With barns and silos dotting the countryside of Central Wisconsin, both community members and visitors of the area can recognize the importance of farming and agriculture to our local economy.  Going beyond this recognition and strengthening the lines of communication and support between our local farmers and the community is essential in our commitment as citizens of Central Wisconsin in establishing a greener community.  A Sunday morning pit-stop at the local Farmers Market is an easy way to begin showing such support, however there is another option—Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) or farm sharing—that provides a unique and intimate relationship between local farms and dedicated individuals. 

The belief behind CSAs is that the farmland truly becomes the community’s farm.  Individuals who choose to farm share or buy “stock” in a specific farm experience both the risks and benefits of food production.  Farm sharing supports the local economy and local farmers, encourages a lifestyle of eating fresh and nutritional food, and saves the energy and resources necessary to ship in that same produce from other communities or states. 

The logistics of farm sharing are similar across the board.  Interested individuals pay an annual membership fee appropriate to the share, which is the term used to describe the amount of food received, and generally these shares are labeled as full shares, half shares, worker shares, or partial shares.  Typically CSAs run for about 20 weeks from June to October, and members receive weekly selections of a variety of fruits and vegetables.   

Central Wisconsin is home to three designated CSA farms: Stoney Acres Farm in Athens, Maplewood Gardens in Elderon, and Moonshadow Farm in Wausau.  Although each farm is unique as to its history, how it’s managed, and what it provides, there is one important similarity—all of the produce grown is certified organic, and the variety is astonishing.  Where else would you be able to find 7 varieties of fresh garlic or 27 varieties of fresh tomatoes?  Because of the overwhelming variety, participating in farm sharing is a great opportunity to explore new, exotic fruits and vegetables.