-- On five acres in rural Washington County, Polly Gottesman and James Just grow enough fresh food to feed 175 families year-round. No pesticides or motorized plows. Chicken manure is their only fertilizer.

Community-supported agriculture

What it is:

A movement in which a community of shareholders agrees before growing season to pay a farmer a set amount in exchange for weekly deliveries of food from a farm. The arrangement allows financial security for the farmer and delivers on convenience and quality for shareholders.

How to get started

: The first step is finding a CSA. Localharvest.org is the most complete database. The Oregon Environmental Council (oeconline.org) also has a database.

Farmers markets are also a good place to find CSA farmers passing out informational pamphlets and recruiting new members.

Gottesman and Just, owners of

, are pioneers of community supported agriculture. They started the farm in 1989, soon after the British city girl and the New York farm boy met and fell in love on a communal farm in Cottage Grove.

"We started tiny," Just says. "I think we served four customers the first year."

But 23 years later, community supported agriculture (CSA) has become a common acronym on the lips of the environmentally conscious, food-impassioned, farmers-market-going set.

CSAs are almost like companies traded on the stock market where shareholders own a piece of the profits.

, cucumbers and salad greens.

A simpler way of looking at it: Pre-pay in spring and receive fresh fruits and vegetables at your doorstep or at nearby pick-up site throughout the season.

Now is sign-up time and spots are going fast. Here's help in sorting out whether a membership is for you:

Why CSA

In the Northwest, where growing seasons are long and crop varieties are wide, CSAs have become a popular alternative to farmer's markets, home gardens and grocery stores. The convenience, freshness (baskets are often harvested the day before delivery) and commitment to local and organic get high praise.

"It can be like getting a Christmas present every week," says Allison Hensey, who directs the

.

Though there's no official registration body tracking CSA numbers,

. Local numbers are hard to pin down because new farms are constantly joining the ranks, but there are at least 50 in the metro area, says Shari Sirkin, owner of Troutdale's Dancing Roots Farm and president of the

.

Prices between farms vary, but are generally $20 and $30 each week. Small, organic farms will be pricier than bigger and nonorganic ones.

Pumpkin Ridge charges $26 per week for a full share, which pays for weekly bushel baskets with fresh fruits and vegetables. In summer, that means salad greens, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and peppers. In winter, root vegetables like kale and cabbage rule.

CSAs are a natural choice for those who already eat a lot of vegetables and can afford the higher price of local and organic, says Erin Barnett, who runs the nationwide CSA database www.localharvest.org

From a farmer's perspective, CSAs take the financial gamble out of growing. Upfront money from subscribers pay for seeds, supplies and labor and give the farmer security in knowing they've broken even before the season begins. For the consumer an added bonus: CSAs also can be fun for adventurous cooks.

Risky business

As with any investment, there are risks. Farmers are at the mercy of nature. Experienced ones plant diverse crops to ensure they can fill orders even if it's a bad year for tomatoes, but there's no guarantee.

last year. The farm went under midseason, leaving prepaid shareholders with empty pockets and empty food baskets.

Even during the first half of the season, "Shares were tiny," says former member Sahra Rahimtoola, a Portland doctor who bought a $700 basic share hoping to get more fresh organics into her family's diet. "We were lucky if one week's share would supply enough produce for one meal for me, my husband and our then 2-year-old son."

Rahimtoola's credit card company refunded her money, but other shareholders, who paid as much as $1,100 if they got a deluxe share with meat and cheese, lost out. The Singer Hill story is a rare one -- it's only the second Portland-area failure since 2004, says Sirkin, of the Portland Area CSA Coalition -- but it does happen. More frequently, inexperienced farmers have a bad crop or misestimate the amount of food they need to fill baskets, leaving shareholders underwhelmed or overwhelmed with baskets full of food that rots before it can be used.

There's no regulatory body governing CSA farms, so when crops go bad, customers have no clear recourse. Since shareholders are viewed as partial owners and not customers, they accept the risk of the business failing.

Rahimtoola's experience hasn't soured her on CSAs, but it has taught her to do her homework before signing up.

"You need to be able to afford do walk away from the money if it doesn't do well. Understand that when you sign up, you are taking a risk."

Choosing a farm

The first thing to ask, Rahimtoola says, is the farm's size and how many shares they sell. A tiny farm selling hundreds of shares should be a red flag that your weekly ration could be small.

By asking such questions before writing a check, you can make sure a first CSA experience is a success. Here's what else to know:

Length of the season.

Some CSAs deliver year-round, but most offer six to nine months. Wintertime shares tend to be heavy on crucifers and kale, so those who don't like cabbage should probably opt for the shorter season.

Convenience.

Some farms deliver to doorsteps. Others ask members to pick up at the farm, and others stake pick-up spots. If time or transportation is a concern, make sure the farm is nearby or has a pickup close to your normal driving route.

Sirkin, of

, regularly turns away potential customers because they live too far from her farm.

"Our food is golden, but it's not worth your time driving across the county in rush hour traffic," she says.

Talk to experienced subscribers before you sign up.

Friends and neighbors are a good start, but you can also ask the farmer for reviews or look to online communities such as

and

.

"Just like any other business, get referrals," Sirkin says.

Better yet, tour the farm to see if their produce and practices fit your needs.

Food sources

Most CSAs grow all of their own food, but an increasing number boost offerings with outside distributors, Barnett says.

"These businesses are, in some respects, riding on the tails of CSA's good name and it's fine if they're transparent about it," Barnett says.

If you value variety over locally grown food, a bolstered CSA basket can be a good option, Barnett says, but don't be fooled that the avocados came from Oregon.

Know your expectations.

In many cases, a CSA share will feed a family of four for a week, Barnett says. Particularly veggie-loving families might need to supplement with store-bought produce. For single people or smaller families, a half-share should suffice.

If you value organics, expect to pay a little more. The same goes for optional add-ons like meat, cheese and eggs. Some farms specialize in traditional crops while others pride themselves on heirloom and exotic varieties. Ask for a crop list to make sure the offerings meets your eating habits.

This year, Rahimtoola has joined Dinihanian's, a longstanding Beaverton farm with a solid reputation. She is hoping for the ideal CSA experience -- fresh, local food, friendly interactions with her farmers, and the feeling that she's taking part in something good.

Back at Pumpkin Ridge, Just is harvesting frost-covered kale. He says most CSA farmers share that goal. They strive to create a shareholder home at the farm with community activities, potlucks, recipes featuring items in the weeks' basket and other perks.

"This is their farm. We really value that."

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