Governor Little has proclaimed February 20-26th, 2023 Idaho Community Supported Agriculture Week!
Long before subscription food boxes became popular, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has been a convenient way to get more farm-fresh foods into your diet.

A CSA is a commitment between you and your farmer. You invest in a crop share from your local farmer at the beginning of the growing season and they provide you a portion of the anticipated weekly bounty at harvest season. It is a great way to support Idaho farmers, ranchers and food crafters from the ground up!

CSAs have evolved over the years and in Idaho, we are lucky to have such innovative producers who offer creative variations among their Community Supported Agriculture models, including produce, protein, honey, eggs and dairy, kombucha and ciders, or plants and flowers, for example.

What in the World is a CSA?

Here’s how it works: a CSA is a farming business structure that allows the consumer (or CSA member) to purchase a “crop share” at the beginning of the growing season — usually late winter or early spring– and in turn, the farmer provides you, the consumer, a portion of the anticipated weekly bounty at harvest season.

Community Supported Agriculture is a farming business model that connects growers directly with consumers (bringing the farm to your fork).

At the very core of Community Supported Agriculture is the goal of supporting local food producers while sharing in the bounty of the farm.

Why Support Local?

There are countless benefits to supporting local businesses, and that’s especially true of agriculture producers. If you live in Idaho, you may not know that our agriculture industry is pretty darn impressive. Here are just a few facts that prove the assertion:

• 96% of Idaho’s farms are family-owned.
• When you purchase from a local Idaho business (including family-owned farms and ranches), more of your dollars stay in Idahoans’ pockets.
• Idaho’s 25,000 farms and ranches produce more than 185 different commodities.
• Idaho is ranked in the Top 10 for US production of over 25 crops and livestock.
• Agriculture is the single largest contributor to Idaho’s economy, responsible for 18% of our total economic output.
• Food and beverage processing is Idaho’s second largest manufacturing sector.

The abundance of freshly produced food items, means Idahoans have an easy-to-access supply of high quality, flavorful, and nutritious products conveniently available, and in many cases, directly from producers. And one of the best, most efficient, and certainly most delicious ways to easily and affordably support local food producers is by purchasing a share in a CSA, or “Community Supported Agriculture” program.

How Does a CSA Work?

• Consumers purchase a “crop share” during the winter and early spring before the season begins.
• Throughout the growing season, share members periodically (weekly, bi-weekly, etc., depending on the CSA program) either come to the farm or a pre-determined location to pick up their already paid-for shares of freshly harvested fruits and vegetables brimming with flavor and nutrition. Some CSAs even deliver these scrumptious farm fresh items directly to your door; it all depends on the CSA you choose to join.
• Shareholders help financially support farmers with their upfront investment in the crops– minimizing the farmers’ financial risk by helping with their cash flow throughout the season.

CSAs Make It Incredibly Easy to Live. Eat. Local.

Joining a CSA makes it easier than ever to eat a variety of locally grown and produced foods in season. A traditional fruit and vegetable CSA would typically include a weekly box of freshly harvested produce from a local farmer and will feed between two to four people. However, in Idaho, we are lucky to have creative variations that exist among Community Supported Agriculture models, proving that CSAs are not limited to only produce.

For instance, meat CSAs tend to offer combinations of sustainably raised beef, chicken, and pork. Since meat is not a “seasonal” product, a subscription to a meat CSA is usually for a set amount of time and includes a commitment to purchase a specific share amount (1/4, 1/2, or whole animal) divvied up into weekly portions. Each CSA share may be different, so it is important to ask your farmer or rancher what is included in your subscription.

Additionally, flower CSAs offer participants the option of a weekly bouquet subscription to fresh-cut blooms throughout the growing and harvest seasons. A floral CSA share ensures access to uniquely beautiful, high-quality floral bouquets that were sustainably grown, harvested, and designed by a local flower grower.

Joining a CSA to find and source locally produced foods is unbelievably easy

Need help finding a CSA in your area? Just visit the Idaho State Department of Agriculture to learn more about CSA programs near you, or check out these Idaho Preferred participants who offer a wide variety of agricultural products for you to choose from

• Bruce Ranch Beef, Meat CSA, Eagle, ID.
• Cloud Eleven Mountain Farm, Produce CSA, Moyie Springs, ID.
• Gem State Mushrooms, Mushroom CSA, Coeur D’Alene, ID.
• Melliflora , Flower CSA, Troy, ID.
• New Choices Farms , Produce CSA, Emmett, ID.
• Ohana No Till Farm, Produce CSA, Meridian, ID.
• Pack River Farm, USDA Certified Organic Produce, Sandpoint, ID.
• Peaceful Belly Farm, Produce CSA, Caldwell, ID.
• Peter’s Family Farm, Produce CSA, Twin Falls, ID
• Purple Sage Farms, Idaho Certified Organic Produce, Caldwell, ID.
• Swore Farms, Produce, Pocatello, ID.
• Ten Blue Bird Acres, Produce and Microgreens CSA, Kooskia, ID
• Van Lith Ranch, Protein CSA, Fruitland, ID.
• Vogel Farms, Meat CSA, Kuna, ID.
• Weiser River Ranch, Meat CSA, Weiser, ID.
• Wissel Farms Inc. , Produce CSA, Nampa, ID.

What’s not to love about enjoying a weekly box of freshly harvested local food that was grown, raised, or crafted in your local Idaho community?

Your purchase from local farmers and ranchers builds community resilience. Purchasing a CSA share is one of the most efficient (and certainly one of the most delicious) ways to easily and affordably support local food and agricultural producers.

Are you an Idaho producer (farmer, rancher or food crafter) that operates a CSA model in the Gem State? Want to be included on our state-wide list? Submit your Idaho CSA information here!

Categorized: Community Supported Agriculture