The top 3 CSA myths…and how we dispel them!
What are some of the most common things that hold would-be CSA members back from joining? Everyone has their reasons, but we firmly believe that with a little information and ingenuity, we can inspire people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food. That is, after all, the first half of Oxbow’s mission statement, and it’s at the heart of why we work so hard to help our members get comfortable with their food.
Let’s walk through the three most common myths!
Myth #1: It’s too much food!
We can help with that
On average, each weekly CSA box is built to feed 2-3 people — sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less, depending on weather conditions. Some families find that this is just right, while others aren’t sure what to do with multiple heads of lettuce or robust bunches of parsley. But there are plenty of ways to help ease the “too much food blues”:
- Get creative and brush up on new ways to preserve and use your food. We provide recipes and tips to help you store, preserve, and prioritize your food use so you’re able to enjoy everything we send each week.
- Plan it out: A little pre-planning goes a LONG way. Our weekly Eater’s Digest will give you a heads up on what will likely be in your box so you can plan meals ahead of time.
- Split a Share with a friend, neighbor, coworker, or family member!
Myth #2: The up-front cost is too high.
Here’s the breakdown
We hear you, and we know it can be tough to pre-pay for vegetables when we’re all programmed to buy our groceries weekly or on an as-needed basis. But think of it this way: the cost of a whole 20-Week Season breaks down to $30 a week. That’s equal to 6 daily stops at your favorite coffee shop, three lunches out, or a tank of gas for the average small car every week. We’re willing to bet that all of those weekly habits don’t quite offer the same good feeling you get from fueling your body and knowing your dollars are supporting a local organic farm and non-profit organization.
P.S. We also offer a payment plan to help offset the up-front cost of the entire season!
P.P.S. We want to make our CSA accessible to more members of our community. While we currently are unable to accept EBT, we are actively researching how to make it possible in the future.
Myth #3: Box pick-up is inconvenient
A stop you can feel good about
Time is precious, and most folks want buying food to be as convenient as possible. We think making a quick stop to pick up a whole week’s worth of organic, farmer-curated veggies is actually pretty convenient! Here’s why:
- When you pick up your CSA at one of over 30 locations in the greater Seattle area, there’s no waiting in line, you get what’s freshest and in season, and there’s no guesswork about how or where your produce was grown.
- If you choose a participating Pagliacci Pizza location as your pick-up site,they’ll deliver your CSA Share for FREE when you order a pizza! It’s perfect for those rushed Wednesday or Thursday evenings when you just don’t feel like cooking.
- Taking the bus or don’t feel like taking the box with you? Simply transfer your veggies to a reusable shopping bag to make it easier to transport your produce home.