From Davie County Farms to Your Supper Table ~ Another Option? “CSA”

Enjoy garden fresh produce all season long
People with their own vegetable gardens understand the delicious “snap” and outstanding flavor of fresh picked produce.

It’s called “Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) – and it links local residents to local farmers, eliminating “the middleman” and increasing the benefits to both the farmer and your family.Subscribing to shares of a local CSA farm make it easy to treat your family to those fresh-picked flavors and wholesome nutrition of days gone by.

There are two CSA farms right here in Davie County
In a CSA program, a farmer grows food for a group of local residents (called “shareholders” or “subscribers”) who commit at the beginning of each year to purchase part of that farm’s crop. The shareholders thus directly support a local farm and receive a low-cost weekly supply of fresh, high-quality produce. The farmers receive an initial cash investment to finance their operation and a higher percentage of each crop dollar because of direct delivery. Both parties jointly share the benefits and risks.

Have Fun, Save Money & Live Longer
Visit one of the two Davie County farmer’s markets regularly, and add a CSA subscription to your table from one of the two farms listed below. CSA subscriptions also make great gifts.  They will be delivered each week during the harvest season which generally runs from May through about September.

Calahaln Farm
Calahaln Farm, located at 510 Calahaln Road, Mocksville is a family run farm owned and operated by David, Gloria and Kim Anderson.  They Andersons have been farming the same land for generations and began offering CSA subscriptions in 2009.  The Calahaln family are generally at the farm from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday.

Galliher Farm ~ USDA Certified Organic
Galliher Farm, located at 183 Garwood Road, Mocksville is a family run farm owned and operated by Michel and Renee Galliher.  Michael and Renee are both form families who have been farming for generations and have been offering CSA subscriptions since 2008.  In addition to their CSA operation, Galliher Farm is also a US Department of Agriculture Certified Organic operation.

Participating in a CSA is a great way to develop a relationship with a local farmer and to guarantee that fresh, local produce will find its way to your kitchen each week.  CSAs often offer products not found in a supermarket, giving shareholders a chance to try new foods.

CSA Farms ~ Advantages for farmers:

  • Farmers get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
  • Farmers receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm’s cash flow
  • Farmers have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow
  • CSA Farms  ~ Advantages for consumers:
    Consumers eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
  • Consumers get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
  • Consumers get to visit the farm where their food is grown
  • Consumers get maximum nutritional value of fresh picked produce
  • Consumers find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm – even veggies they’ve never been known to eat
  • Consumers develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown

CSA Farms ~ Advantages for the Environment:

  • The minimal transportation required to transport food locally is a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
  • CSA farmers produce their food with fewer pesticides or inorganic fertilizers, so they are as natural as possible, limiting their impact on the environment.  The Galiher farm is indeed  certified organic.

It’s not too late to enjoy garden fresh produce this year.  Simply contact one or both of the Davie County CSA farms.

Resources:
Calahaln Farm
Galliher Farm