INDUSTRY INSIGHT: 
Intentional Eating
A Primer in Community Supported Agriculture
By Rabbi Ted Riter
I hear that New Zealand is nice. In fact, one day at lunch my apple told me that I should really make an effort to go visit.
The grapes, however, argued for Chile, and another fruit mentioned Argentina. I made a note to visit those countries on my next trip to the southern hemisphere. And I started thinking more seriously about the food I was eating. How environmentally responsible is it to buy food from around the world? What is an ethical approach to eating in the 21st century? How are my food choices a reflection of the intentional life that I would like to lead?
In the 1980’s, the European concept of Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) came to the United States to answer some of these questions. Though it has been slow to take hold on the west coast, we are now exploring this option as a way of eating with a higher consciousness. Certainly eating can simply be about nourishing the body with the right mix of foods. However, through CSA and conscientious purchasing we have the ability to lift eating to a level of health and well-being that transcends nutritional science.
The premise of CSA is that a community partners with a local farmer to bring fresh produce to our tables. Creating this relationship reduces the travel distance of fruits and vegetables from an average of 1,500 miles per item to perhaps fewer than 50 miles. By reducing the distance traveled, we as the consumer receive fresher produce and create a smaller carbon footprint. In return, because it is a subscription system, the farmer is assured that crops will not go uneaten and wasted. My own faith community has chosen a farmer that takes this relationship one step further by growing USDA Certified Organic produce and providing a reusable box rather than individual packaging -- again reducing the environmental impact.
The CSA is a win-win-win relationship: It is good for the consumer, the farmer, and the environment. It requires us to think before we purchase and cook our meals, thus elevating our eating experience to that of intentional living. Health and wellness begins with a choice to closely examine our actions and emotions, mind and body. A great first step is to listen to our nutritionist or trainer and pick the healthier foods on a menu or at a store. The next step is to look at the impact our food has on the environment and recognize that true health and well-being requires a bigger view of the world.
These days I get a different story from my produce. My apple tells me what it was like to hang on a tree yesterday, my lettuce still feels the warmth of the soil, and my empty vegetable box reminds me that this week I made healthy choices again for myself, my family, and the world.
Ted Riter is the Senior Rabbi of Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks. For more information the CSA program, please contact him at triter@adatelohim.com
