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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),聽聽in the United States聽鈥渕arketed products through community supported agriculture (CSA)鈥澛爄n 2012. And in Massachusetts, 431 farms 鈥渕arketed products through community supported agriculture (CSA)鈥澛爄n 2012. Unlike some other CSA programs that offer shareholders a pre-made grocery bag of produce, Appleton Farms, located in Ipswich, MA, has provided shareholders with the opportunity for customization through their mix-and-match system since 2002.

With the聽, shareholders arrive at Appleton Farms and receive an empty standard-sized grocery bag. They then enter the distribution barn where bins of produce await. Shareholders tailor their grocery bags of produce to best serve their schedules and their taste buds for that particular week. According to Ryan Wood, Appleton Farms鈥� CSA Manager, 鈥渢he mix-and-match system is very labor intensive to run, as it has to account for so many variable(s) of preference. We are forced to overplant and overharvest in order to provide free choice within minimal limits,聽but obviously this is a big selling point to our CSA members.鈥�

Appleton Farms鈥� farm crew cultivates and harvests approximately聽200聽varieties of flowers, herbs, and produce each growing season. This quantity translates to roughly聽15 to 30聽different types of crops available in the distribution barn at pick-up each week. The farm crew anticipates a diverse range of produce throughout 2016, from Azur star, a kohlrabi variety, to Starlight, a variety of watermelon.

Appleton Farms is not certified organic聽but incorporates practices from the National Organic Standards into their farming. In addition, Wood says, 鈥渨e take instruction from our own ethical principles to steward and protect the resources of the farm.聽Much of the time,聽the practices we use guided by our principles overlap with National Organic Standards, but ultimately we make our decisions based on what will be best for the health of the land, the farmers,聽and our community.聽Our members aren鈥檛 concerned with organic certification because they can see for themselves what our weed management, pest management,聽and fertility management practices are.聽Our members trust us because they can see we aren鈥檛 taking any shortcuts and because they can meet with us and talk with us face-to-face.聽That鈥檚 better than a stamp from the USDA.鈥�

The pick-your-own (PYO) options and separate storefront available to shareholders compliment Appleton鈥檚 mix-and-match system. The farm crew provides PYO options throughout the length of the 20-week share. For example, during the month of July, shareholders are invited to work in the fields to harvest not only herbs and peas, but also varieties of flowers including Cosmos, Dianthus, Snapdragon, and Zinnia.

In addition, Wood says, 鈥渙n theory, PYO should enhance consumer experience by placing the consumer directly into the boots of the farmer.聽This allows the consumer to experience some measure of the trials and tribulations faced by the farmer but also allows them to enjoy the rewards of a good harvest.聽In my experience, the efficacy of PYO as a tool to facilitate empathy between CSA members and farmers is highly dependent on the level of attention and management that the PYO fields receive from both parties.聽When it is good, it is very good, and that keeps us working to improve every season.鈥�

罢丑别听聽sells their own milk and cheese, as well as locally sourced beef, goat cheese, eggs, and maple syrup. Wood says, 鈥渋t鈥檚 very hard to eat a highly localized diet not least because local food is often spread out or only available once a week at the farmers market.聽The farm store makes it a lot easier for CSA members to live by the values they believe in (at least when it comes to food).鈥�

And according to Wood, 鈥渓ike many small farms, the backbone of Appleton Farms CSA program is our apprenticeship program.聽Apprentices work 55+ hours a week in every kind of weather. They are highly dedicated, highly skilled, and the CSA program would be inoperable without their hard work.聽Their contributions to the success of the CSA are not commensurate at all with their compensation.聽When you thank your farmer, he or she does not just smile, nod,聽and move along. We share your words of thanks with one another and it has a tremendous impact on morale.聽I wish the general public was aware of the impact their words can have on our farm team. I try to thank each member of my crew for their work every day (and you should too).鈥澛�

This article first appeared at .