CSA History

A small community of women had an idea

CSAs originated in Japan approximately 30 years ago through a small community of women who saw the decline of farming in their area and an increase in imported food products. The original CSA model revolved around a community buying all of its food from one farmer and providing everything that farmer needed to be productive. The PCCSA model varies in the number of farmers we are able to work with. Prescott is a large enough community that a group of people joining together can support several farmers, each growing different crops during different seasons. In this way the PCCSA can supply a larger portion of our diet year-round and we as shareholders can still provide a guaranteed income for our farmers.

Conservation and stewardship

CSAs are also about conservation and stewardship. Through buying the produce directly from the farmers, the shareholders are paying just above wholesale prices for the freshest produce possible. This may be an advantage to the consumer, but the farmers benefit as well. By selling direct to the consumer, the farmers can actually make more money than if they sell through a grocery chain. This relationship of direct marketing allows the farmers to invest in the quality of the land they farm. The increased income can go into cover crops, improving the life span of the soil, or simply enable the farmers to employ the labor necessary to grow crops organically.