The Rural Voice, 1993-07, Page 32DON911 MOSS Cir
on The Rural Voice Special
International Plowing Match Edition
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28 THE RURAL VOICE
they'd pay in a supermarket, "once
they come out (to the farm) they
don't seem to care about prices." Last
year when potato prices were
ridiculously low in stores people
were still thrilled to get their own
150 -pound share of potatoes.
Members get hooked on better
produce, he says, with more varieties
of his vegetables, and varieties that
might not be viable on a large
commercial operation. He also gets a
chance to introduce them to
experimental vegetables they
wouldn't ordinarily come into contact
with in a commercial vegetable
business that can only grow what
there's a recognized market for.
"What really makes me feel good
is when people say their kids are
eating more vegetables because they
helped pick it or at least pick it out, or
because the vegetables are sweeter."
Because of comments like that,
Budd likes to be around when the
CSA members come out to make
their twice -weekly pick-ups. "I find
you really need to be hanging around
on pick-up days. That's when the
gratification comes. Otherwise it's
just a lot of labour." People really
appreciate it when they can see the
food go directly from the field to
their shopping basket, he says. "If it
looks good and tastes good, people
tell you right away."
That experience has given him a
new appreciation of the skills
required in growing vegetables.
"Initially I thought if people could
grow a garden, why would they
bother joining but there's a lot of skill
involved, especially if they want food
grown organically."
Although finding a source of
organically grown food was the
impetus for the Goderich-area group
to form a CSA, there can be various
reasons for the direct consumer -
farmer approach. Budd feels the
success of CSAs in the West is
almost a political statement of
support for the family farm by urban
residents. The goal for setting up a
CSA could be getting cheaper food
by cutting out the middleman. Nearly
always, however, people appreciate
the opportunity of getting fresher
food that hasn't travelled far to get to
their door. The CSA gives people a
chance to regain some sort of control
over what they eat in an age when