East End Food hosts CSA fair this Saturday
On Saturday, March 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., East End Food and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) will host a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Fair at East End Food’s headquarters at 139 Main Road, Riverhead.
The event invites the public to meet local farmers face-to face, learn about their growing practices and CSA programs, and perhaps find a farm share that fits their household and lifestyle.
A CSA share connects farmers and consumers through subscriptions to a farm for the season. The farmer is paid in advance for a share of the harvest and is able to use the upfront funds to cover their seasonal startup costs, like market fees, seeds and new supplies. In return, members receive a weekly or biweekly box of fresh, in-season produce — sometimes with optional add-ons like eggs, bread, flowers, milk or meat — throughout the season.
Besides fabulously fresh, more nutritious food, CSAs grow a relationship between farmers and members. Many farms invite members to pick up their shares onsite, attend special events or try new recipes featuring the fruits and vegetables they supply. The in-season produce is often organic or biodynamically grown and has a low carbon footprint, since it travels fewer miles to the consumer.
