Sometimes paying a little now can save you big money down the road. But which investments are worth the cash? Should you shop, grow or CSA?
 The Promise / Get fresh produce from spring to fall, either by growing your own or purchasing a share in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, which provides members with weekly edibles from a specific farm.
Spend Now/ About $70 to plant your own garden; around $450 to purchase a 12- to 15-week CSA share.
Save Later? / Yes, if you really enjoy gardening: Growing your own requires about five hours a week of work. In the case of a CSA, yes, if you spend more than $33 a week on produce.
The Math / The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the average family of four spends $5,478 a year on groceries. That’s about $105 a week—which makes $33 on vegetables (your break-even number for a 12-week $400 contract) not unusual. Or divvy up the cost. This year, I paid $180 to split a share with friends, and it was completely worth it. Every week we picked up a huge bag of produce and herbs (and two dozen unbelievable eggs).
by Jean Chatzky • More.com Member
Sign up on the GG eMail list to be the first to know when our Spring CSA is open for new applications. |
