The Top 3 Reasons to Join a CSA

The Grace Brothers CSA brings fresh, local foods from the farm to your table.

Have you thought about joining the Grace Brothers CSA Program?

Some of you are thinking, “Um… maybe? I’m not even sure what a CSA is!”

Great question, so let’s start there.

What is a CSA?

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. A membership in a CSA provides a weekly bag or box of produce, eggs, meat, and pantry items that supports the farmers who grow the food and the producers of the other food products. At Grace Brothers, we work with local farmers, producers, and suppliers within 100 miles of our North Royalton, Ohio shop.

So now that you know what a CSA is, we’re going to give you a “fresh” take on our top-3 reasons to join one…

Reason #1 - When you join a CSA, you’re eating fresh.

Joining a CSA means that the food in your weekly bag is as fresh as it gets. For our specific CSA, members pick up the bag on Friday afternoon. Our driver collects the food picked that morning from farmers. If you buy food from a grocery store, much of the food is grown across the country, if not across the world. The food is picked before it’s ripe and must travel for a few days to a distributor and then to the grocery store where it can be weeks-old sitting on the shelf. Eating fresh, local food cuts down on the environmental impact of transportation — fewer emissions from vehicles and less fuel needed. It also increases nutrition, and tastes a whole lot better.

Reason #2 - When you join a CSA, you’re eating locally with the seasons.

By eating food that’s grown locally, you are eating with the seasons. In Northeast Ohio, tomatoes are not available in the Spring, but strawberries and raspberries are. Brussel sprouts and apples will be ready to harvest in the fall, but not asparagus. In other growing regions, produce will be available at different times, but eating local food means that you are in tune with what’s growing in your region, from your local farmers.

The food in our CSA is grown or produced within the counties surrounding North Royalton, Ohio. Our lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, and broccoli are all grown in Medina County. We get pasta from Ohio City Pasta and condiments from Cleveland Ketchup Company, as well as honey and bread from Medina County. Our beef is from a farm in Medina County and our eggs are from many chicken farms in Medina County and sold from a distributor in Huron County.

Reason #3 - When you join a CSA, you’re supporting your local economy.

When you buy food from nearby growers and producers, you support your local economy. Tax dollars stay in your county and state to support public programs and infrastructure. Family businesses have the support to stay in business. And pride can be taken knowing you help build a sense of community, togetherness, and transparency (which is lacking in our global, digital world).

So yes, joining a CSA is special. You’ll be eating fresh. You’ll be eating local. And you’ll be supporting your local economy.