Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a subscription relationship between a farm and its members. Customers pay upfront — typically at the start of the growing season — for a "share" of the farm's output, then receive weekly boxes of produce (and sometimes meat, dairy, flowers, or prepared goods) for 18–26 weeks.
The model shifts risk onto customers, who share both the abundance of a good year and the shortfalls of a bad one. In exchange, members get the freshest possible produce, direct relationships with their farmers, and a role in supporting the farm's operating cash flow.
CSAs come in two main formats: traditional (pre-packed boxes with what's harvested each week) and market-style (members pick items from a selection at pickup). Pricing in most states runs $25–$40 per week for a standard produce share.