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 $10.75 more (more…)
iLoveButter/Flickr
If you are interested in eating organic on a budget, finding a nearby grocery store can be a challenge. Stephanie of KeeperoftheHome.org recommended AzureStandard, which is an online organic food catalog and delivery service. AzureStandard delivers to much of the Western states (see below) and can ship orders to other parts of the country, including Alaska and Hawaii. I’m considering eating organic for an entire month as an experiment and may well use AzureStandard! Here’s how it works.
Register on the site to access their sales flyer (free), delivery schedule (free), and product catalog ($.45). Charging for the product catalog strikes me as odd, because you’d think free access would entice potential customers, but perhaps it means only people who are truly interested (more…)
