A Guide to CSAs in San Diego County
Everything you need to find the CSA that's right for you.
Why "Farm to Table" Has Become a Punchline
Remember when farm-to-table was all the rage? Or was it just that “shortening the food chain” sounded cool?
I was genuinely excited by the first appearance of Cherokee Purple potatoes, wasn’t I? But then there was that Colin the Chicken bit on Portlandia where it wasn’t enough to know the chicken’s breed, if it was organic, that it was locally raised and from which farm, and whether or not the hazelnuts in the bird’s diet were local—but they also had to know the chicken’s name. I laughed at this. And not ironically.
Such a chuckle suggested that I was not adequately invested, and for that, a friend of mine—let’s call him Colin—threatened to pull my foodie card.
“In San Diego, we’re not second fiddle to Portland in farm-to-table or beer,” Colin says. He had facts. “San Diego County farms are worth $1.7 billion annually, contributing 16,000 jobs to the local economy, and no other county in the country has more small organic farms.”
I proudly point out that I’ve immensely enjoyed dining at spots like Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub, Garden Kitchen, and A.R. Valentien, who persevere in the restaurant side of the farm-to-table equation.
However, despite growing efforts by grassroots campaigns like Farm to Fork San Diego and the Farm Bureau's San Diego 365 that verify local sourcing practices for diners, we both know that these efforts are far outnumbered by restaurants whose commitment to farm-to-table is marginal, at best.
I don’t know what’s worse: greenwashing menus that undercuts the value of those who walk the talk or ignoring provenance altogether.
But Colin persists further, the bastard: “Throw a stone and you’ll hit a farmers’ market.”
Yes, San Diego County boasts a bounty of farmers markets, but many are overrun with expensive crafts, and produce from as far north as Modesto isn’t what I would call local.
Pressing the point, Colin adds, “farmers are feeling the pinch of long-term drought, increasing water rates, regulatory requirements, and struggling to get their crops to market.” Ouch.
So the moral of the story is there’s no single step consumers can take to support local farms, but making the effort matters.
If you like looking a farmer in the eye at a market, buy direct from them, even if they’re from Modesto. This foodie—yes, I reclaim my card—prefers CSA’s.
Community Supported Agriculture, at its purest level, is an alternative socio-economic model in which community members purchase advance shares of a harvest from a farm in exchange for future weekly boxes of fresh produce or goods.
“So, which is your CSA?” Colin asks me.
I gulp. “I used to be with Suzie’s before they closed. And I was with J.R. Organics before that.”
Colin gives me a dirty look.
“Yeah,” I say.
I’ll have resubscribed before you read these words.
10 CSA Boxes to Buy Right Now
Dickinson Farm
CSA shares are available quarterly for the finest selection of heirloom varietals. Their Farmacy offers chef-made meals at dickinson.farm.
Be Wise Ranch
Checking out their online harvest calendar works up our appetites. Sign-up for quarterly shares at bewiseranch.com.
Eli’s Farms
The Farmer’s Pick Plus CSA box comes with 13 to 15 items from this Fallbrook farm at elisfarms.com.
J.R. Organics
Get a free box for every 12 boxes purchased at jrorganicsfarm.com.
Wild Willow Farm
Support regenerative agriculture and one of the most significant educational farms in the region by purchasing a $25 per week full share or half share at sandiegoroots.org.
Da-Le Ranch
The Inland Empire ranch offers CSA shares for their vast variety of ethically and sustainably raised meats at da-le-ranch.com.
Garden of Eden Organics
Find pick-up locations and add eggs to a cooperative CSA box offering a variety of regional produce at goeorganics.com.
Farm Fresh to You
Flexible box options range from traditional CSA to fruit only to organic snack pack at farmfreshtoyou.com.
Imperfect Produce
This San Francisco based company is buying ugly fruits and veggies from organic growers and selling them in customizable boxes that can be delivered straight to your door at imperfectproduce.com.
Specialty Produce
The farmers' market box is a great deal for $20, with options to add local favorites like PB Peanut Butter and Chuao Chocolatier for when you've had too many vegetables, at specialtyproduce.com
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