Community Supported Agriculture Brings Fresh Produce to Consumers MILLHEIM (Centre Co.) Pennsylvania’s portion of the national Community Support ed Agriculture (CSA) online directory was recently updat ed through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), the Robyn Van En Center for Community Supported Agri culture (CSA) Services, and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. “The term CSA describes a mutually beneficial relation ship between the farm and the people who consume the food the farm produces,” said Sam Cantrell, owner of Maysie’s Farm CSA in Chester County. CSA farms are based on a shareholder system. General ly, CSA farmers like to secure shareholders by the beginning of March each year so that they know how many seeds they need to buy and can start planning their crops. Pa. ’s 2002 Trout Production Valued At $4.56 Million HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Pennsylvania’s 61 commercial trout growers sold 1.64 million pounds of trout, valued at $4.56 million, dur ing 2002, ranking fifth nation ally behind Idaho, North Car olina, Washington, and Arkansas, according to the Pennsylvania Agricultural Statistics Service (PASS). This was down from the 1.88 million pounds valued at $4.89 million sold in 2001. In addition to those sold, an esti mated $5.9 million worth of trout were distributed for con servation and recreational purposes throughout the state, primarily by state hatcheries, cooperative nurseries, and pri vate fishing clubs. PASS, a joint operation of the National Agricultural Sta tistics Service and the Penn sylvania Department of Agri culture, compiles data on Pennsylvania food and fiber production as part of a nation wide effort. FISHERMAN'S For the price of a share, generally $3OO-$650, consum ers receive fresh produce each week during the local growing season (late spring- late fall). While share sizes can be ad justed, a weekly share general ly provides enough produce for a family of four, or two adult vegetarians. CSA shareholders accept risks and successes as part of their investment. Shareholders bear, with the farmer, the fin ancial commitment involved with farming. If there is crop damage or drought, share holders will receive less pro duce. In contrast, when there is extra produce due to an abundant harvest, they receive more than a regular portion of that particular type of pro duce. While CSAs all work a little differently, they have a couple of general principles: Sales of trout 12 inches or longer by the state’s growers totaled 1.41 million pounds, or 86 percent of the total produc tion sold during the period. This was down 230,000 pounds or 14 percent from the same period a year ago. Aver aging $2.64 per pound, com pared to $2.50 last year and $1.07 nationally, the 12-inch and larger trout were valued at $3.72 million. Fee and rec reational sales accounted for 63 percent of the production, and restaurant and retail sales accounted for another 19 per cent. Sales of trout 6 to 12 inches long by Pennsylvania growers totaled 550,000 fish, or 221,000 pounds live weight during the period. This was down 11,000 pounds or 5 per cent from the same period a year ago. At an average of $3.50 a pound, compared to $3.20 last year and $2.50 na tionally, sales of 6- to 12-inch Sport Fishing at.. CSA Directory Available Online • Be a supply source for or ganic produce raised with minimal pesticides. • Create a market for local farmers, thus sustaining the local community. • Form a relationship be tween consumers and their food source. • Provide a weekly delivery or pick-up point during the growing season for customers to get fresh produce. • Produce is generally pick ed less than 24 hours before delivery. • Provide opportunities for shareholders to visit the farm and participate in growing and harvesting the produce. Consumers can locate the CSA closest to them by going to www.csacenter.org and se lecting “directory.” The directory is maintained by the Robyn Van En Center for CSA Resources located in the Fulton Center for Sustain- trout were valued at $774,000, with 75 percent of the volume sold to fee and recreational es tablishments. Sales of trout 1 to 6 inches long by Pennsylvania growers totaled 220,000 fish, or 7,000 pounds live weight during the period. This was up 1,000 pounds or 17 percent from the same period a year ago. At an average of $298 per thousand fish, compared to $237 last year and $156 nationally, sales of 1- to 6-inch trout were val ued at $66,000. Trout distributed for resto ration or conservation purpos Farm Pond Management CD ROM Available ITHACA, N.Y. Funded by a grant from the Cornell Small Farms Program, a new pond management resource is now available through your cooperative extension office. £ % *¥ . Itek-t9*r>d3sm« M '"' Aoua-Cuttufe -30 mil V* • landscape and fish pond liners made to your specifications • flat sheets, rectangles or round • order in widths/increments of 6 ft. • fast custom quotes and orders ♦V. For customer service: call 800-553-5320 or fax 800-422-7362 y WOOUCT* COtWOMHWt Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 17, 2003, Grower & Marketer-El 7 able Living at Wilson College in Chambersburg. The direc tory is a national listing of CSAs. “We are excited to partner with other organizations to promote the growing number of CSA farms in Pennsylva nia,” said Stephanie Reph, coordinator, Robyn Van En Center. “We often get questions from people looking for CSAs and we direct them to the Robyn Van En Center. The online directory is easy to search and points prospective consumers in the right direc tion,” said Kate Gatski of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. “CSAs are a smaller, but very important group of farm ers. They provide a value added service to consumers in Pennsylvania and cater to a niche market,” said Dave Bingaman, chief of PDA’s Di es, primarily by the state fish commission but also by pri vate fishing clubs, included 5.61 million fish 6-12 inches long. Total losses of all Pennsyl vania trout intended for sale were 1.02 million fish during 2002, with 75 percent being lost to predators and 18 per cent lost to drought. The National Agricultural Statistics Service surveyed commercial trout growers in Pennsylvania and 19 other states: Arkanasas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Geor gia, Idaho, Maine, Massachu setts, Michigan, Missouri, The “Commercial Farm Pond Management CD ROM” is a compilation of fact sheets, publications, Internet links, and other resources to provide up-to-date information about ponds on farms in New York. 'A i ZIMMERMAN IRRIGATION vision of Conservation and Agricultural Technology Divi sion. Christine Wise, partner in Friends Farm CSA, Blair County, spoke about her posi tive experiences with commu nity supported agriculture. “My husband and I have had our CSA for nine years,” Wise said. “We have a CSA for the sense of community it brings and because it encour ages people to become involv ed with the food they eat. Our CSA shareholders are simply amazing and provide us with moral and emotional support. During the drought last year, one member sent us a gift cer tificate to a restaurant to keep our spirits up. The members give us a lot of encouragement because they know that we’re doing our best. In return, we give them the best produce in their CSA shares.” New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Vir ginia, Washington, West Vir ginia, and Wisconsin. Inform ation was collected by mail, telephone, and personal inter view. For the 20 selected states, the total value of all sales, both fish and eggs, received by trout growers during 2002 to taled $69.6 million, a decrease of 9 percent from 2001. Na tionally, sales of fish totaled $65.2 million for 2002, while egg sales totaled $4.45 million. The state of Idaho accounted for 47 percent of the total value of fish sold. The CD is being made available to cooperative exten sion offices for free, and farm- ers can access the information either electronically or in print form, by making arrange ments with your local CCE of fice. TiyCKL-EEZ JMh^omrany litigation Engineering Plastic Mulch • Row Cover • Layflat • Stakes Sprinklers • Injectors • Pipe • Fittings Travelers • Pumps • Filters • Ram Guns Valves • Regulators • Dnpperline • Drip Tape Fertilizers • Emitters • Moisture Meters 800-874-2553 , Fax 616-429-6669 I 800-452-5699 Fax7l7-337-1785
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers