community supported agriculture

Amidst cob-wall plastering in the background, co-director Stacey Denton relays the story of the first years at White Oak Farm and Educational Center in Oregon: Acquiring the 62 acres of food and pasture and protecting it through conservation easements, creating their non-profit organization. See food baskets for their CSA (community supported agriculture) program, visit their abundant permaculture-based farm; attend a workshop in natural building; and delight with kids in an educational program "down on the farm." Episode 111.

The Reality Report interviews Raj Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System.

The interview reviews the historical development of the global food system, from 15th century England to the WTO and today's multi-national corporations. The discussion includes countervailing social responses to today's food crisis, such as the landless movement in Brazil to the CSAs of North America.

Sharon Astyk is a writer, teacher and subsistence farmer, and the author of two forthcoming books on Peak Oil and Climate Change — Depletion and Abundance: Life on the New Home Front (Fall ‘08) and A Nation of Farmers (And Cooks) (Spring ‘09), the latter co-authored with Aaron Newton. Both books are forthcoming from New Society Publishers.

In this episode of Deconstructing Dinner, we explore the creation of a market for local grain using a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model. We also hear from a grade 4 student sharing some shocking information with his classmates on factory animal farms.

Jay Martin of Provident Organic Farm in Maryland talks to GPM volunteer Brian Magee about the nuts and bolts of practically implemented community supported agriculture (CSA). Martin also consults for LESSON, Lower Eastern Shore Sustainable/Organic Network.

On Part II of the Soil Matters series, we hear from the members of this new Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in Nelson, BC, Canada. How has joining a farm changed eating patterns? How has working on the farm reshaped our connection to food? What changes should be made to the administration and functioning of the CSA for next year?