Community Supported Agriculture
Industrial agriculture currently supplies most fruits and vegetables consumed around the world, Israel included. The pepper, stalk of celery, or head of lettuce sold in the supermarket usually has nothing to do with the consumer, the land. or the weather. Such vegetables are engineered to travel hundreds of miles and be stored for up to two weeks before purchase. Most are sprayed with chemicals consumers never know about.
The experience for those who actually know their farmers or possibly even grow their own fruit and veggies is entirely different. Not only can the independent farmer produce healthy food grown on a manageable scale, but he/she can control the health of the soil used, limit or eliminate the use of pesticides, and appreciably reduce the heavy financial and environmental costs of shipping veggies. Moreover, a tomato eaten within 24 hours of harvest is far more delicious than one that has been stored in crates and transported long distances.
Not everyone is prepared to take on small-scale farming. Kaima Kukuk is. As our name Kaima (sustainability in Arameic) suggests, we are committed to the highest standards of safe farming. We grow vegetables without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Crop variation allows for a balanced ecosystem with soil that receives respect and care from our farmers. The seasons dictate our growing cycles and thus allow us to deal naturally with pests and temperature regulation.
The cooperation between the farmer and the community allows customers to be part of a "large garden" located close to home. In addition to the logistical, transportation, and storage costs saved, the public receives fresh vegetables, grown in fields they can visit and help cultivate alongside our intergenerational team of farmers they know and trust. In the case of Kaima Hukuk, customer support allows us to provide meaningful employment for youth lacking any formal educational or social structure, thus generating both local employment. Similarly, the farmers benefit through direct contact with the people they are feeding and can farm without concern for fluctuations in market price. This partnership creates both a social and economic "community" with an added value for all. By treating the customer as a partner, Kaima Hukuk demonstrates the inherent value of local agriculture.