Local CSA Helping Macomb.

Local harvester, John Curtis, owns a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), but certain factors may prevent him from doing what he loves in the future.
CSA’s first started in Japan in the mid 80’s; as people were complaining that their favorite vegetables weren’t available at the market. Farmers in local communities started to harvest these crops, and sell them for a profit. With the CSA the customers will pay the farmer up front before the season begins. Then customers will come throughout the season and pick what vegetables they want. Curtis has added a new wrinkle to his CSA though. He recently added lawn furniture to his screened in porch area so when customers come they can meet with friends and just relax. As Curtis says “I added the lawn furniture, because people would just stand around and talk to each other when they came to pick up their order. I realized that you catch up with friends in a social setting so I created a third place.” He also added that Macomb’s strong rural community allows him to have a successful CSA.
To protect some of the crops instead of using a green house, Curtis uses a hoop house. A hoop house is like a green house without the heat; they do use the sun to help harvest, but the doors are open also with air ways on the side. The hoop house is usable year round as it is placed on tracks. Curtis is able to move the hoop house in the winter down to another set of crops so the weather doesn’t adversely affect the crops. It also makes it easier to go outside and harvest in the cold “This past December it was about 10 degrees, but I went in the hoop house where it was 55(degrees) which made it a lot easier to work.” Curtis said about the hoop house.
Curtis has and will be encountering problems with keeping his CSA safe. There have been troubles with industrial farms opening up that use chemicals to improve plants and livestock. While the CSA uses no chemicals; these industrial areas give a toxic waste run off that makes its way into the water and affects the crops.
Curtis knows as long as he is able he will be harvesting, because this is what he loves to do. He loves bringing people together, and giving them fresh vegetables that he knows are safe.