此内容暂无简体中文译文，以下为英文原文。
Historical April–May 2008 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
As more studies have revealed the benefits of eating locally and supporting sustainable agriculture, the market for local, farm-fresh food has expanded enormously. Numerous farmers’ markets are already located within a 10-minute drive of Skinker-DeBaliviere and more farmers’ markets are sprouting every year in the metropolitan area.
With the arrival of Fair Shares, a combined community supported agriculture, our sources for locally grown food just got even better. Fair Shares is a newly formed nonprofit organization that connects local farmers and artisan food producers with St. Louis area residents. Headed by sisters Sara Hale and Jamie Choler, the group organizes various farms and CSA members, or shareholders, creating a direct relationship between food producers and consumers.
Each season, shareholders provide the money that growers and producers need to operate by purchasing a “share” of the season’s harvest.
The farmers supply members with their products, usually on a weekly basis, throughout the growing season.
The CSA model is an economically viable way for small scale farmers to produce high quality, sustainably grown food. Unlike most CSAs, which run a limited growing season, Fair Shares offers year-round subscriptions.
As a combined CSA, Fair Shares has accessed multiple growers from Missouri and Illinois including Hinkebein Hills Farms, Prairie Grass Farm, Seven Thunder Bison, Pilgrims’ Acres, Troutdale Farm, Greenwood Farms, Nature’s Way Gardens, Esther’s Honey, Ropp Jersey Cheese and many others.
This long list of producers will enable Fair Shares to provide its members with a wide variety of seasonally harvested fresh products including various meats and fish, produce, mushrooms, and artisan food products such as cheese, bread, pasta, and honey.
Also unique to Fair Shares as a CSA are its social justice endeavors.
The group will give low-income families access to healthy, fresh foods by donating some shares, as well as any extra food, to needy individuals. Other recipients will include food banks such as Operation Food Search, or to New Roots Urban Farm, which holds a farmers’ market in underserved north city.
A few Skinker-DeBaliviere residents have already signed up for their weekly basket of food stuffs. “There has been a lot of support from this area,” commented Hale, “so U. City will have its own drop off site.” Delivery is planned for Wednesday late afternoons and will begin on Wednesday, April 23. Membership to Fair Shares is still available.
The cost to join is $50 plus approximately $50 per weekly share. For more information, visit www.fairshares.org.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2008.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2008_04.pdf, printed page(s) 8; PDF page(s) 8.
