This article is part of an initiative by Tyee Presents. Tyee Presents is the dedicated sponsored content section within The Tyee where we highlight contests, events and other initiatives hosted either by us or by our selected partners. The Tyee does not and cannot vouch for or endorse any product advertised on The Tyee. We carefully and consciously select our partners to live up to The Tyee’s reputation as British Columbia’s home for news, culture and solutions. Learn more about Tyee Presents here.
Going to the grocery store these days can be daunting. With prices at record highs, healthy choices require more planning and creative thinking. Increasingly, many consumers see an advantage in having a connection to a local farm.
“A lot of the prices we’re seeing are indicative of the risk of relying on Southern California for so much of our vegetable production,” says farmer Shirlene Cote.
“I like being able to tell our customers what is happening in the fields and around us and how it is affecting the food we grow. It’s about being transparent in our work while delivering the freshest possible products.”
Cote’s farming business, Earth Apple Organic Farm, is part of a group of farms operating a collaborative community farming program based on Glen Valley Organic Farm in Abbotsford. They are also Salmon Safe certified and an Official Living Wage Employer.
The farm works with other organic farmers in BC to create a CSA program annually for 24 weeks from late June through late November.
By participating in a CSA program, customers secure their vegetable purchases for the season. They provide early financial support to farms by paying their subscriptions when the growing season begins.
In return, the farm provides subscribers with a weekly share of the harvest over the course of the program. The farm delivers boxes of produce to neighborhood locations where subscribers collect weekly.
At a time of inflation, climate change and rising food prices, this is a system to help farmers schedule a quality box of weekly produce for customers at a guaranteed price.
“Many of our subscribers have been shopping with us for more than a decade. They see resilience in a model that is not based on corporate supply chains,” explains farmer Chris Bodnar.
“A lot of people want to have a connection with the farmers who grow their food. There is a bond of trust – people get the highest quality products and can connect directly with their farmers.”
For more information on co-farming in the community and Glen Valley Organic Farm, visit their website.
This article is part of an initiative by Tyee Presents. Tyee Presents is the dedicated sponsored content section within The Tyee where we highlight contests, events and other initiatives hosted either by us or by our selected partners. The Tyee does not represent and cannot vouch for or endorse any product advertised on The Tyee. We carefully and consciously select our partners to live up to The Tyee’s reputation as British Columbia’s home for news, culture and solutions. Learn more about Tyee Presents here.
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