CSA: Riverview Farms

People have been throwing around the term CSA lately, and yes, it stands for community supported agriculture, but what exactly does that mean?

Well… Meet Wes and Charlotte Swancy, the couple who runs Riverview Farms, an organic farm in Ranger, Georgia. The Swancys plant a variety of crops and also raise cows and pigs which are sold directly to many restaurants as well as to members of their CSA. We shared a subscription to their CSA with our neighbors about five years ago. This meant we picked up a box of fresh foods—lettuce, kale, eggs, tomatoes, squashes, beets—every Saturday morning throughout the summer AKA we (community) supported their agriculture. At the time you could also buy meat separately (they were venturing into the meat business and only had a handful of animals), but now their meat is available via its own subscription which shows how much the farm has expanded.

My family’s friends own the farm next door—they use it for recreational purposes, so Wes and Charlotte use it land for planting—allowing me to witness local farming firsthand:

 Just one of the many fields full of organic vegetables. Eating straight from the plant is the way to go!

Look what's growing! 

Charlotte packs the truck and leaves the farm early in order to ensure the freshest delivery.

Charlotte cheerfully unloading the truck for her eager customers.

What can you do with rotten crops after the growing season is over? Launch them at an old smoke house!