It’s harvesting time!

The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program offered by Alberta farms is one way that Calgarians have been able to connect with the roots of the farmer-consumer relationship.

The program, which began in 2008 in Alberta, creates mutual relationships for both farmers and consumers, with the latter getting fresh produce and the former recurring income.

“I find it successful, that I can plan my gardens easier because I know, what I’m bringing to my consumers,” said Stacey Audley, Grower/Producer at Audley Family Farm.

“So, there’s less wastage than going to a farmer’s market per se.”

Audley Family Farms has been offering an innovative way for its consumers to achieve a cheaper cost on their subscription CSA boxes through a minor amount of labour.

“We’re doing a farm timeshare so that’s a way for people that can come out and work two shifts on the farm to help offset some of their cost,” said Audley.

Farmers set aside land for the CSA benefit, but breaking into CSA market can be hard

Understating that the CSA program is a large profit producer, some farmers will have certain sections of their land designated for growing crops for the CSA produce.

“We’ll be 3,400 sq. ft. in greenhouse space, then we are roughly two acres of broke land, and then the berries and the shrubs and all of that stuff are probably on another acre. So, we’re looking close to three acres,” said Kim and Sheldon Burton, the farmers of Mosaic Farms.

Part of the Mosaic Farms strategy is to offer different sizes of boxes for subscriptions to best accommodate different family sizes.

The CSA baskets contain fresh produce that usually contains different kinds of vegetables and fruits depending on the farm you get the baskets from.

“What we usually do is a medium: anywhere from two to four people and you usually get anywhere from 20 to 30 pounds of produce per week,” said Kim Burton.

“And then our other share is large, and it’s usually about four people or more, and that can be anywhere from a little over 40 pounds of produce.”

Sheldon Burton said that the boxes range from $30 per week for a medium box, to $50 per week for a large.

“And then depending on what delivery they take, or however they choose to procure the basket,” he said.

The CSA program has provided farmers with structure and stability when harvesting as the relationship with the consumer means that the harvest can be sold indefinitely.

And for some farms around the province, the program also means they can reach consumers directly and not just in the summer and harvesting seasons.

Although the majority do provide produce only in the summer.

The Alberta Open Farm Days (AOFD) website, lists some of the CSAs across the province.

Although breaking into the CSA market has sometimes proven to be a challenge for new farmers.

“I can definitely say for the new farmers like me, it is definitely a struggle to get the name out there,” said Pete Dhiman, grower at Shirley’s Greenhouses.

Farms that have been around for a longer time have a better success rate in growing their CSA consumers by having curated relationships over time according to Dhiman.

“For the people who are established like several generations, I don’t think it is a problem for them,” said Dhiman.