Growing Food, Growing Community, Community Supported Agriculture In Rural Iowa Betty L. Wells and Rhonda Yoder

Introduction CSA is becoming a thriving partnership on the edges of the global system. The CSA partnership originated in the 1960s in Japan Japanese women concerned with increasing food imports & loss of family farms asked local farmers to grow fruits & vegetables for them Farmers agreed on condition that families commit to supporting the farmers

What is CSA? “…farmers & community members working together to create a local food system. CSA farmers may produce fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, & fiber directly to local community members. CSA differs from direct marketing in that members commit to a full-season price in the spring, sharing the risks of production. With this up-front support, farmers can concentrate on growing quality food & caring for the land. In return, members know where their food comes from & how it is grown; they receive weekly food shares & share a connection to the land & the farmer.”

This model was first applied in the U.S. in the 1980s This article looks at the growth of Community Supported Agriculture in Iowa, a rural state in the Midwest. By 1996 there were forty CSA farms in Iowa. In the past rural communities and family farms were synonymous

The globalization of Agriculture, as well as the farm crisis, shifted power from rural to urban. In a traditionally agricultural state, Iowa has become urban & a net importer of food. Still, rural communities in Iowa still depend on healthy agriculture, and farm families still depend on healthy rural communities. CSA is a way to strengthen ties to between farmers and non-farmers in rural areas.

CSA Production This article challenged the Idea that CSA members were educated rich folks who lived in cities and had different lifestyles than the farmers. More than half of CSA’s serve rural areas and small towns. Some have all their members within a few miles. Many conventional farm families became members because they did not have time to grow their own food, but understood the value of good home-grown food.

Values Farmers involved in CSA production need to make enough money to continue production, but they also stressed other motives for getting into CSA, education, diversity, and a community-based system. Many producers wanted to build friendships with customers and educate people about food and farming, and pass on practical knowledge between generations.

Growers take pride in growing a diverse variety of crops, and providing alternative land use. Also more than half of CSA producers are women. Often who live on conventional farms and start a CSA as a way to generate income and stay on the farm.

Many farmers also see a divide between the producers and consumers of food and want to provide a community based alternative. They also believe that they can change the economic situation in Iowa. “Cooperation with nature and cooperation with people.”

Iowa Examples Field to Family Community Food Project. Goals are to work for local, sustainable, and equitable food systems. Also to create self reliant producers, and get wholesome food to low-income families. Strong endorsement given to this group by Mid Iowa Community Action Agency. FTF also gives local foods vouchers for use at farmers markets.

FTF also wants to bring civic clubs, schools, and hospitals into the local food network. Expanding the reach of sustainably grown, local foods creates a market for more farmers.

Summary Using CSA into daily family and food rhythms creates family and community ties based on food and farming and counters the global system of competition, homogenization, standardization, and fabrication. CSA is sensible alternative to industrial food system.

CSA, Food Consumption Patterns, & Member Commitment Carol Goland

The Study Data from a 5-year study of 8 CSAs are used to examine perceptions & behaviors of members – Motivations for membership – Role of women in initiating & maintaining membership – How membership relates to commitment

The 8 Farms All were college educated, most grew up on farms and had family in farming, but had not farmed themselves before starting the CSA. All also had non-farming experience. They also own the land they farm. Farmers aspired to completely support themselves by farming. Also believed in sustainable and environmentally sustainable farming and building relationships with buyers.

The Members Some members already knew the farmers or were locals. Most members were educated urban dwellers who were recruited by other members. Most members report reasons for joining a CSA as concern for the environment and wanting to eat fresh, organic food. Most were happy with the price, quality, and delivery.

Members were not as interested in community, and did not often list it as a reason for joining. Many had lifestyles opposite from their ideology, they believed in the mission of CSA, but found it inconvenient for their modern lifestyles.

The Households Most of the responsibilities for CSA membership fell to women. Women initiated membership and filled out the forms in over 70% of cases. Women also were more involved with the processing and cooking of the produce, and way more likely to participate on the farms.

The more the women worked outside the home, the less likely they were to participate in farm activities. Houses where both men and women worked full time had the least involvement.

Participation Often members talked about the farms in terms of “spiritual connectedness” and civic responsibility. Members also enjoyed knowing who was growing their food, and being able to call farmers with questions. Members also say it has given a them a new reverence for food.

Farmers’ Perspectives The farmers were committed to the lifestyle. They used a wide range of skills to grow diverse crops. Farmers can have an independent livelihood and also are experts in natural systems. They also tried to educate the public and consumers about sustainable farming.

Conclusion Community Supported Agriculture offers a solution to the dilemmas of modern agriculture. The success of CSA is in the hands of members, not the farmers who have proven their skill as producers and stewards.

Earthrise Farm

Easy Bean Farm Shareholders receive a box of veggies each week from early June to mid- October. The box usually contains different items including all of the regulars plus herbs, heirlooms and a few unusual varieties. Shareholders receive a newsletter each week filled with information about the fruits/veggies in their share, recipes, news from the farm, notices of upcoming events, poetry and my ramblings. Our veggies are FRESH! Unlike the store bought produce it is harvested and in your hands in under 24 hours… more flavorful and more nutritious. Shareholders can participate in events at the farm like our Spring Hoe-Down and Autumn Harvest Festival. We also encourage you to come on out, get your fingernails dirty, enjoy a swim in the pond, a sweat in the sauna, or canoe the Chippewa. Shareholders join with us in learning the rhythms of the land and eat “in the season”. Shareholders may also purchase extra amounts of beets, tomatoes, carrots, onions, potatoes or peppers for canning/freezing. Shareholders support an agricultural system that leaves our farms and communities better than we found them.

Moonstone Farm

Garden Goddess Greenhouse

Mexico boasts the highest number of organic farms in the world Friday, 10 April 2009 Mexico is the leading Country in the world as for number of organic farms, and ranks fifth as for yield volumes of this kind of products, according to Ecoalimenta website, that reported data released by Blanca Villarello Landa, secretary-general for Export Marketing and Promotion of Mexican Ministry of Agriculture, Stockbreeding, Rural Development, Fishery and Food.

The surface devoted to organic cultivations represents 2.3 percent of the 21.7 million hectares of cultivated land in Mexico, as reported the U.S. Organic Consumers Associaton ( and Villarello confirmed at the opening ceremony of Expo Orgánicos exhibition.

As it happens in other Countries such as Spain, most of the Mexican organic yield is exported to developed organic markets (Europe and United States). Mexico exports 90% of its overall organic production. The most marketed products include coffee, sesame, hibiscus and nopal, while the biggest producing companies are Chiapas, Oaxaca, Querétaro, Guerrero, Tabasco, Sinaloa, Michoacán and Jalisco.

According to the secretary-general, one of the Mexican organic products' strong points is that they comply with fixed security standards and they are grown in line with environmental preservation methods. The main consuming Countries of organic products include Germany, France, UK, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Austria and USA, and exports to these Countries generate an economic income of some 70 million euros in Mexico. mexico-boasts-the-highest-number-of-organic- farms-in-the-world.html mexico-boasts-the-highest-number-of-organic- farms-in-the-world.html