Just Food is Whatcom County’s charitable Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) system*.  Growing Washington has created a fund that subsidizes the price of a season’s worth of produce from CSA farms for people of lower incomes. 

What is a CSA?

The first official CSA farms originated in Asia and Japan, and were introduced to North America in the early 1980s.  In a traditional CSA, people in the community invest in a local farm by purchasing a “share” of that farm’s harvest.  Shareholders--or members--in turn receive a portion of the farm’s produce every week, typically for 20 weeks of the growing season (although some CSAs now go year round).  CSAs form strong connections between community members and farmers.    
Shares are generally paid for prior to the growing season in order to provide CSA farmers income needed for the costs associated with the beginning of the growing season.  In this sense, sales of CSA shares create a market for the farmer in a time when the amount of produce available for sale is limited.  The price of a CSA share is meant to be fair for both producer and consumer.  Because the producer saves money by avoiding distributors and retailers, savings can be passed on to consumers who pay less than they would at grocery stores or farmers markets for the same products.  Still, paying the true cost of organic produce from small sustainable farms is a difficult feat for many households in Whatcom County.  Growing Washington and its partners work to distribute the bounty of Whatcom agriculture throughout the community, regardless of income.   

The story of Just Food

Just Food is a project of Growing Washington that was piloted in the spring of 2006.  By the following year, this project had gained the financial and organizational support of the Bellingham Food Co-op through its Farm Fund.  With the support of the Farm Fund as well as support from community members, Just Food was able to purchase a total of 15 CSA shares from 5 diferent farms (3 from each farm) to be distributed to more than 40 people in our community.  The Lydia Place, a transitional home for women and children, received a weekly box of produce in 2006 and 2007 from Double Rainbow Farm and Holistic Homestead.  The residents at the Lydia Place never wasted a clove of garlic and were always waiting for strawberries from Holistic Homestead.  A few shares or boxes were divvied up between senior citizens at senior residence centers.  The other boxes were made available to low-income households.  When possible, the families were put in direct contact with their farmers.  In most cases, the recipients could collect their produce from the producers at farmers markets.  Just Food families thoroughly enjoyed the direct contact with the people who grew their food. Children especially were excited to pick up their box of colorful produce.  Growing Washington and its supporters made this connection between farms and low-income individuals possible through a rotating loan system.  Farms would get paid at the beginning of the season as needed, while families could make installments toward their CSA and pay on a sliding scale,according to their means.  Sponsors were proud to know that their money wentto providing people of lower incomes with fresh, healthy food, and including them in the local food movement. 

Just Food for 2008

The Bellingham Food Co-op’s Farm Fund is sponsoring JustFood for a second year.  In addition to the Farm Fund, the Mary Redman Foundation is a 2008 sponsor.  However, the demand for fresh, healthy, and exciting produce by low-income households is rising in our community.  Growing Washington is still seeking financial support to be able to sponsor more families in the purchase of a CSA share and support more CSA farmers in our county. 

Any amount is helpful.  Click here to make a financial contribution to Just Food or contact Amaris Lunde.

Growing Washington is also currently accepting applications to receive a CSA share on a sliding scale basis.  Click here to apply.

photos courtesey of Joanne Plucy