What is a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is a production and marketing model where consumers pay a sum of money at the start of a growing season in exchange for regular shares of fresh farm goods once harvesting begins. This model helps farmers cover upfront costs like seeds, tools, and infrastructure at the start of each season. For consumers, direct purchasing means the food is often cheaper than if it were processed for sale in a supermarket. Additionally, CSAs create a direct connection between farmers and consumers and build a more transparent food system.
UMass CSA Programs
UMass Stockbridge students manage meat and veggie CSA programs. While the student farm also sells shares to faculty and staff, students get a discounted rate. As a student, $375 gets you 25 lbs of food per week over 10 weeks. Splitting shares is encouraged. Shares are distributed at the Massachusetts Farm Bureau barn on Friday afternoons. Sign-ups for the veggie program begin in March. Last year, the student farmers grew over 40 different types of vegetables, flowers, and herbs for the CSA.
The Livestock Program provides 10-12 lbs of meat in its monthly shares. All of the meat is grown on campus pasture at the Agricultural Learning Center. This includes sheep, pigs, chickens, and turkeys. A weekly share might include anything from ribeye to lamb sausage, but you can see all of their cuts on their website. Shares for 2025 are sold out but you can purchase their meat at on-campus farmers markets.
For More Information
https://www.umass.edu/stockbridge/umass-farm-community-supported-agriculture-shares
https://www.umass.edu/stockbridge/stockbridge-livestock-program-and-meat-csa
