Our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program
What Is CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) started 20 years ago in New England as a means of connecting communities with their local farmers. Members pay up-front to provide the farmer with much-needed capital at the beginning of the season. The concept of “community support” also guarantees farmers an outlet for their products. In exchange, members get fresh, local produce and an intimate connection to the people growing their food.
In an era of dwindling family farms, CSAs are enabling many small-scale operations throughout the country to maintain economic viability. For us, the CSA is a stable, consistent income that takes some of the gambling out of farming.
Benefits to CSA Membership
So why join our CSA? Besides forming a connection with the farm, members experience the joys of eating with the seasons. There is nothing better than the flavor of fresh, healthy food. Along with the produce each week, members receive a newsletter containing recipes, photos, and stories from the farm. The recipes make using all those yummy veggies easy and exciting.
Our CSA Season
The CSA is a great opportunity for people who want to support the farm as a CSA member. CSA members purchase a $200, $250, or $300 share at the beginning of the season which they then spend like cash throughout the year at the farmers’ market. As members pick out their produce over the course of the season, we subtract their weekly selections from their credit balance. CSA members can choose as much or as little as they want each week, and they can shop from either the Wednesday and/or Saturday farmers’ markets. Members receive a weekly newsletter and a 10% discount.
We strive for a high variety of produce throughout the spring and summer seasons, though we consistently grow seasonal staples (like lettuce and tomatoes). A major benefit to this program is its flexibility. If you go on vacation your balance will be waiting for you when you return. You select what you want from our market table. Please note that some times during the year we sell out before the end of the market day so we encourage our CSA members to come early in order to have the largest selection of produce.
Our farmers’ market season begins the second Saturday of April and ends Labor Day weekend for the Saturday market, and runs from the first Wednesday in May through Labor Day weekend for the Wednesday market. There are approximately 20 weeks in our season, so if you purchase a $200 share that is equivalent to buying $10 a week worth of produce. We offer the 3 different share levels to help you buy the membership best suited to your needs, and we encourage you to regularly inquire as to the amount of your balance to help you gauge your use. You can always add to your balance at any point should you use it all before the end of the season. Any share balances remaining at the end of the season will be donated in produce to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.
How do I sign up?
If you want to join, give us a call or send an email. We start signing people up each February. If we are full, we will put you on a waiting list.