Phoenix Farms 2010 CSA
Aaron Newton
My goal is to stay small and offer a high level of service and access to all sorts of local foods through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. If you have any questions about my CSA please do not hesitate to call 704/305.6654.
What will one share of the Phoenix CSA look like?
1 Phoenix Farms CSA share provides the following each week: $15 of certified organic vegetables, 1 dozen eggs and 1 loaf an homemade bread.
How long will the CSA season last?
I will be operating year-round, but there will be four separate seasons of operation. Members will sign up for one season at a time.
Spring: May/June
Summer: July/August/September
Fall: October/November/December
Winter: January/February/March
Each season will last 13 weeks. It will have one built in vacation week (no food on week 13 or the week of your choice) so you will actually be getting food for 12 weeks.
At the end of each season CSA member will have the opportunity to renew membership for the following season. Returning members will be given preference before available spots are offered to the general public. CSA members will pay half of each season in advance and the other half mid way through the season. The total cost is $300 for each 12 week season. *
*In 2010, I will run a shortened Spring Season. It will only be 8 weeks and will start in May and last until the end of June. The cost of this shortened season is $200.
What types of vegetables will you be growing?
Arugula Carrots Lettuce Spinach
Asian Greens Collards Melons Squash
Basil Corn Okra Sweet Potatoes
Beans Cucumbers Onions Swiss Chard
Beets Eggplant Peppers Tomatoes
Broccoli Garlic Potatoes Zucchini
Cabbage Kale Radishes
Will you have our vegetables sorted and selected for us and placed into tubs before the pick up each week?
No. Members will not receive a prepared tub of vegetables. Members will choose vegetables from a buffet line. You might have your choice of eggplant or cucumbers. You might be able to decide between Swiss Card or Kale. The combinations will limited but each member will have options concerning what end up in her bag. CSA Members will be asked to bring grocery bags for transporting their food.
Where will we pick up our food?
Pickups will be on Tuesday evenings from 4pm until 6pm at the Old Creamery on North Church Street near downtown Concord.
Is there any work involved?
Yes. Each CSA member will be asked to perform a minimum of eight hours of work each season. Most of this will not be weeding or harvesting. I will need more help organizing pickup buffet lines, sending out recipes, sourcing needed materials, making phone calls, etc...There will work on the farm if you are interested but what I need most help with is all the other stuff that will make this a successful project. As I mentioned before, I want to find people who really want to get into the local food scene.
What if we want other foods like meat, fruit, seafood, or honey?
I will be working with local protein providers and fruit growers including but not limited to: Creekside Farms, Southport Seafood Company, Cackleberry Farms, Landis Gourmet Mushrooms and others to make local meat, dairy, NC Seafood Fruit and honey available to CSA members.
Each member can order any of the above items a la carte one week in advance and have those items delivered to the pickup location. You will not be ordering these items from me. You will be ordering directly from the partners mentioned above. I will work with these providers to make sure your weekly order is at the pickup location and ready for you.
In this way, it is possible that CSA members could order all their pork, beef, chicken, fish, cheese, mushrooms, peaches, apples, and butter each week, in addition to the standard vegetables, eggs and bread, and have it all available at the same time and place.
How will we keep up with what is going on at the farm?
I will be offering a weekly update in the form of an email and a blog post which will describe what is going on, what will be included on any given week in terms of vegetables and bread and also recipes for the week. Members will have full and easy access to information about exactly what is being grown, when it will be available and thoughts on what to cook with it.
I'm also hoping to organize (or have CSA members organize) group meals throughout the season. These will not be mandatory but they will be potluck social events as a way to share food and have conversations with other CSA members. If you're looking to eat local this is a great way to get access to all the wonderful local food available in our area.
Having said that, this CSA program isn't for everyone. As I mentioned I'm looking for 12 people or families who really want to shift to a more local diet. I'm excited about this program and about finding CSA members- partners- who are willing to help me succeed. Please give me a call with any questions, concerns or ideas you have regarding this program.
Thanks,
Aaron
aaron@henandharvest.com
704/305.6654
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