Jun 26, 2008 7:58 am US/Eastern
Locally Grown Produce Good For Health, Environment
Community Supported Agriculture Becomes Environmentally-Friendly Trend
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
With all the food scares, like the most recent one involving tomatoes and salmonella, many people are left wondering how they can eat safely. A growing trend in agriculture is answering some of those concerns, as well as some others, when it comes to the environment.
The first wave of local strawberries are popping off the vines at the Lindentree Farm in Lincoln. But not just anyone can enjoy these berries, or the other fresh produce, from here. You would have had to buy a share of the crop last winter.
Farmer Ari Kurtz says "We had a waiting list this year. We filled up in March which is the earliest we have ever filled up."
Lindentree Farm is something known as "Community Supported Agriculture". This means that a consumer invests money, or in some cases labor, upfront. Then as the crops come in, they get a percentage of the farm's bounty. Kurtz has used this model now for 15 years. "That upfront capital really helps us pay for the expenses of farming."
Going local when it comes buying produce is good for the environment.
By some estimates, the average meal travels 1500 miles to get to the dinner table. All that shipping creates more greenhouse gas emissions than most people realize. As Kurtz explained, "People need to understand that a lot of the food that they are getting from California, from Florida, from other states, can be grown locally. And it's fresher, and we can grow varieties that can't be shipped because they are too tender."
As Steve Long from the Nature Conservancy held up a peach from California and an apple from Chile, he explained another benefit of CSA's: "In Massachusetts over the past 20 years, we have lost 100,000 acres and 10% of our farms. So that could have been open space, and it's now space that's developed."
Jennifer Kaplan of Newton likes knowing exactly where her food comes from, and how it was grown. This has become more important to many consumers as stories like the salmonella tainted tomatoes grab the headlines.
"You go into the supermarket and everything is washed . . .but you don't have any sense of where it's come from. Its really amazing to pick the tomatoes, to pick the strawberries. If you were to go to Whole Foods and buy there, it would absolutely be cost competitive."
Kurtz is happy that local produce is growing in popularity, but advises consumers to be flexible and remember that they are dealing with Mother Nature. "People who are joining a CSA are taking a risk because farming is a risky business. Every year will be different. Some crops will do well, and others won't"
A new member of Lindentree Farm paid $850 to join, while a returning member was charged $800. Jennifer works one six hour shift a week for her share.
All farms are set up differently. To find one near you visit these sites:
www.localharvest.org/csa/ www.massfarmersmarkets.org/
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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