A Brief History of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Maybe you already heard, maybe you’re just reading it here for the first time.

Either way, we’re excited to announce that we’re currently putting the finishing touches on our CSA program, giving locals the opportunity to get our fresh produce delivered on a week to week basis.

(And when we say “locals,” we mean local locals. We’ll be starting small in the farm’s surrounding zip codes, and hopefully expanding when the numbers—and carbon offset—make sense.)

It’s something we’ve wanted to do since the day we’ve stepped foot on our plot, and it’s a model we’re proud to bring to those of you who’ve supported us since this thing was but a seed of an idea.

On that, we think it’s important to pay homage to community supported agriculture wherever and whenever we can. 

Myths abound when it comes to community-supported agriculture. Some publications have argued its roots extend from Japan or Chile, with small groups of farmers concerned with the proliferation of pesticides in their food supplies.

While not exactly a harmful myth, the truth plants itself a little closer to home: The inspiration for the CSA model points toward Booker T Whately, a horticulture professor who dubbed “clientele membership clubs” to help the Tuskegee area’s underserved and overlooked black farmers. Club members paid an upfront cost at the beginning of the season and were permitted to pick their own fruits and vegetables over the course of the year.

The first officially named CSA farms sprung up in the 1980s in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, inspired by somewhat esoteric European thinkers like Rudolf Steiner, who’d become strong advocates for organic farming techniques.

As the movement picked up steam, so too did its capacities. Members of CSA farms now have access to produce they wouldn’t otherwise find at the grocery store, a direct connection to the growers in their area and more opportunities to pluck, plant and save on the staples they keep in the crisper.  

The idea is simple: Share the risk, share the reward. When you invest in Crown Town, you’re investing in all that comes with it. We appreciate your belief in what we’re doing, and it’s our pleasure to return the gift. Reach out today if you’re interested in learning more about our CSA boxes, and we’ll let you know when we’re coming to your neck of Charlotte!