The benefits of CSA membership

CSA, or community supported agriculture, is a farming model which directly connects consumers and farmers to help create a more transparent local food system.

Cooking has always been a huge passion of mine and for the past 5 years, I have been a member of a local CSA (Community supported agriculture) called De Stadsgroenteboer [translated from Dutch into English: The City Farmers] and every week, we get boxes containing locally grown, seasonal,organic vegetables. De Stadsgroenteboer provides over 100 households in Amsterdam with seasonal, fresh, vegetables which are grown on a farm in Amsterdam West and are delivered weekly.

Crops growing at local CSA

The benefits of supporting a CSA are tenfold: biodynamic and organic cultivation methods have a positive impact on both the ecology as well as the health of the consumer, and local delivery eliminates the need for excess transport, refrigeration and packaging thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Not to mention the superior taste of fresh vegetables straight from the soil compared to supermarket veggies. Many CSA’s encourage the sharing of zero-waste recipes, which helps in tackling food waste.

There are a multitude of environmental, financial, social and health benefits of regenerative agriculture and the urban permaculture movement. It has an important function with regards to biodiversity, CO2 collection, local food provision and natural recreation, and fulfils a very important role in the negation of climate change.

Being a member of local CSA De Stadsgroenteboer has brought much joy into my world in the past years. For me, not only is it a way of connecting to nature and her seasons while living in the city, but it has also greatly inspired my creative practice. Have a look at my veggie-inspired designs here. You’re welcome.

The benefits of CSA membership