Anonymous wrote:I have just started learning about CSA's and am disappointed that many of them supplement their baskets with produce from other farms. They are also not certified organic, due to the exhaustive paperwork involved or the expense. How, then, is it possible to confirm that the produce we are buying is truly organic?

Anyone know of a farm that provides certified organic produce?

I live in northern VA.

You're just now learning about CSA's and you're disappointed that many of them supplement their baskets with produce from other farms and are not certified organic due to the exhaustive paperwork involved? I'm going to put a call in to Barb Mallon because I'm willing to bet that a plug for a "real" CSA is about to be dropped into this thread.

Most farms and farmers that are small enough to engage directly with their customers (i.e., farms with CSAs) are small enough that they're not going to be up to the expense/burden of certification paperwork. Part of the CSA deal is knowing/trusting your farmer. Ask questions. If you don't like who they supplement from, find someone else who's more up to your standard. But the supplementer's relationship to your farmer, and your farmer's relationship to you, is likely going to be based on direct communication and trust, not an auditor's stamp of approval.

If you want certified, keep reading the labels at MOM or Yes Organic or the like. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Or spend your time searching in WF.

We get spiral path from the silver spring farmers market. Bit sure if there are any locations close to where you are where spiral path sells but we love them and they are completely organic.

I have just started learning about CSA's and am disappointed that many of them supplement their baskets with produce from other farms. They are also not certified organic, due to the exhaustive paperwork involved or the expense. How, then, is it possible to confirm that the produce we are buying is truly organic?

Anyone know of a farm that provides certified organic produce?

I live in northern VA.