From saving money (most fruit and vegetable basket plans vary from $15 to $35 a week) to supporting the local economy as well as giving a bigger share of your money to the farmers themselves, the pros of buying organic food baskets are as plentiful as the surprising selection, quality and quantity of produce you'll get every week when you join a CSA farm.
In addition to getting to know the people who grow your food, organic farms selling food baskets in Montreal protect soil and food quality by avoiding pesticides, chemical fertilizers, herbicides, antibiotics, growth hormones and genetically modified seed.
And before you read the cons, take a look at what Molly Watson, your About.com Guide to Local Foods has to say about the advantages of eating local in general.
Cons: A Matter of Practicality & Variety
CSA farms generally adhere to strict weekly schedules with drop-offs at select neighborhood locations. So if your schedule is as unpredictable as a flight attendant's, you might have difficulty obtaining your pre-purchased basket. Some farms have a no refund policy, others give the missed baskets to charity and still others make alternate arrangements (such as farms specializing in meat) so do check how flexible a CSA farm is regarding scheduling, drop-off locations and refunds.
Another issue is the seasonal variety of produce, which is an advantage in the minds of many because in-season food is generally cheaper (and in-season produce just tastes better). But some people get irritated that they don't get to choose exactly what kinds of fruits and vegetables and how much of each are in their baskets.
There is also an element of risk involved in that you're purchasing a share of a future harvest. Generally, members pay a yearly lump sum prior to harvest season and that covers anywhere from a few months to an entire year of weekly fresh produce. If growing season is blessed with picture-perfect weather, you benefit from the surplus just as you will see a shrinkage factor in your basket if its snows in July. Mind you the risk is minimal thanks to the biodiversity inherent with CSA farming in Quebec. CSA farmers tend to grow, for example, many types of vegetables. Let's say corn had a bad year but tomatoes fared well. Farmers compensate as best they can by adding more tomatoes to baskets, thus covering the lost corn.
Find out which CSA farms sell food baskets in your neighborhood.
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