Tastebud: The ABCs of CSAs

by JBF Editors on December 12, 2011

The concept of community-supported agriculture—purchasing a share from a local farm in exchange for weekly hauls of fruits and veggies—arrived in this country over 20 years ago, but lately we've noticed that specialty CSAs have sprouted up to feed the appetites of every kind of food enthusiast.

Cheese lovers in Warwick, Massachusetts, flock to the CSA at Chase Hill Farm for sweet raw milk cheeses; fromage fans in eastern Kansas head to Gasper Family Farm, where they can also fill their totes with non-homogenized milk, butter, and yogurt. In upstate New York, the 8 O’clock Ranch ships cuts of 100 percent grass-fed lamb, beef, and pork to its members, while JBF nominee Craig Deihl’s Artisan Meat Share is going strong in Charleston.

Local wines and beer have spilled into CSA boxes, too. Enlightenment Wines in Brooklyn sponsors a “Community Supported Alcohol” program that supplies seasonal offerings like sparkling apple meads and oaked blackcurrant wines, while those looking for something sudsy can opt for the Broken Stove Beer Share at the nearby Southside CSA.