Why Community Supported Agriculture?

A new food system, one that uses dollars but is not ruled by them, is growing so fast that no one can keep track of it. There are at least 600 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms across America, some count as many as a thousand... Farmers markets, consumer co-ops and CSA farms practice a new economics, economics as if, as E.F. Schumacher once said, people mattered. As if the land mattered. As if we value farmers who work with love and beauty to bring forth from the earth health for us all.
- Donella Meadows

CSAs have become so popular because they make sense. The Farmers receive money during the winter and early spring, when they need financial support most. The community members receive food from a farmer they know rather than an anonymous food distributor. By knowing the farmer, the CSA member can ensure the food is fresh and produced in a healthy way. A CSA is a partnership that attempts to close the gap between those who produce and those who consume. We want to grow food for people not for grocery stores. We also want to be supported by people as much as we are supported by money. Of course the money we receive from our CSA members is foundational for the farm's season, but the support we receive from our devoted CSA members is also important in making our farm flourish. We hope that our CSA brings you closer to the farm, and the farm closer to the community.

2011 CSA Details

Download the 2011 CSA Registration Form and mail in the completed form with your payment

We will have two CSA drop-off days available: on Wednesdays at the Main St. Farmers Market from 4pm-6pm and on Saturdays most likely at the East Brainerd Farmers Market from 10am-12pm. Drop-off days are reserved upon payment. The first drop-off week will be dependent on spring weather, but will be sometime between late-May and the beginning of June. There will be one drop-off each week for 22 weeks. The last drop-off week will be between the end of October and the beginning of November, depending on the start date.

We will be offering only full shares for the 2011 season. You are welcome to split a share with another family, but will be responsible for dividing the box on your own. The full share price is $625. The registration form also includes an installment plan. We will be taking on a limited number of work trades, which means working on the farm 4 hours/week in exchange for a CSA share. This is a season long commitment. Please contact us for more information.

Each week, we will pack a box of food from our garden. In the spring you will find lettuce and greens in your box. Later, you'll be looking at tomatoes and cucumbers. Soon after that, it will be melons and okra. We try to provide you as much diversity as we can, given our climate and season to season growing conditions. But we also try to remember our own preferences and that when the tomatoes are on, we want to eat a lot of them. So, we will try to make sure you are not having to take trips to the grocery store to buy any of the things we are growing. Prospective members often want to know just how much food is in the box. It does vary - Here are some sample box contents from the past season: June - a bunch of kale, garlic scapes, ½lb bag of asian greens, ½lb bag of salad mix, speckles lettuce head, green butter lettuce, ½lb bag of arugula, beet greens, basil, turnip greens. October- a bunch of radishes, ½lb lettuce, 2 lbs sweet red peppers, assorted hot peppers, 2 lbs potatoes, 1 lb green tomatoes, 1 lb okra, 1 lb eggplant, ¼lb basil, 1 small napa cabbage, a bunch kale, a bunch chard, 1 bunch turnips, 1 bunch beet greens.

By becoming a CSA member you are making an investment in our farm, and as partners for the season we share the risk and the bounty. If we have a bad crop of something, you will know, and if we have a bumper crop you will also know. We aim for each box to reflect what is happening in the garden, and for you to feel that the price for the CSA share was well worth all the food we provided throughout the season. Inevitably there will be inconsistency from week to week.

With your box, you will receive a CSA newsletter. In the newsletter, we'll give you brief updates as to what's happening on the farm and in the garden. The newsletter will also include some recipes or cooking suggestions.

We will try to get all of you out to the farm during the season. And you are all welcome anytime. So if you ever have the urge to come harvest your own box, work with us, or to explore the island, let us know and we'll bring you across the river. We look forward to sharing the season with you, and hope that it is a rewarding experience. We are very aware our success depends on you and the Chattanooga community. Thanks again for your support.

Please feel free to contact us with any feedback or special requests.

Download the 2011 CSA Registration Form and mail in the completed form with your payment