Roxbury Farm

I live in the beautiful Hudson River Valley, in Upstate New York near Roxbury Farm. It is Community Supported Agriculture, meaning over 1000 shareholders own the 225 acres that Jean-Paul Courtens and his wife Jodie Bolluyt farm in Kinderhook, NY. The farm is biodynamic and organic, and the land is protected by a Trust. One of the perks of being a shareholder in a CSA farm is the weekly fruit and vegetable share. Once a week I go to the barn and fill my basket with the fruits and vegetables that are fresh from the fields and ready to cook... Bountiful is the word that comes to mind!

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is a growing trend in the United States. In the 1990s there were fewer than 100 such farms... Now there are close to 1,500. People buy shares in farms for a variety of reasons: to support small-scale farming; to know where their fruits and vegetables are coming from and how they're grown; to eat locally grown produce as part of the "locavore" movement; or to be a part of a community project - the other shareholders are such a variety of interesting people. On this farm one can also come and help "farm for a day" - something the whole family can do together!

Living near to Roxbury Farm I get to see the farming up close. This Spring a flock of sheep and lambs appeared there along with three baby bulls to protect them from the coyotes. Two sows and a bunch of piglets also moved in! I love to visit and see what's new. Jean-Paul and Jodie are such fun! Check out their website at www.roxburyfarm.com for a fascinating introduction to CSA farming.

Lexie Masterson