This weeks CSA haul: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, green beans, beets, tomatoes, corn, peppers, garlic, eggs and goat cheese.
Earlier in the summer I joined a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, paying $525 for 20 weeks of vegetables, eggs, and cheese. I’m considering re-upping my membership for winter, but first want to re-consider my hefty investment. The program costs me about $11 more per week compared to buying groceries at my local chains. Does joining a CSA make financial sense?
Cost is the first thing I considered. For the 20-week summer program, I paid $365 for good-sized portions of about seven vegetables, including lettuce, tomatoes, corn, beets, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and garlic. I paid another $100 to receive freshly made goat cheese (chevre or feta) and $60 for a half dozen free-range organic chicken eggs that are free of hormones and antibiotics.
That amounts to $26 a week! Before joining this CSA I spent roughly $15.50 for vegetables, one dozen eggs, and a block of cheese each week. So I am spending $10.75 more (more…)
