Freetown Food Forest Flex Share CSA
About CSA: Community Supported Agriculture
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and is a way for you to invest in a farm, yourself, and your community.
With the pre-purchase of a CSA share, a mutually supportive and cooperative relationship forms between you and the farmer.
You are guaranteed a share of the season’s harvest, just like a shareholder in a corporation.
The farmer is assured of a sales outlet of their crops.
Being a CSA shareholder means sharing the risk of investing in food crops, and sharing the reward of the bounty.
With the pre-purchase of a CSA share, a mutually supportive and cooperative relationship forms between you and the farmer.
You are guaranteed a share of the season’s harvest, just like a shareholder in a corporation.
The farmer is assured of a sales outlet of their crops.
Being a CSA shareholder means sharing the risk of investing in food crops, and sharing the reward of the bounty.
Why Join?
Purchasing a CSA is beneficial to you, your farmer, the environment, and your community.
You will learn to eat seasonally while produce is at peak quality, nutrient density, and vibrant flavor.
Your farmer, knowing they have a sales outlet, is able to make a crop plan that avoids overproduction and waste of food, energy, and labor.
Your food dollars stay local and build financial strength in your community.
You will get to know your farmer and know exactly where your food is from and how it’s grown.
You will learn to eat seasonally while produce is at peak quality, nutrient density, and vibrant flavor.
Your farmer, knowing they have a sales outlet, is able to make a crop plan that avoids overproduction and waste of food, energy, and labor.
Your food dollars stay local and build financial strength in your community.
You will get to know your farmer and know exactly where your food is from and how it’s grown.
The Ideal CSA Member
CSA shares are for anyone who wants to join and can make the commitments required.
Shares are often limited though, so don’t wait to sign up or else they may sell out.
An ideal CSA member:
Is driven to eat local, fresh, nutritious food and to support their agricultural community.
Wants to know where and how their food is grown and to talk to their farmer on a weekly basis.
Has a desire to connect with local food, get closer to and solidify their support of the land, local farms, and food systems around them.
Wants to eat seasonally and locally to ensure the food they and their family eats is of the highest quality, nutrition, and safety.
Shares are often limited though, so don’t wait to sign up or else they may sell out.
An ideal CSA member:
Is driven to eat local, fresh, nutritious food and to support their agricultural community.
Wants to know where and how their food is grown and to talk to their farmer on a weekly basis.
Has a desire to connect with local food, get closer to and solidify their support of the land, local farms, and food systems around them.
Wants to eat seasonally and locally to ensure the food they and their family eats is of the highest quality, nutrition, and safety.
Share Sizes:
Flexibility is a key factor in CSA satisfaction. That’s why we let members choose from a range of size and price options.
Micro Flex: 3 items, $264/season Perfect to dip your toe into CSA or to supplement a home gardener’s bounty.
Small Flex: 5 items, $440/season Ideal for one person introducing more 1produce to their diet.
Large Flex: 8 items, $704/season Sized for a 2 person household or one person with a produce heavy diet.
Mega Flex: 12 items, $1,056/season The mega flex is for a larger household eating vegetables at most meals, or a 2 person household eating a predominantly plant-based diet.
Micro Flex: 3 items, $264/season Perfect to dip your toe into CSA or to supplement a home gardener’s bounty.
Small Flex: 5 items, $440/season Ideal for one person introducing more 1produce to their diet.
Large Flex: 8 items, $704/season Sized for a 2 person household or one person with a produce heavy diet.
Mega Flex: 12 items, $1,056/season The mega flex is for a larger household eating vegetables at most meals, or a 2 person household eating a predominantly plant-based diet.
What's in the Share
Joining the Freetown Food Forest Flex Share means you’ll never have to take home a vegetable that you won’t eat.
All shares, regardless of size or pickup location are flex shares that allow you to choose which produce fulfills your weekly share.
Each week members choose from a selection of 15-30 crops, or items, to fulfill their shares. An ‘item’ typically consists of a head, a bunch, a quart (i.e. a bunch of chard, a head of lettuce, a bag of salad, or a quart of carrots).
Sometimes an item consists of multiples (i.e. 3 tomatoes or 4 zucchini). According to available quantities, some items may be limited to one per share or expanded to take whatever you can use.
All shares, regardless of size or pickup location are flex shares that allow you to choose which produce fulfills your weekly share.
Each week members choose from a selection of 15-30 crops, or items, to fulfill their shares. An ‘item’ typically consists of a head, a bunch, a quart (i.e. a bunch of chard, a head of lettuce, a bag of salad, or a quart of carrots).
