What is a CSA?
Now taking orders for 2024!
A community supported agriculture (CSA) is a program that connects customers with local farm(s) to buy local, seasonal, fresh food directly from the farmer. The farm grows their own food and can also partner with other local farms to help sell their products. A farm sells a certain amount of “shares” for a given season.
A CSA uses the term share because the idea is the customer and farm are partnering on this endeavor – sharing in the work and the risk. Some CSA’s also have a work requirement where the customer is asked to provide help to the farm for a day. At Foxdale Farms, we do not have a work requirement.
Each share contains a box of vegetables, fruits, or other goodies from the farm. We offer a full share and a half share. Usually the half share is exactly half the produce of the full share.
Advantages of a CSA
There are advantages for both the farm and the customer. For the farm, a CSA helps with planning during the planting season. It also provides a direct outlet for extra produce or products from the farm. A farm can also work with neighboring farms and help raise awareness to their unique products through participation.
Customers enjoy a CSA because it gives them a weekly supply of fresh produce, they are buying local, and helping out a small business. Customers also have the advantage of helping them with planning if they want to can or freeze extra produce to use later. Many farms also offer discount pricing for larger quantities and share recipes and tips for preserving food.
Program Details
Our weekly CSA boxes include up to 5 or 6 different varieties of veggies and fruits each week, depending on the season. A full share will fill up a typical brown grocery bag. In addition to the weekly produce, we offer add-ons if you want more to freeze, can, or just enjoy with your family! We also provide a snapshot on activity at the farm, upcoming harvests, and occasional recipes and tips for preserving product.
Our weekly CSA is ready for delivery or pick-up on Thursday of each week. Our spring/summer program runs 16 weeks and starts on June 6th and runs through (including) September 19th. Each week the appropriate fee is due, either with a recurring credit card or payable at delivery/pick-up. The orders will be ready for pick-up at our farm by 8:00 am each week. We will also have a pick up location at Walmart in the morning from 7:30 am – 8:30 am. Other arrangements can be made as necessary.
Foxdale Farms offers two sizes – a full share and half share. The half share is typically half of the same produce, but time to time depending on availability they may be different. There are a lot of variables – from weather to pests to crop failure – but below are some ideas of what to expect in your weekly full share order. Quantities will depend on size and time of season – for example early season might be 3-4 summer squash versus 1-2 in later season. Our pricing is same as in 2023 at $30 for a full share and $15 for a half share.
- Dozen sweet corn
- Quart string beans
- Bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Heads of broccoli
- Heads of cauliflower
- Bunch of beets
- Bunch of radish
- Heads of lettuce
- Head of cabbage
- Watermelon, melons
- Bunch of carrots
- Potatoes
- Quarts of berries
- Quart cherry tomatoes
- Roma/slicing tomatoes
- Sugar pumpkin
- Acorn squash
Please feel free to call 570-244-1128 or email CSA@FoxdaleFarms.com with any questions!