Becoming a member of a Petaluma-area farm

A farmer at Tara Firma Farms was recently busy packing freshly harvested chard, kale, lettuce, beets, avocados, carrots and herbs into a cardboard box. The box wasn't headed to a restaurant, but rather to the front door of a Petaluma family, who was eagerly waiting to see what surprises would arrive in their "CSA" box.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, which is a food distribution model through which small local farmers grow fresh food and deliver it directly to consumers, rather than going through the grocery store. Individuals or families subscribe to a CSA by paying an upfront fee and in return get a boxful of fresh, seasonal vegetables and other local foods delivered on a regular basis to their homes or a central pick up point.

"A CSA can offer lots of things we don't sell wholesale because of the quantities involved," said Jesse Pizzitola, farmer with Nathan Boone at Petaluma's First Light Farm, which has land on Bodega Avenue and in Valley Ford. "The CSA boxes offer a good value to the consumer and a diverse assortment."

Now is the time of year that many local CSA farms are seeking new members, as the farming season gets underway and warm spring weather promises a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

CSAs began in the United States in the early 1980s as ways to share the risk of agriculture among farmers and their consumers, and have continued to grow as consumers become more interested in eating local, seasonal produce and supporting local farmers.

According to Deborah Walton of Petaluma's Canvas Ranch, a single-family, five-acre farm located next to the Coast Guard station in west Petaluma, the bulk of a farm's costs are incurred in the spring, the beginning of the growing season, when they do not yet have produce to sell. CSA members help by making a financial commitment to the farm that provides startup capital for the season. The farmer also doesn't have to spend as much time and money on marketing, so he or she can dedicate energy to the quality of the crops.

In addition to getting regular produce deliveries, CSA members are introduced to new foods they might not yet know how to prepare. For instance, members of First Light Farm could be surprised by some of the uncommon food in their box this spring, but it will always come with a suggested recipe, written up by one of the farmers. At Tara Firma Farms, the CSA boxes all come with a list of the vegetables contained in the box with suggested uses, and their website has a variety of recipes to choose from. Canvas Ranch also provides a recipe sheet with its vegetables, as well as a newsletter that lets CSA members know what is going on at the farm and what they can look forward to as the season goes on.

Each Petaluma area farm takes a slightly different approach to the CSA model.

For example, at Canvas Ranch, First Light and Tolay Valley Farm, subscribers get a discount for paying an entire season's membership upfront. At Tara Firma Farms, members are billed upon delivery, with no set period of time for a membership. All of the farms allow for members to change their subscriptions and delivery options.

Canvas Ranch, which grows vegetables, grains, and fruits, offers members the chance to add on items like fresh eggs and organic butter from other local producers.

Open Field Farm, a CSA that is just preparing to open, plans on having not only produce but also its own beef, lamb, grains and eggs. Members will not get a preselected box of vegetables, but will be able to choose their own vegetables from what is available on pick-up day.

Tolay Valley Farm, run by farmer Tim Yahnke off of Lakeville Highway, provides only the vegetables grown on his farm and has a central drop off point at Ernie's Tin Bar on Lakeville.

CSA members often get a special window into how a farm operates through members-only events such as farm tours, newsletters, barn dances and more. For instance, Tara Firma recently hosted a concert and pig roast at their barn; Canvas Ranch held a Mother's Day event and frequently hosts workshops and demonstrations.

Seth James, owner and farmer at Open Field Farm, said farming is all about community.

"We see farming as a community and want to have farming be a part of all of our lives," he said.

(Contact Lynn Haggerty King at argus@arguscourier.com)