grew from about 40 to 60 shareholders within the last year. EarthDance notes that members are called shareholders, because they are investing in local agriculture. For their investment, they get returns of fresh, seasonal produce. And EarthDance doesn’t simply offer run-of-the-mill produce.
“We aim to maximize diversity, so we’re growing not just sweet potatoes, or broccoli or cabbage, but we’re growing everything that grows in this region,” Lebon said. “We’re growing dozens and dozens of crops.” Shared Bounty CSA in Troy is now in its fifth season. Operator Jim Prouhet said the CSA grew steadily for the first four years and then maxed out and can now include 40 to 60 shareholders each year. They have a waiting list for next year. See LOCAL on page 2
Smoothie King Ribbon Cutting
Drive for the Kids Event
Tammy Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
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