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One of the best, easiest, and most delightful ways to save money this year is to invest in a Community Supported Agriculture share or two. In our area, there are several local organic farms that “pre-sell” their produce before it’s planted. Once the harvest comes in, everyone who bought a share is entitled to a share of the produce.
This helps our pocket books, because the food we eat is not flown, driven, or sailed long distances to reach our table. With gas prices approaching $4 per gallon, local agriculture’s saving of energy cuts your food prices down. And because organic farmers don’t use petroleum-based pesticides, there is no “oil surcharge” in the growing process, either.
Eating locally grown produce helps the local economy, too. The dollars we give our local farmers are immediately returned to local businesses.
It’s not too late at many farms to buy a share or two. Goranson’s Farm in Dresden, for instance, is still selling their shares. The price varies depending on how much produce you ultimately take out of the farm ... beginning at $100 and going up to $400. There are also special prices for seniors.
But even if you miss this year’s boat, so to speak, you can still support local agriculture by buying produce at local farmer’s markets.
Bath, Brunswick, Damariscotta, and a few smaller towns hold farmer’s markets on at least a weekly basis beginning in May. It’s time to dust off your market basket and get out there.
The best thing about buying and eating local produce is that it tastes better, and it’s better for you.
For more information about CSAs in Maine, visit getrealgetmaine.com, MOFGA.org, or home.gwi.net/~goransonfarm/. For up-to-date information about local farmer’s markets, visit getrealgetmaine.com.
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