Community Supported Agriculture: The answer to toxic food supplies and skyrocketing costs

The Bitterroot Valley is ahead of the times when it comes to food production. The fastest growing area of food production is locally grown, organic food.

The Bitterroot Valley is blessed with numerous suppliers of clean locally grown and produced food including, dairy, meat, fruits and vegetables. Statistics such as the fact that the average American meal travels on average 1,500 miles before it gets to the diner’s plate, have led to stronger backing for “grow locally” movements.

In the U.S., up to 20 percent of the country’s fossil fuel consumption goes into the food chain which points out that fossil fuel use by the food system in America “often rivals that of automobiles”. To feed an average family of four in the U.S.A. uses up the equivalent of 930 gallons of gasoline a year - just shy of the 1,070 gallons that same family would use up each year to power their cars.

Being vegetarian is by no means an answer, however, as even the Organic Consumers Association, OCA, concedes that eating a 1 lb box of vegetarian-friendly cereal is the equivalent of burning half a
gallon of gasoline.

Through your membership, you are supporting your local community, reducing carbon emissions and providing quality, organic food for your family.

Luci Brieger, along with her husband Steve Elliott runs the produce portion of Lifeline Farms, one of the oldest organic farms in Montana. Lifeline Farms was the inspiration behind Homegrown Montana Sustainable Growers’ Union which is an alternative to the expensive U.S.D.A. National Organic Program. Homegrown Montana is more small farm friendly while maintaining organic farming principles.

Support Community Agriculture: Join a C.S.A.

Many of the farms listed below offer C.S.A. memberships which entitles you to a portion of the harvest beginning in the spring through the autumn. When you become a member, you help with upfront costs associated with seed starting, planting and caring for the crops prior to harvest. In essence, you also share some risk with the grower. Harvests are never guaranteed. Some years bring a true bounty, while other years the harvest is slim. The benefits are numerous, though. Through your membership, you are supporting your local community, reducing carbon emissions and providing quality, organic food for your family.

Sweat equity is another benefit for persons who wish to volunteer hours in exchange for membership. There is never a shortage of things that need attending to on a farm. Many of the C.S.A. farmers will trade membership for volunteer work. Check with some of the farms below if you wish to volunteer your time.

Local Bitterroot Valley Farms

• Clearwater Farm

Sandy Gates
3154 Quiet Place
Stevensville, MT 59870
(406) 370-0808

• Sustainable Living Systems

PO Box 53
Victor, Mt. 59875
406/ 642-3601
Jill: jill@sustainablelivingsystems.org

• Lifeline Farms

Luci Brieger & Steve Elliott
2363 Chief Victor’s Camp Rd
Victor, MT 59875
(406) 642-3943

• Home Acres Orchard

Pam Clevenger & Kurt Welborne
839 Groff Lane
Stevensville, MT 59870
(406) 777-2831

• Bitterroot Organics

Ricia Duda
345 Indian Prairie Loop
Victor, MT 59875
(406) 642-3653

• Homestead Organics

Laura Garber & Paul Madeen
175 Skalkaho Highway
Hamilton, MT 59840
(406) 363-6627

• Biodesign Farm

Helen Atthowe
1541 South Burnt Fork Rd
Stevensville, MT 59870
(406) 258-4205

• Yourganics Farm

Leon Stengl & Pam Watts
278 Ricketts Rd
Hamilton, MT 59840
(406) 375-9144

“The 21st century will be the age of nature. When humans finally come face to face with its limits and potential.”
Thomas Homer-Dixon, Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Toronto