s u s t a i n a b l e l i f e FARM Fresh FOR REAL Community supported agriculture provides top quality local produce and so much more The CSA business model creates the opportunity for a consumer to form an agreement directly with a farmer to buy produce weekly through the season for a set, pre-paid amount. Paying in advance at the start of the season benefits the farmer by allowing financing benefits and the opportunity to plan the best allocation of resources for the growing season. The consumer benefits by getting supplies of fresh produce every week at guaranteed prices and by supporting diversified local agriculture, and in many other ways through varied offerings of foodstuffs and ag-related experiences. Each week the farms harvest those fruits and vegetables that are at their peak, and prepare boxes for pick-up by their members. In addition to eggs and seasonal vegetables like lettuces, kale, chard, broccoli, cabbage, radishes, carrots, favas, peas, beets, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, beans, berries, and melons, the CSAs also offer unique foods and products. One CSA, Hudson Ranch, is located in Carneros on Henry Road. “In addition to our CSA, we sell wine, olive oil, lamb and whole hogs,” says Jayme Rubke, Sales and Marketing Coordinator. “Pigs can be cut and wrapped by Bud’s Meats in Petaluma or picked up directly from the farm.” Dressedout weights range from 15 to 275 pounds, and Oenotri restaurant and the Fatted Calf shop are among their local customers. At BOCA Farm, located just south of the city of Napa, customers routinely get to harvest some of their own food, like culinary herbs, flowers, cherry tomatoes, peas, and tomatillos. BOCA (Building Our Community through Agriculture) Farm founder and farm manager Lizzie Moore has sold organic produce to upscale Napa restaurants like Angèle, Kitchen Door, 50 www.nAPAVA L L E Y L I F E magaz ine. c o m Morimoto, Oenotri and ZuZu. Clif Family Farm CSA, located up on Howell Mountain with food box distribution in St. Helena, offers dry farmed tomatoes in September, which are especially concentrated in flavor, as well as canned tomato sauce. Clif Family and Hudson Ranch also offer wines under their own respective labels. Children’s programs are another great benefit of CSAs “At BOCA Farm, we welcome local schoolchildren to learn, work and explore at their garden classroom,” says Moore. The farm has worked with the Blue Oak School in Napa to use the farm as an extension of the classroom space, as a sort of living laboratory. The concept is for mixed-grade groups to spend full school days learning, exploring, cooking, and creating at the Farm. Moore says BOCA also tries to promote a sense of responsibility and interconnectedness among Napa community members by offering a community garden area for locals to grow their own food. At Hudson Ranch, an annual cooking demonstration includes allowing kids the Valley residents who want fresh local farm produce are fortunate to have several Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operations in Napa County Carrots from Clif Family Farm
NVLife_Feb_2014
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