Community CROPS Community Supported Agriculture Project
The CROPS CSA is full for 2010. Thank you for your interest. If you would like to get on our waiting list, or would like to get information on some other CSAs that still have space, please contact us at 474-9802 or e-mail us at info@communitycrops.org.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) projects are a great way for you to support local farmers and get a variety of very fresh, nutritious vegetables throughout the growing season. You know exactly where your vegetables come from and the people who grow them for you. As an added bonus, the CSA run by Community CROPS funds our programs which help community gardeners and farmers to grow food for their families or for market.
2010 CROPS CSA Newsletters
#1 - 5/27/10 - Tools needed, storage tips and preparation ideas
#2 - 6/3/10 - Greens recipes
#3 - 6/10/10 - Kohlrabi and kale recipes
#4 - 6/17/10 - Kale and chard ideas and recipes
#5 - 7/1/10 - Beet and cabbage recipes
#6 - 7/8/10 - Kale and cucumber recipes
#7 - 7/12/10 - Farmer intro, potato recipes
#8 - 7/19/10 - More farmer intros, herb and leek tips
#9 - 7/26/10 - Farmer graduate intros, tomatillos and chili
Join the discussion with other CSA members: CROPS CSA Forum
How does it work?
Before the season begins, you buy a share in the harvest. Then we grow a variety of vegetables for you and package it weekly for you to pick up.When do we start?
The CSA season last 20 weeks, from May 24 through mid-October. Pickup is available on Mondays or Thursdays from 4-6pm. Multiple pickup locations are available around town.What will your CSA box contain?
Your box will contain a variety of vegetables harvested that day. All food grown at Sunset is grown without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. We seek to provide heirloom varieties and vegetables you don't normally see at a grocery store.A Veggie Lover's Share is designed to feed one veggie-loving family or two families with mixed diets. It will contain 8-12 different vegetables each week, including a range of less common vegetables. The cost in 2010 is $580 for the season, which is $29 per week for 20 weeks.
A Standard Share is meant to feed 2-4 people with mixed diets and will contain 6-8 types of vegetables each week, most of which are more 'basic' vegetables. The cost in 2010 is $420 for the season which is $21 per week for 20 weeks.
Examples of some of the vegetables you'll receive throughout the season include:
Spring: Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Lettuce, Radishes, Spring onions
Summer: Basil, Beans, Celery, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Garlic, Potatoes, Summer squash
Fall: Leeks, Onions, Peppers, Sweet potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelon
We aren't able to customize the boxes, due to having 100+ boxes to pack every week, but we encourage you to try new vegetables or ones you don't think you like. Freshly-picked vegetables are much tastier! You can also swap out something you don't like for something you'll enjoy from the extras basket.
You'll also receive
A weekly newsletter with wholesome, nutritious suggestions for how to prepare unfamiliar vegetables, along with storage and nutrition information, sufficient quantities of a few crops for putting up for winter and opportunities to come and bring your family to the farm to visit or help with the work.Share-a-Share
Interested in the CROPS CSA, but unable to afford the full cost? We have a limited number of shares we sell at discount to families wishing to participate. Complete and submit the scholarship application along with your CSA registration to be considered for a need-based scholarship of up to $210 of the $250 cost of the share.Those who can afford to pay full cost have the option of donating up to $210 to help cover scholarships for others. See the application for details.
More information on CSAs and local foods
If you still need more reasons to join a CSA, take a look at: 16 Reason to Join a CSA
Read a great article in the Christian Science Monitor on CSAs
For an informative outline of the international status of organic agriculture, see this report (40 pages).
To see farmers' share of retail food dollars, click here.
Learn about "food miles", how far your food travels to get to your plate, at the Leopold Center
A great list from the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society about Seven Ways to Change the World by eating
CSA Cookbook
The Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition has put out a great cookbook called From Asparagus to Zucchini that has lots of great recipes and is designed for CSA members. Copies are available at the CROPS office or at our market stands, at the special price of $16.
How is it grown?
All of our crops will be grown at Sunset Community Farm by staff and participants of Community CROPS. We will contract for some of the vegetables from our participants who have their own plot at the farm. Other participants will work with us on a plot specifically for the CSA. Everything is picked within 24 hours of you receiving it so it will keep much longer than grocery store produce.All of our produce is grown using organic methods, such as cover crops, row covers, composting and simply keeping a watchful eye on everything. Part of becoming a CSA member means that you are taking on some of the risk of growing with us. We can't guarantee the availability of a particular item because sometimes nature gets the best of us. We do our best to plan ahead, and grow extra of some things just in case.
We'll schedule a farm tour during the season for our shareholders, so you can come out and see where we are growing your food and how we do it.
We also try to use as much recycled packaging as possible and run every aspect of the CSA in the most environmentally friendly manner.
What's your part?
As a subscriber of a Community Supported Agriculture farm, you can help support local small farms, boost the local economy, as well as provide your family with healthful, fresh produce. This requires a commitment on your part to be more flexible and adventurous with your cooking and eating habits. It's not like a grocery store where you can pick and choose, although you may be able to trade with other members.
Shareholders not only share the bounty from the farm--they also share the risks. If there is a crop failure (such as from disease or major freeze), the shareholders agree to take the loss with the farmer, so some crops may not be available every year.
