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What is Community Supported Agriculture?
Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is a concept that has been around the US for about 25 or 30 years. The CSA system consists of a group of individuals or "members" who subscribe to a farm to provide a "share" of vegetables for the season. The member pays the farmer in advance of the growing season for the vegetables the farmer will provide. This gives the farmer the necessary capital to purchase seeds, supplies, fuel, tools, and equipment to grow produce without the worry and expense of marketing and "peddling" the produce. Using this model of production/distribution, the farmer can concentrate on producing the best produce possible, knowing that it is already sold and waste is minimized.
About Wild Things' CSA program
The season at Wild Things begins early in May and ends in September (20 weeks). During this time, members receive an average of one-half bushel of organic produce on a weekly basis. Produce is harvested just hours before delivery, and weekly deliveries are made to Crossville and Fairfield Glade, or members may opt to pick up their produce at the farm. Each week's share will vary in both variety of veggies and size, depending on the season.
What is grown on the farm:
Crops grown on the farm include several types of lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips, kale, Kennebec, Yukon Gold, and Red Pontiac potatoes, both white and bi-color sweet corn, French breakfast and Cherry Belle radishes, beets, assorted sweet peppers, several varieties of hot peppers, several varieties of tomatoes, assorted cucumbers, summer squash, Butternut, spaghetti, and several other varieties of winter squash, several varieties of green beans; Green onions, sweet potatoes, Bok choy, several different cabbages, cauliflower, a few select varieties of broccoli, carrots, okra, several varieties of eggplants, assorted herbs (basil, rosemary, parsley, summer savory, chives), canteloupe, and on and on. Also grown on the farm are strawberries and blackberries.
Tomatoes and peppers are grown in the high tunnel and are available for harvest almost a month before the outside crops!
Check out the Harvest Calender to see approximately when specific veggies are expected to be in the shares.
Organic or What?
The produce grown at Wild Things is grown utilizing organic, conventional and sustainable garden methods such as organic sprays, floating row covers, cover crops, organic mulches, crop rotation, "chickin pickin", and drip irrigation, although the farm is not "certified" organic. I like to call the method "organical". Wild Things is home to many bluebirds, songbirds, bats, dragonflies, cats, dogs, (horses and cows occasionally), chickens, and other critters that don't need to be made sick with harmful chemicals, not to mention all the members who depend on the farm to provide healthy produce for their own consumption. It's more of a responsible gardening thing.
How much does it cost?
Traditionally, the membership fee for a CSA membership is split into two payments with 1/2 due upon signup, and the balance due before the season begins.
The cost for the 2012 season is $500.00, and the growing season starts the first week in May and ends in September, after 20 weeks of deliveries. This averages out to $25.00 per week. If you are eating alone, share with a friend and split the cost. The half-bushel box will typically feed 2-3 people.
Also available is an egg share with fresh eggs from the Happy Hens. Each carton is loaded with colorful, very fresh, healthy eggs from the girls. A season's worth of a dozen fresh eggs per week costs $60, which is $3.00 per dozen. If you need 2 dozen per week, the cost would be $120 per season. There are only 12 egg shares per season.
Veggie shares are limited to 40 per season so don't be dissapointed if you wait and they're sold out.
Will this program provide all my vegetables for the week?
Each weekly half bushel basket will have anywhere from 4-6 different veggies early in the season to 8 or 10 assorted veggies, fruits, and herbs, later on during the season. Members should expect to supplement with purchases from the grocery store for items that are not in season, vegetables that can't be grown in our climate, or vegetables that aren't on the crop list.
What if I don't like something that is in the box?
Before the season begins, each member will be given the opportunity to fill out a "Veggie Rating Sheet" to be used when packing the shares. It's not a true "pick and choose" but if, for example someone detests eggplant and another loves it then the packer knows where to put the eggplant!
What if I can't make the designated pickup time?
If you pick up your produce at one of the designated delivery spots, there will be a place where your produce can be left for later pickup. Of course it's better if you can get your share at the delivery site, but this is the first option if you're just going to be late on that day.
The second option is to have a friend or neighbor pick up the produce for you.
Another option is to let me know you can't make the delivery and I'll put your box in an "ice-powered" cooler at the farm and we'll schedule a pickup time for you to come to the farm to collect your veggies. This option is good for pickup on the following day.
A new option this year is home delivery for Fairfield Glade residents. If you can't make the regularly scheduled weekly delivery your veggies can be delivered safely to your doorstep for an additional $50.00 for the season.
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