How CSA works Early in the year, members of CSA farms pay a fee to cover anticipated costs of the upcoming season, including labor, seeds, and supplies. In return, members receive a weekly portion of the farm's harvest throughout the growing season. Members and farmers often work together to harvest crops and distribute food. Typically family-operated, CSA farms range from 3 to 300 acres and provide food for 10 to more than 200 households. CSA farms are highly diversified, usually growing more than 40 different vegetables, herbs, and fruits.
Some farms also supply meat, eggs, honey, and other products.
In Wisconsin, CSA farms provide food for up to eight months of the year by making successive plantings and using greenhouses and root cellars to extend the seasons. CSA projects rely to varying degrees on member volunteers to work on the farm and help with various tasks. By assuming these responsibilities, core groups enable farmers to focus on producing food and caring for the land. Community supported agriculture has diverse goals and forms. Some projects have incorporated innovative land use to help solve social problems in urban areas.