CSA questions

[withm]

Does anyone have experience with CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture)? I'm thinking of joining one, with a farm that has not done this before. The pick-up time and location is convenient and the cost is $560 for the season, paid up front. I'm told the produce will be approximately "1/2 bushel each week and valued at $28-$35 each week." I'm having trouble translating this into quantities I can envision and plan around. The initial investment is substantial and there are no refunds.

Try as I might, I just could not get a straight answer from the farm representative as to what might be in the box on any given week. I understand that the contents and quantities will vary from week to week, but having a list that a sample box might include the following would be extremely helpful:

3# asparagus,
6 beets,
4 heads lettuce,
1# carrots,
1# radishes,
2 eggplants
1 bunch of daisies.

I realize this combination may not be stuff that's in season at the same time but having a like like this would help to put it into perspective and I would then know if I need to split this 2, 3, or even 4 ways.

I'm quite sure it is too much produce for a single person, and it may be too much for even 2 people to share. What I'm wondering is what a typical box might include - the items and the quantities of each.

So, if any of you are in a CSA, can you tell me what you might expect to receive in a sample box?

Does this price seem reasonable?

Is it unreasonable to ask for a list of the items the farm expects to supply overall - a list of the stuff they grow? (She said they grow "everything.")

I've heard that some CSAs feel free to supplement with other produce, for example, bananas and pineapples. This seems to defeat the purpose of supporting local agriculture. Has anyone had this experience?

Do your CSAs even offer 1/2 or 1/4 shares? Not sure I will be able to find someone to split this with - Neither of my neighbors cooks much, and most of the people I work with don't cook, or don't eat vegetables (!). Go figure?

What other questions should I be asking?

[paiger81]

I'm a member of a CSA charges $45 for a 'half-share' or $90 for a full share each week. They don't require a pay in advance, which is helpful for me because I only order every 2-3 weeks because a half share is SOOOOO much food that it takes forever for me to eat it. Click on the link and you can see where she lists what we can expect in this weeks box. I'm guaranteed some of all of that list. The full share's end up with double what my share is.

I know there are alot of other CSA's in my area that charge around $500-$700 in advance for a whole years worth. If you are going to eat that much it's awesome.

Definitely ask about exchanging foods. For instance, I HATE celery so every time it's in the box I exchange it for extra oranges or a pineapple depending on the exchange rate (the CSA puts a $ value on each piece of food). Also ask if they are an organic or organic AND local CSA. Some CSA's in my area are organic, but get there food from wherever they can. I personally prefer my food to be as local as possible, with the organic aspect secondary.


Hope that helps!

[OakLeaf]

I'm not a member, but a farm I patronize at the market has 10-week seasonal CSAs for $225 vegetables only or $325 for vegetables, meat and eggs or dairy. They say that "Each basket will provide produce for 3-4 people per week."

They do describe sample baskets just as you say. Their most recent offering lists as follows:

A Sample Basket

Purple Haze Carrots
Royal Burgundy Beans
Toscano Kale
Parsley
Green Onions
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Basil

An Omnivores Basket would add:
1/2 Dozen Eggs
1.5 lb Ground Beef from [another farm]

Could you visit the farm on pick-up day to see what current subscribers are getting?

[withm]

They are offering a 20 week season starting May 5, for $560. The farm itself is about 60 miles away, so visiting is not so convenient. Their local farm market store for local pick up will not even open for another couple of weeks. Since this is their first year there is no history to fall back on. I'm pretty sure it will be a good deal, but again, there is not much guidance on the quantities of food involved. Certainly I don't want to be in the position of having to throw out food each week (I do enough of that already.)

[spokewench]

They are offering a 20 week season starting May 5, for $560. The farm itself is about 60 miles away, so visiting is not so convenient. Their local farm market store for local pick up will not even open for another couple of weeks. Since this is their first year there is no history to fall back on. I'm pretty sure it will be a good deal, but again, there is not much guidance on the quantities of food involved. Certainly I don't want to be in the position of having to throw out food each week (I do enough of that already.)

I know people who get a full share and then share with a friend and split the cost as well. I'm going to guess that a bushel full of veges is probably too much for a single person to eat and probably even 2 people.

[abejita]

This is what we will be getting next weekend in our box. this is for a full share, which is $50...


Asparagus 1 bunch Info/recipes below
Broccoli 2 bunches
Cabbage, Savoy 1
Lettuce, Red Leaf 2
Parsnips .75-1 LB Info/recipes below
Squash, Zucchini 1.5-2 LB
Tomatoes (Regular) 2
Yams, Baby Sweets, Mixed 3 lb bag
Apples, Fuji 6
Grapefruit, Ruby, Rio Star (red) 2
Kiwifruit .75-1 LB
Mangos, Kent 2

[Biciclista]

my CSA charged about that much for 10 weeks. And you never really knew what you were going to get. Last spring was cold, and the first two weeks were so bad (we got like, radishes and chives?!!!) that we got two extra weeks at the end of the session. One year we got a plethora of carrots. I didn't mind, because they store well, but others did. Another year we got so many tomatillos that I gave them away to my Hispanic neighbor who started to avoid me because she didn't want them all either.
Thanks to CSA, I learned what to do with Leeks and Rutabagas and Garlic tops. We finally quit this year as we can no longer share the food with our son and his wife because they moved to Canada.
The thing i liked the least about CSA is that sometimes we wasted perfectly good food. We could not eat it all especially if we did any travelling or (God forbid) if we went out to dinner.
ps 20 weeks for $560? that's great!!

[paiger81]

Thanks to CSA, I learned what to do with Leeks and Rutabagas and Garlic tops.

Yep, my favorite spring item is now broccoli flower, which basically is a flower that is super tasty in salads. I never would have realized that if it weren't for my CSA.