Straight From the Source

When it comes to fruits and vegetables, more and more Floridians particularly women are taking a green-zone stand. It has as much to do with supporting the environment as it does maximizing personal health. The fact is, so much of our food is sprayed with pesticides and other harsh chemicals that harm the soil and our water supply and by the time that food reaches store shelves, its nutritional value has tanked due to days languishing in containers as it’s shipped from industrial farm to distribution centers and supermarkets. Enter small, local and hands-on organic farms, which are sprinkled all over Florida. they’re serving up pesticide-free just-harvested and therefore flavor-packed and nutrient-rich produce through a variety of channels and we’re not just talking about Florida’s bevy of green markets, u-picks and farm stands, but even home delivery in some cases.

It’s all part of an-ever strengthening movement known as community supported agriculture (CSA), which is sweeping the nation as the number of CSA farms in the united States now tops 1,000, according to local Harvest, a leading informational resource for the buy-local-food movement. By buying produce from a local farm in one way or another, you’re working to create a healthier and agriculturally sustainable environment, a vibrant community and a stronger local economy. And you’ll also know exactly where your produce is coming from and develop a kinship with the farmers growing it. It’s a feel-good do-good connection all the way around and one that will save you money compared to organic produce in retail grocery stores where packaging, transportation and distribution costs are factored in.

Several organic farms in Florida offer membership programs or “shares.” By simply paying up front for what you’ll be receiving during the growing season some farms offer other payment plans members insure that the farmers can make it all happen in terms of their operating costs.

Most often, you’ll be treated to a weekly or bi-weekly produce assortment. One week, it might include just-harvested lettuces, green beans, onions, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, avocados, and citrus fruits, among other things; the next week, perhaps tomatoes, scallions, oriental greens, broccoli, zucchini, potatoes, fresh herbs and more. Each week is a surprise bounty from what Mother Nature brings.

Membership plans range from a few pounds a week for individuals to several pounds a week for families. In most cases, members pick up the produce at the farm, green markets or at other designated sites in their communities, but some farms also offer membership home delivery, such as Sarasota Farms in Sarasota. Sarasota Farms, owned and operated by husband-and-wife duo Michael and Heather Locklear, is indicative of the plethora of CSA family run farms with a passion for sustainable agriculture and community involvement. “If everyone bought from and connected with local organic farms, it would make an enormous difference,” says Heather. “We would have many more environmentally aware farmers, the amount of pesticides and carbon emissions would greatly diminish, and people and the earth as whole would be healthier.” like organic farm membership programs, organic-produce co-ops and buying clubs in Florida are increasingly being tapped from all across the state and they predominantly source from local and regional Sunshine State farms. Because they’re buying for numerous members in some cases hundreds their purchasing power translates into excellent value. Among buying clubs is the organic Produce Buying Club of South Florida, launched about four years ago by Miami-area organic devotee Jayne Rosenbaum, who has since been joined in the business by her husband,

Howard. Club members pick up approximately 20 to 40 pounds of certified organic fruits and vegetables every other week at a host site (and there are sites throughout South Florida) for a flat fee of $43 per pickup. “We have almost 50 pick-up sites and I now have that amount in the wings,” says Howard. “Most of the time they’re in someone’s home, but in other cases, they’re in churches and synagogues or a business location. As far as membership, we now have about 800 members up from 500-plus a couple of years ago and the majority are women.” “We do make a concerted effort to buy from local farms (which isn’t always an option since Florida’s summertime crops wane in the sweltering bug-happy heat). Emphasizing the local aspect is important. Just today, for instance, we got some great organic green beans from a farm in Homestead and they’re delicious!” And “delicious” or “superior taste,” as some of the best chefs in the country have characterized organic may be the last word anyone utters after dipping in to the local organic-farm experience.