Faith CoLab: Tapestry of Faith: Creating Home: A Program on Developing a Sense of Home Grounded in Faith for Grades K-1

Faith In Action: Community Supported Agriculture — Short-Term

Part of Creating Home

Activity time: 60 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Sheets of 11X17-inch paper.

Preparation for Activity

  • Visit one or more websites about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) by doing a web search or using the links provided under “Leader Resources” in the Resources section. Look for information that will help you explain to children the principles of CSA and how its approaches protect the health of our food and the welfare of farm animals used for food.

Description of Activity

To explore the responsibilities and choices humans have in co-creating farm animal homes, guide children to explore Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Use this website to learn more about Community Supported Agriculture. Explore why it is important for the health and safety of our food, both vegetable and animal. To simplify children’s learning, pick one kind of animal such as chicken or dairy cow. Learn about how that animal is housed and cared for in accordance with the principles of CSA.

Most states have some form of CSA. Although Community Supported Agriculture began in Japan, it has spread across England and into the United States. Community Supported Agriculture is based on buying shares into small and usually organic farming businesses. Once shares, or partial shares, are purchased, the community member picks up their “share” of the produce, meat or honey. There are usually central pick up centers. Websites with more information about CSA are listed in the Resources section under “Leader Resources.”

Aid children in making posters to educate others in the faith home about CSA. Help the group think of taglines that explain CSA and why it is important, such as “Nourish your Body with Healthy Food” or “Community Supported Agriculture Helps Us All”. Write these taglines on a black board, white board, or posted newsprint and invite children to copy the words for their posters. Children can draw or cut pictures out of gardening or animal magazines to decorate their posters. Display the posters on a social action bulletin board or in the entry of the worship center.