Sunday, November 27, 2011

Winter CSA Share

After 18 weeks of my summer CSA share, the farmer who provides for my CSA Project Harmony, Claudio, has offered a Winter Share!  This time, I am participating by myself.  Thomas and Rachel, from the forth floor of my building, were not going to divide with me this time around.  So I had to decide.  Do I pay $100 for a ten week CSA share for just me alone?  Generally speaking, I could easily eat all of the food alone, but I get such an abundance of food Dumpster Diving that I certainly do not need a full share.  But after mulling it over, the only decision was to take a winter CSA share.

I dumpster the rest of my food because I don't like to see good food go to waste, I cannot afford only the quality of food that I want to support at farmer's markets, and I don't want to financially support the rest of the food available in food stores:  shipped from California and worldwide, produced in bulk and all around generally unsustainable.

However, the way that Claudio produces his food is 100% what I want to support.  He dreamed of having his own farm, and now after years of working those of others he has one.  It is his passion to make this farm successful.  His farm is only two hours outside of the city, and he produces organic food on a small-scale.  On top of that, he had a very difficult summer, losing over 80% of his crop to the hurricane, so now more than ever he needs support.  It is great not to financially support that which you don't ethically support (Trader Joe's food), but if you are not going to use your money to financially support that which you do ethically support, then you are not making much of a political statement nor are you helping your cause.

Number One Lesson that I would want to give to the world, especially my compatriots:

Vote with your money!


So now I am voting with my money, supporting Claudio and my CSA.