In the early nineties more and more people were searching for fresh organic produce that was near impossible to find in stores, and farmers markets were still few and far between. Organic farming is more labor intensive and risky and as not taken seriously in the industry at the time, so many farmers were finding it hard to get loans to start their diversified organic vegetable farms. When concerned consumers and cash strapped organic farmers came together, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) was born. In a CSA a person can become a member of the farm and pay upfront for veggies through the growing season. This allows the farmer to have cash at the start of the season when they have most of their expenses, and the members to get the freshest produce available, the pride of directly supporting a family farmer, and a clear connection to their food.
On Thursday, February 9th, the Monument Market will become a pick up point for
Johnson's Backyard Garden's CSA. Started in 2004 in East Austin, Johnson's Backyard has swiftly grown to be one of the largest organic vegetable farms in the area. Visit their website at
http://www.jbgorganic.com/ for more information about the farm and to sign up for the CSA.
