People power

For example, the farmers would probably not have given up the use of pesticides on their own.

"It's simply scary," says Liu Xiancang, the director of the Liu village co-op that's responsible for supplying the vegetables that get sent out to Shared Harvest members.

"We didn't realize how harmful chemicals could be until Dr Shi told us in a lecture early this year. We live and depend on the land. It's our mother. But we are doing so much harm to her."

"Dr Shi" is Shi Yan, the main motivator of Shared Harvest, and no stranger to the green and sustainable agriculture movement.

"We feel we are doing a great, great charity for our sons and grandsons," Liu continues. "It's really not about the money."

The village had long ceased making money from its farms and most of the villagers had already gone to the city to find work. CSA is calling them back.

"It's slow and the harvests are comparatively small, and it's more expensive," but Liu says that the village now sees hope on the horizon. In June, the income from paid subscriptions rose to about 50,000 yuan ($8,150), with vegetables from the 5.33 hectares of land selling for 15 yuan per kilogram.

"It means that our farmers get a paycheck that is even better than working in the city," Liu says. More than 10 villagers are now back working on the farms.

"The more people stay back, the more prosperous the local community will be," Shi muses.

Paid subscriptions help shield the farmers from instability and risks.