Is CSA right for Me?

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As a CSA member, you get a direct relationship with your farmer…a mutually beneficial one. You invest in us as your farmers at the beginning of the season and we take it from there! We commit to you by growing high quality, nutrient dense food for the season.

Each week, we’ll connect through a newsletter written by Liz. It will have farm happenings or mini regenerative agriculture lessons (like why cover cropping is so important), what’s in your share each week, tips and tricks on how to use and/or preserve the harvest, and seasonal recipes.

Does that sound good to you? 

If so, then Yes, you would like to have a relationship with your farmer.

If you really don’t mind who grows your food or prefer the anonymity of the grocery store, the answer is No for this question.

Yes, this sounds leading, but it’s important. We grow food because of the flavors! Since our food isn’t making a 1500 mile trek (the average distance food takes to get to your plate) we get to choose the varieties we grow for their taste.  

Over the last decade (+), our CSA members consistently rank taste and quality as some of the top reasons they come back. 

We constantly hear how our vegetables have so much flavor. A lot of our members say “I thought I hated that vegetable until I tried yours!”

If you’ve had bad experiences with flavorless vegetables from the grocery store or believe delicious meals start with quality ingredients, the answer is Yes.

If taste isn’t high on your food values list, you might want to give this one a No.

This is an important one, and one that our members value highly. Over the course of the 23 weeks, you will get a chance to try a lot of vegetables. 

Most vegetables are ones that you know and love, but there will be some new vegetables for you to try as well. Don’t worry, we know what might be considered an odd ball and we make sure you have recipes and tips on how to use it. Our CSA Facebook group is also a great place to see what your fellow CSA members are cooking up.

Every season members let us know what vegetables were new to them and how excited they were to try them. 

Without the push of a Traditional CSA they probably would have never tried it but it has now become a family favorite. We always hear that it helps them “get out of the rut they are in with eating the same foods.”

Does trying new vegetables sound doable to you? Then the answer is Yes.

If you aren’t feeling as adventurous or know your family doesn’t want to stray from their traditional meals, then a Traditional share isn’t right for you, but a Buying Club might be.

With a Traditional share, you are picking up a bag of vegetables each week. For a lot of folks this is exciting and they look forward to seeing what they will make…for others, it can be intimidating. 

We find that if you’re cooking at least three meals a week, you finish your veggies and are ready for your share the next week. Of course you will receive lots of items that are great in salads, snacks, and lunches, things that just need to be prepped, not cooked.

We also know that not everyone knows how to cook certain dishes and we make sure you have easy tutorials on how to make certain staple items. 

Another perk is that farm fresh food doesn’t need a lot done to it, the flavors make cooking meals a lot easier.

If you feel like you can commit to cooking/prepping vegetables at least three times a week, the answer is Yes.

If this isn’t doable, the answer is No to a Traditional Share. A Buying Club might be a better option because you choose exactly what you would like and how often you order.

We feel as though what you get over the season in relation to the $ is an incredible deal, but that’s not the point. People who enjoy their CSA experience don’t go into it looking for lots of vegetables at a reduced price, and don’t compare the cost to grocery store prices. If this is really important to you, then this probably isn’t the right situation for either of us!

We plan our growing season based on how many CSA customers we have, so as not to waste food. We are not the farm that will load you up on a bushel of zucchini in the heat of the summer. We price our CSA at about what you would pay for produce on our online farmers market- though you’re getting a whole lot more.  

As a CSA member, you’re part of a community of folks who are investing in their farmer, the land, their community, and a local food system. 

In return for investing in our farm, we give you 5% more vegetables each week for a Traditional share or 5% extra in store credit for Buying Club when you sign up during our Early Bird special, early access to the online farmers market, weekly emails that include a look into farm life and how to eat seasonally, and the opportunity to tour the farm on CSA Member Days, the only time we open up the farm for tours.

If you don’t mind paying close to retail price for amazing vegetables, the answer is Yes.

If you’re on a grocery budget or would rather get loads of zucchini, the answer is No.

It often takes CSA members a few weeks to get into the CSA groove. It’s an adjustment to let us make your produce buying decisions for you, loosen your meal plan to fit the week’s items, or eat more seasonally…we don’t grow tomatoes in winter! It’s also a time and financial commitment. 

In our experience, new members are hesitant at first, but after a month, they’re having a blast cooking new meals, trying new things, and meeting other members at pick-ups. We also notice that the most successful new CSA members had a good idea what they were committing to. 

So…if you are ready for the commitment then answer Yes and take a look at our all of CSA share options.

If this just doesn’t sound right to you, that’s okay! If you answered yes to some, but not others, maybe a Buying Club is the best option for you. You still get all the perks of CSA membership and a connection to your farmer but you choose what seasonal vegetables you would like each week.

If the commitment to both a Traditional share and Buying Club are too much right now, no worries! You can still purchase a la carte each week from the online farmers market to eat seasonally.