Sometimes an item consists of multiples (i.e. 3 tomatoes or 4 zucchini). According to available quantities, some items may be limited to one per share or expanded to take whatever you can use.
Pickup Options
Members are responsible for picking up their share each week.
There are two options for pickup each week:
Homer Regional Farmers Market: Saturdays, 9am-12:30pm
McGraw Box Brewing: Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm
There are two options for pickup each week:
Homer Regional Farmers Market: Saturdays, 9am-12:30pm
McGraw Box Brewing: Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm
Length of CSA Season
Depending on the pickup day, members commit to receiving a weekly share of vegetables from either:
Thursday, June 13, 2024 through Thursday November, 21, 2024
or
Saturday, June 15, 2024 through Saturday, November 23, 2024.
The CSA season spans 24 weeks with only 22 pickups.
The farm will take a break in August during which no shares will be available.
Each member selects a week to take off for travel or any other reason.
Thursday, June 13, 2024 through Thursday November, 21, 2024
or
Saturday, June 15, 2024 through Saturday, November 23, 2024.
The CSA season spans 24 weeks with only 22 pickups.
The farm will take a break in August during which no shares will be available.
Each member selects a week to take off for travel or any other reason.
Payment
Shares are available on a first come, first serve basis and are limited in availability.
Payment for the share is what secures a membership.
If you’ve expressed interest, but not made payment within 7 calendar days of receiving your invoice, your spot will be passed on.
If interest exceeds available shares, a waitlist will be created.
Payment for the share is what secures a membership.
If you’ve expressed interest, but not made payment within 7 calendar days of receiving your invoice, your spot will be passed on.
If interest exceeds available shares, a waitlist will be created.
Commitments made in CSA
First, the farmer offers shares, often only in limited quantities, and pledges to share their harvest with CSA members.
Next, potential members get to know the guidelines, pricing, and obligations they would agree to should they join the CSA.
When someone decides to join, they agree to pre-pay for their share and commit to receiving fresh produce for the duration of the season.
Finally, when all shares are sold, the farmer and members fulfill their commitments to creating a strong, resilient, local food system.
As your farmer, I promise to:
Keep food dollars local by supporting other small, local farms and businesses.
Select diverse crops and varieties so you have many options each week.
Attend 2 markets each week, where members will pick up their shares.
Use ecologically sound practices and sustainable methods to mitigate risk and grow the highest quality food.
Harvest at peak quality for best appearance, flavor, and nutrition.
Guide and coach members in use and preparation of their produce.
Be available to talk and keep members informed about farm happenings and any changes to the program.
As a CSA member, you promise to:
Keep more of your food dollars local through the purchase of your share.
Eat seasonally and prepare delicious, nutritious meals with your bounty.
Attend 1 of 2 markets each week of the season to receive your share.
Share in both the bounty and the risk of farming.
Pre-pay for a share of the season’s harvest, understanding that shares may be smaller or larger due to the nature and risk (and rewards!) of farming.
Communicate needs or concerns with your farmer to ensure your satisfaction.
Support and share the work being done by your farmer with others so they may enjoy the bounty as well.
Next, potential members get to know the guidelines, pricing, and obligations they would agree to should they join the CSA.
When someone decides to join, they agree to pre-pay for their share and commit to receiving fresh produce for the duration of the season.
Finally, when all shares are sold, the farmer and members fulfill their commitments to creating a strong, resilient, local food system.
As your farmer, I promise to:
Keep food dollars local by supporting other small, local farms and businesses.
Select diverse crops and varieties so you have many options each week.
Attend 2 markets each week, where members will pick up their shares.
Use ecologically sound practices and sustainable methods to mitigate risk and grow the highest quality food.
Harvest at peak quality for best appearance, flavor, and nutrition.
Guide and coach members in use and preparation of their produce.
Be available to talk and keep members informed about farm happenings and any changes to the program.
As a CSA member, you promise to:
Keep more of your food dollars local through the purchase of your share.
Eat seasonally and prepare delicious, nutritious meals with your bounty.
Attend 1 of 2 markets each week of the season to receive your share.
Share in both the bounty and the risk of farming.
Pre-pay for a share of the season’s harvest, understanding that shares may be smaller or larger due to the nature and risk (and rewards!) of farming.
Communicate needs or concerns with your farmer to ensure your satisfaction.
Support and share the work being done by your farmer with others so they may enjoy the bounty as well.