Unless there isn’t enough of it or a health crisis causes reconsideration of diet, most people don’t spend much time thinking about food. But hunger and health — our own and that of the increasingly stressed land — are reasons to think about changing the systems that bring food to our tables. The Daughters of Charity sponsor a project that offers a model.

Community supported agriculture short circuits some of the problems associated with the prevailing corporate model. In that system, some things we all care about have been known to come up short: food safety, stewardship of the earth, and economic justice for those who labor to feed us. Imagine an alternative where farmers benefit from having a stable, local market and consumers gain access to safe, fresh produce. It’s a fresh idea with the potential to address health and the problem of hunger.

Does this idea sound too idealistic? The Daughters of Charity don’t think so. In 2007 Seton Harvest, which they sponsor, focused on grow[ing] a diverse range of high quality, colorful and nutritious organic crops for our over 100 shareholder families, local food banks, shelters and other charities. Visit Seton Harvest (although the project is still active, the site does not include newsletters for 2007) and, with whetted appetite, take a look at the community supported agriculture article and links at Wikipedia.