There is a new kind of Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) available in Polk County for people who care about organically grown local food. Traditionally, a CSA functioned by paying an upfront payment to an individual farm and then receiving 20 weeks of fresh produce that was all equally distributed to all its members each week. This meant that everyone received the same exact variety and volume of produce week after week despite what their personal tastes and needs may have been.

For many people the surprise of what they would receive was fun and exciting, but for many people, it became problematic in that they were receiving items they might not have been fond of, or that they did not receive enough of other items that they loved.

Now there is a solution to those dilemmas and to others that have been a part of the traditional CSA experience. Welcome to Polk N.C. Locally Grown, an internet based, custom ordering system. When you join Polk Locally Grown, you have access to the fresh harvest of an entire network of organically grown local produce, fresh cut flowers and value added items (fresh bread, soups, pestos, salad dressing, jellies, herbal tea, etc.).

Your upfront seasonal payment goes into a debit-like system account, which you are able to draw from throughout the growing season. Each Saturday you’ll get sent an e-mail notice of everything that is available for purchase in the upcoming week along with a link to the website. You browse the items and place an order for exactly what you would like for that week. The local organic farmers harvest on Monday and Tuesday, and on Wednesday you pick up your bag that has all the items in it that you ordered. The amount of your order will be automatically deducted from your account, so there’s no waiting and no exchange of money on a weekly basis.

Memberships will be on a limited basis and are filling fast. If you are interested in joining, send an email to MDLyth@aol.com and you will receive further information on how to sign up.

Local farmers are already busy planting and the little sprouts are already popping their heads up to the warm sunshine.