Yep, we pay for it one way or another. That segment in "Food, Inc" was pretty compelling (not that any of us didn't know already how our society subsidizes both sick-making "food"-like substances and the medical care to treat the diseases caused by eating that cr*p. So those who have to rely on subsidies - both consumers and farmers - are really stuck. )

Wow, that's a huge CSA share, Susan! Do you split it with other people? We belong to a winter CSA, and the two of us really have to work to eat all the veggies! It's a good thing our joining the CSA coincided with my deciding to eat less grain, because there wouldn't be room in my diet for much grain. In the summer I grow enough of our own that we just buy a few things ad hoc. But for comparison, I just got the weekly email from the farm - they don't do a summer CSA, but they have $20 weekly baskets by order - this week's includes:
2 lbs Potatoes
Arugula
2-3lbs Eggplant
3 Red or Orange Bell Peppers
1 pint of our famous Bread and Butter pickles
Choice of Yellow Squash, Okra or Collards
Basil


Really, I consider my personal health a happy side effect of buying organic (remember that some of the most toxic chemicals are used on non-food crops such as textiles). Mostly I choose organic because of the estimated 10,000-20,000 US farmers and farmworkers every year who are physician-diagnosed as having been poisoned by pesticides. When you take into account long-term exposures and undiagnosed illnesses, the number is likely much higher.

I know I'm lucky to be able to afford to feed and clothe myself without poisoning other people. It makes me really angry that this is a matter of luck.