Action 3 News - Omaha, Nebraska News, Weather, and Sports | Call For Action: Families Forming Partnerships with Farmers
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Bennington, NE--An hour before sunset, the sounds of crickets and frogs permeate the air at Black Sheep Farms. So does the sound of weeds being pulled and potatoes harvesting. It's just business as usual for Brian and Kelly Smith.
In their one and a half acre garden, there are potatoes, beans, basil, tomato and carrots growing to name just a few of the crops. But this year none of their yield will make it to a farmers' market. Instead, it's all dedicated to 33 families enrolled in their community supported agriculture program, also known as a CSA.
The CSA concept is a trend growing more popular among farmers and consumers who want organic or chemical-free, fresh produce. Greenleaf Farms now has 50 families subscribed to its program, which is only a couple of years old.
The cost of a full share usually runs about $500. Most programs describe a full share as enough to feed a family of four. Half shares are also available in some places. Fresh produce is given out weekly between May and October. Farmers tell us the money from this provides seed money and it also helps buffer them from any losses in crops.
"The benefit of a CSA is there's shared commitment but there's also shared risk," elaborates Brian Kelly. "For instance, last year, July, was unseasonably cool. We had a lot of rain; we had late season tomato blight so 300 tomato plants we lost in a space of 3 days. For us at the farmers' market that would have represented thousands of dollars of loss."
"We always get enough to make good meals and it lasts us through the week. Sometimes we have produce the next week, it's great," comments Nicole Engels. Last year, she paid for a share; this year she's working for her share of the produce.
In most CSAs there's a pick-up spot and day when people come to get their produce. Some use the weekly farmers' market or the farm or a mutually agreed-upon location. At Black Sheep Farms, they've added another component: sweat equity. All participants are asked to give 10 hours of labor during the growing season.
Kelly Smith says it helps people connect with their food. "There's a sense of pride you get when you have planted that seed and three months later you get to eat what you plant."
The Smiths hope it also provides families an adventure in discovering new foods people might not pick at the grocery store. "You get a crash course in seasonal eating and giving up control over what you get," adds Brian.
Which seems fine by the numbers of people signing up.
Reported by Carol Wang, cwang@action3news.com
