Learn about COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE.

The Biodynamic movement originated in 1924 in a series of lecture by the Austrian scientist and philosopher, Dr. Rudolf Steiner. The Biodynamic method regards the earth as a living organism and strives to renew the soil in order to produce the food that is full of vitality and deeply nourishing. Biodynamics notes the interrelationship of all kingdoms - mineral, plant, animal and human - in their intricate correspondence to the rhythms and activities of the larger cosmos.

Biodynamic agriculture is the oldest certified ecological farming system and has been an assurance of quality since 1928. Demeter Association, Inc. (the US branch) certified its first Biodynamic farm in 1982.

Several Biodynamic gardeners independently brought the idea of CSA to North America in the mid-1980's. The initial CSA gardens completed their first year of operation in 1986. In 2002, more than 1000 farms or gardens are listed in the Biodynamic Association's CSA/Biodynamic databse. The idea of consumers and farmers coming together to support the Earth through sustainable practices is a concept that is emerging gront and center with concerns about food safety.

CSA gives the consumer the chance to choose how their food is grown. Eating locally-grown, freshly-harvested food is the basis of a healthy diet. CSA offers the opportunity for you to reconnect with rhythms of nature by eating produce when it is in season. Members are called shareholders and they subscribe or underwrite the harvest for the entire season in advance. Every farm is different in length and season, crops grown, level of social activities and price they set for their shares.

One example is a 2 year old organic certified farm in Northern San Diego. Tierra Miguel foundation (TMF), a nonprofit farm has 87 acres and provides weekly boxed produce for four counties in southern California, serving over 300 families. The mission of TMF is to educate about sustainable agriculture and the healing arts. Visitors and school children come visit to learn about composting, biodynamics and sustainable farming practices. This program is called a "Farmer for a Day". Also special bus trips are arranged from L.A. for volunteer days, every first Saturday of each month.

For the upcoming bus trip on April 5th call Wiep at (626) 798-1592 or e-mail wiepfrog@cs.com.

TMF President Charlene Orszag is working to privide fresh CSA produce to teachers and students for health and science classes in 120 schools throughout the LA Unified School District under the auspices of The Center for Food and Justice (CFJ) and the California Nutrition network. CFJ's mission is to imporve community access to fresh and healthy foods and has demonstrated student interest in healthy food choices through the incredibly successful Farmer's Market Fruit and Salad Bars in the Santa Monica School District.

With our nutritional needs in mind, and realizing that more than 1 million acres of farmland is lost each year to urban development, we need to step forward to share efforts to preseve such precious farmland. The question of capital and future land ownership are also curcial for TMF.

We invite you to partake in the bus trip to learn more about Community Supported Agriculture. Other CSA resources are listed in the LA Fresh Food Access Guide, a publication from the Center for Food and Justice at Occidental College. Call to request a copy (323) 341-5090.