Want to Own Your Own Farm?

How to get locally-grown produce that supports small farmers, the environment, tastes better and is way cheaper than the supermarket.

I just bought a farm. Not the farm. A farm.

Well, actually a share in a farm. It's through a Community Supported Agriculture program. I give the farmer -- his name is Gus -- a certain amount of money at the beginning of the growing season. In return, I get a share of his harvest every week from the late spring through summer. Some CSAs even go into the fall.

I'll be getting everything from asparagus to zucchini, picked at the height of freshness and trucked a mere 22 miles from the farm to my refrigerator. No oil-guzzling planes or 18-wheelers necessary.

Local vs. Organic?

Is this better than buying organic? In my case, I don't have to make the choice. Gus says everything is organic except the blueberries.

But other CSAs around the country use conventional, naturally grown, or biodynamic farming methods, as well as organic.

Sure, organic food has gotten all the big press the last 10 years. But buying locally-grown produce achieves many of the same objectives buying organic produce achieves.

For example, locally-grown produce supports the long-term sustainability of the soil and the ecosystem. Locally-grown produce is designed to use resources efficiently, without harming the environment.

And locally-grown produce tastes better and is far cheaper than produce that comes from thousands of miles away, whether it's organic or conventional.

I'll spend under $50 a week to get enough fruits and vegetables to feed a family of four for my share in my CSA. Of course, if the weather doesn't cooperate, I may get less. But that's part of the process. Shouldn't consumers share the burden as well as the bounty of the local farmer? I'm happy to.

I'm also happy to meet the people who are growing the food my family will be eating this summer. And I'm happy my food doesn't have to travel farther than I will in a year just to reach my doorstep.

Check out Local Harvest for a Community Supported Agriculture program near you. And be sure to check back here often. I'll be creating and sharing lots of new recipes for the fruits and vegetables from our harvest.