Why join our CSA?
The benefits of joining a CSA are many. We would like to highlight a few reasons why we believe this partnership is beneficial to CSA members across the country:
- CSAs and Fossil Fuel Reduction
- Minimization of Packaging
- Health Benefits
- Community Benefits
- Protection of Natural Areas and Indiana Wildlife
CSAs and Fossil Fuel Reduction
The average vegetable on your dinner plate travels 1500 miles, generally in large refrigerated trucks. As this produce makes its way across the country, millions of gallons of fossil fuels are combusted to form the dangerous greenhouse gasses, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide linked to global warming. Our CSA provides the greater Indianapolis metro area with fresh-picked Indiana produce grown within 50 miles of Indianapolis, and generally delivered within 24-48 hours from the time we harvested it.
Minimization of Packaging
With our reusable bins and minimized packaging, we feel we are contributing greatly to the reduction of fossil fuel-based plastic packaging and petro-chemically waxed cardboard boxes–yes, even "organic" produce from California, Mexico, and beyond is transported in these unhealthy wax boxes.
Health Benefits
Because your food is picked within 24-48 hrs of delivery, be assured that you will receive the most nature has to offer. During the 10-14 days commercial produce requires to ship, a significant amount of nutrition is lost.
Studies have also suggested that organic soils produce healthier vegetables with more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. We also abstain from the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers for the safety of your family and the land. Here at Nature’s Harvest Organics, we believe the soil is the basis of all human life. The quality of its care and health affect not only the people who eat the food today, but also those who will depend on the soil in the future. Healthy soil means healthy food.
Community Benefits
CSAs provide communities the option to choose a local source of food while allowing local farmers to stay on the land. Family farmers are a dying breed as they are constantly falling victim to "corporate agriculture". We are here to offer the Indianapolis community something different. We also choose to support another local certified organic farm in the community—our partner farm LIFE. Art Sherwood of LIFE Farms says:
"Local. Organic. LIFE…
Two Indiana families decided to make a local difference and poured their hearts, souls, minds, sweat, and savings into the effort...
The result was our extended season farm, LIFE. We work hard to provide healthy, sustainably grown organic produce as high quality alternatives to food trucked in from far away.
In 2006, our families came together to form LIFE. We believe in local agriculture and all the important benefits it brings to our community. We also believe in growing organically and have undertaken the rigorous steps it takes to be certified. Being Local and Certified Organic, you can be sure that LIFE food is very healthy and environmentally friendly."
Protection of Natural Areas and Indiana Wildlife
Our family farm located just north of Indianapolis in Atlanta, Indiana provides 17 acres of untouched natural wildlife and flowing streams. LIFE farms is also deeply committed to sustainable agriculture, and with lush vegetation and beautiful woods surrounding their production fields, nature and wildlife abounds.
