Here’s how our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program works:
| Sign up > | Buy a $300 season credit*. Each Wednesday from early July to Thanksgiving (15 weeks) a box of fresh veggies and herbs worth $20 (on average) will be harvested that morning ready for you in the afternoon. How fresh is that! You have the option each week of having a “mystery box” or choosing what goes in it by replying to the harvest newsletter. |
| Pick up > | Pick-up locations are: * at the farm, 694 Iron Mine Road (between Lanark and McDonalds Crs) * at Balderson Fine Foods, Highway 511 in Balderson * anywhere in the Lanark-Perth area where we can drop at least three orders together |
| Enjoy > | An email “Harvest newsletter” each week will include the list of what’s ready in the garden, plus recipes, serving and storage ideas. |
Advantages for you:
- prepaid simplicity
- fresh scrumptious produce
- choose more or less of specific items depending on your tastes
- weekly preparation and storage ideas
Advantages for us:
- your credits give us “advance” income that helps with season start-up costs: seed, tools, straw for mulching, the time-lag between labour costs and produce sales…
- your product ideas and membership help us plan what varieties and quantities to plant
*There are alternatives to a $300 lump sum – ask us. But a season’s prepayment gives you a 10% bonus, that is, $330 worth of products.
Our garden has a lot of variety…depending on what’s ready, the weekly basket may include:
radishes & green onions ready for packing
Veggies: salad greens, arugula, peas, onions, green onions, carrots, beets, beans, potatoes, garlic, squash, bok choi, cabbage, tomatoes, spaghetti squash, zucchini, broccoli, rapini, cucumbers, corn, leeks, kohlrabi, kale, spinach, tatsoi, radicchio…
Herbs: basil, parsley, mint, oregano, tarragon, dill, sage, thyme, chives, garlic chives, lemon balm, rosemary…
Besides the veggies, you may order:
Prepared products: pesto, quiche, fresh salsa, salads (tabouleh, potato, bean…), soup kits, stir-fry mix…
Honey: jars (500g or 1 kg) or pails (3 or 4.5 kg)
Bread: organic hops-leavened, stone-ground round loaves, fresh-baked by our friend Sean of Café MERA fame
Meat: frozen lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, pork – as available from neighbouring farmers
Herb products: herbal vinegars, tinctures (Echinacea, St John’s Wort, many more), dried herbs, tea blends, herbal insect repellent, skin salve…
The Gardeners
Both Kristine Swaren and Malcolm Williams are long-time organic gardeners. Kristine has apprenticed on a biodynamic farm and a herb farm. She is a writer and publication coordinator with Canadian Organic Growers, a national organization for advocacy and education of organic growing. Malcolm is a beekeeper, hammock-maker and wood-worker.
Work for food
Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just want to learn about life on the farm, we offer exchange opportunities. You can earn food credits by helping with harvest, packing, delivery, weekly order coordination, or garden work.
Please join us
Subscribing for veggies is as easy as completing the sign-up survey (please request one by email).