strongisbeautiful:

Have you contemplated buying a CSA share but were put off by the intital investment?  Because I am the cheapest person on the planet, I actually did the math to show you what you will save buying from a CSA farm.  Not to mention the produce is local, organic, and normally picked within 4 days of it reaching your house.  You can’t deny the freshness and quality of the produce, but now I’m going for the trifecta to show you why it’s actually a better deal.

 

I took our week 18 box containing 12 items, weighed them and then found the respective prices at Whole Foods organic items.  Yes, I really went around with a note book and pen.  What  I will do for savings.

 

The intial investment for the 2012 Rare Earth Farm CSA share was $550 for 21 weeks, equaling $26.19 a week.  Here we go!

• Brussel Sprouts: 2 Lbs, 2 Oz @ $2.99/Lb - $6.35
• Yellow Onions: 1 Lb @ $1.69/Lb - $1.69
• Spring Mix: 5 oz @ $3.99/Package - $3.99
• Cilantro Bunch: 1 bunch @ $2/Bunch - $2.00
• Red Pepper: 10 oz @ $2.99/Lb - $1.87
• Parsnips: 1 Lb, 13 oz @ $1.99/Lb - $3.61
• Garlic: 1 oz @ $3.99/Lb - $.25
• Spaghetti Squash: 6 Lbs @ $1.69/Lb - $10.14
• Cauliflower: 1 Lb, 10 oz @ $3.99/Lb - $6.48
• Carnival Squash: 1 Lb, 8 oz @ $1.69/Lb - $2.54
• Broccoli: 1 Lb, 8 oz @ $2.99/Lb - $4.49
• Yukon Gold Potatoes: 3 Lbs @ $1.69/Lb - $5.07

Total: $48.48.  The CSA actually saves you $22.29! 

 

Now some of you may object that this is an excessive amount of produce with some unconventional items, which is true.  However, I have found that I have went out to eat less, because I knew I had food at home.  Additionally, unconventional and excessive produce forces you to do one thing, which I believe all people should do: learn how to cook.  Much of this country’s obesity problem is driven by convenience; people are so short on time that they favor processed and ready to eat foods over cooking at home.  These items are calorie rich and often omit our vegetable friends.

 

So what’s stopping you from joining a CSA next season? Here is the link to the farm where I have been working for the past 4 months:

http://www.rareearthfarm.com/

 

Any additional questions? Contact me: edmonsonl@gmail.com

Nice breakdown.