Frequently Asked Questions
Choose a link below for the answer to each question. Click here to return to our main CSA page.
What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
What if I can’t pick up my box?
Why do I have to pay the full cost up front?
When can I visit the farm?
What do your CSA members say about the program?
What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a model where farmers sell seasonal shares of their harvest directly to customers, or CSA members, in their area. Members purchase a share up front, and receive regular baskets of fresh produce throughout the farm’s harvest season. CSA is a mutually beneficial relationship. Farmers benefit by pre-selling produce, which allows for better planning and less waste. Sales of shares generate up-front income to help cover input costs like seeds, tools, equipment and labour. And of course, we enjoy getting to know the people who eat our food.
CSA members benefit in many ways as well:
- Receive a diversity of farm-fresh, nutrient-dense, delicious produce – you can taste the difference.
- Know where your food comes from and how it is grown. Come visit and meet your farmers!
- Learn to cook and eat seasonally – we offer recipes and cooking tips with each basket.
- Reduce the distance travelled by your food, and the associated environmental impacts.
- Protect the long-term health of the land, water and wildlife by supporting sustainable, organic practices.
- Your dollars stay in the community and support the local economy.
- Increased food security in our region.
What if I can’t pick up my box?
You are always welcome to send someone else to pick up for you at your regular location and time. We don’t need to know in advance; whoever comes on your behalf just has to give your name.
We don’t offer alternate pick up days or locations. We outsource our delivery to another local business, so keeping numbers consistent is important. Once boxes are dropped off at your location, there is no way for us to get missed boxes back to our farm. If you miss a pick up, you forfeit that box.
When you sign up for your share, you are committing to the pick up dates for your location. A good idea is to ask a family member, neighbour or friend in advance to be your back-up if you can’t make it. If you know someone else who gets a share with us, you can coordinate pick-up dates and reduce your trips.
Why do I have to pay the full cost up front?
In the CSA model, members are investing in a share of the farm’s harvest for the season. By paying the fee up front, you provide cash flow to cover farm input costs that occur well in advance of delivering produce, such as labour, seeds, tools, utilities, insurance, and organic certification. Paying your fee up front also reduces our administrative workload in the busy harvest season, so we can focus on growing and delivering great produce.
When can I visit the farm?
We host farm tours every fall and spring (typically in Sept/Oct and April). CSA members are invited through the CSA email newsletter, and get first dibs on tour spaces.
As we get requests for private visits and tours almost weekly, we have started charging a fee to offset our time away from farm work. For info on private tours or farm consultations, please visit our Farm Tours page.
What do past CSA members say about their experience?
Visit our Customer Testimonials page to read member feedback from our winter CSA program.
Click here to return to our main CSA page.
