CSAs in the Garden State
Community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs have become essential to many New Jersey farmers and consumers, helping farms become more financially sustainable while providing people with access to fresh, healthy, locally grown food. A typical CSA is structured like a membership: You commit at the start of the year or growing season, then receive an abundance of food throughout the season—sometimes even year-round. CSA pickups or deliveries vary but are often weekly, and many farmers offer add-ons of preserved foods or local artisanal products like honey, tomato sauce, or bread.
In the classic CSA model, members pay an annual or seasonal fee to cover the cost of seeds, equipment, and labor, and in return they receive a percentage of the harvest. Everyone shares the risks and rewards. This allows farmers a sense of security, and since they’re growing for a local market, the autonomy to choose what to grow based on flavor, culture, and suitability to the local climate rather than what will transport well or suit the demands of a national retailer. CSA members get the cream of the crop—literally. It’s why our Jersey tomatoes are so good!
The CSA concept is more than just charming; it’s important to both farmers and consumers. Behind that beautiful basket of vegetables is a business approach that benefits hardworking farmers, discerning food-lovers, the state economy, and the environment. CSA shares are grown and processed by people you know, resulting in better quality, freshness, safety, and accountability for customers. Plus, farmers make a more livable wage when a baseline income is guaranteed. A farm that’s financially sustainable and bolstered by the community is less likely to end up selling its land to developers—an important quality-of-life factor in a state as densely populated as New Jersey.
Mike Baki is a veteran farmer for the Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm, a year-round CSA in Blairstown. One of the first farms in the country to adopt the CSA model back in 1988, Genesis feeds 300 families in northern New Jersey. Members can pick up shares on site, join one of the self-organized groups that extend to Montclair and Teaneck, or get shares delivered to select locations like Hackettstown. Those who visit the farm can pick seasonal fruit and flowers as well as surplus vegetables. Baki touts community-supported agriculture as “an incredible way to feed people.”
“It promotes community for those that support the farm, and it’s great for local economies since it cuts out the middleman, and it keeps the ‘culture’ in agriculture,” Baki says.
More robust CSAs often host events like cooking classes and seed-saving workshops, children’s activities, farm-to-table dinners, and online groups to share recipes. Meeting fellow members who prioritize local food—and might have a good recipe for celeriac—is a valuable part of the CSA experience.
“I absolutely love the variety and seasonality of the produce,” Gina Bochkay, a 10-year CSA customer, says of her longtime participation. “My favorite aspect has been the inspiration it gives me to try new recipes and find ways to use the produce, which is so much fresher and more flavorful.”
Local CSAs also inspire people to spend more time in the kitchen. “Making food for friends and family and hearing them remark on how good it tastes is the best reward,” Bochkay says. “I love being able to tell them where the food came from and why it tastes so good.”
