Community supported agriculture membership: The benefits of spousal involvement

Urban Farm DB summary

Using an explorative design, this study examines how spousal involvement affects membership in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a type of alternative food network centered on fresh produce. It identified three patterns of spousal influence: coherent, integrative, and neutral/antagonistic. CSA membership was found to significantly affect lifestyles and often require substantial adaptation, at times leading to a crisis point over whether to remain in or leave the CSA. Spousal support was found to be crucial over the long term, and the study suggests that inconveniences associated with CSA membership could be reduced by providing more information about the importance of that support.