Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a form of direct marketing in which a community of
individuals pledges to support a farm or multiple farms. CSA members pay for a subscription to the CSA. In return, farmers provide the members with a weekly (or bi-weekly) share of the harvest. Both growers and consumers have found this relationship to be mutually beneficial. Members receive a variety of fresh, local produce and have the satisfaction of knowing where their food comes from and how it is produced. Farmers, in turn, benefit by receiving funds upfront to pay for the expenses of farming. The farmers also know how many families they are growing for and thus adjust accordingly. They also are relieved of most of the task of marketing by having a guaranteed market and price for what they will produce.