Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an alliance between consumers and local farmers. It is an investment that we can all make in food production that has a guaranteed return in a few months. It is also an immediate way to support local businesses and give them cash flow when it is most needed. Many area growers offer shares in their seasonal crops; here are a few in the southern Midcoast.

Bowdoinham

Harvest Tide Organics, 304 Pork Point Road, 449-7274, runs for 17 weeks. Shares can be customized by selecting items each week and through the number of weeks desired.

Brunswick

Sound Pine Farm, 53 Pennellville Road, 607-351-0841, offers flexibility with a large variety of summer vegetables and herbs from which to choose each week – almost like going to a farmers market. The cost of each share is based on the number of adults. For example, the 20-week season for two adults is $650 or $16/adult/week. The season runs from mid-June through October.

Freeport

Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment, 184 Burnett Road, 865-4469, offers vegetable and/or meat shares. Vegetable and fruit shares are organic, are offered through an 18-week season and are $475/share. Meat shares are $500 for five pounds of pre-packaged frozen meats over five months.

Laughing Stock Farm, 79 Wardtown Road, 831-2182, has a list of items from which to choose to make up a weekly vegetable share. Shares come in three sizes ($450-$675), with pick up at the farm or in Portland. The farm also has pork and egg shares and offers flowers as part of the summer share.

Lisbon
Little Ridge Farm, 101 Gould Road, 353-7126, has 21 weekly pick-ups at the farm. The cost is $600 for a full share and $300 for a half share, based on weight. Products are displayed in a market arrangement and, up to a certain weight, items can be selected.

North Yarmouth
Riverside Farm, 1110 North Road, winslow@riverside.farm, summer season runs from July to October. Full shares are $475, half for $275, covering 15 weeks of pick-ups.

Topsham
Whatley Farm, 3 Whatley Farm Road, 844-0381, has a unique market-debit approach. Sign up at any time and use the CSA account like a gift card at any of the markets the farm attends.