CSA Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CSA?

Here is how it works: Before the growing season begins, farmers invite the community to buy a share of the harvest up front, paying in a lump sum, before any food is being produced. Once the farm begins pumping out food, the members of the CSA who bought in get a cut of the harvest throughout the season in the form of a box of vegetables each week.

This means that when the farm flourishes, the members of the CSA do too, as they get the highest quality produce imaginable. This relationship goes both ways, the farmers truly care about the wellbeing of the community and do everything they can to nurture and support the people they feed. This model came about because early in the year, farmers face extremely high expenses to start the season including seeds, infrastructure, soil amendments, and many more. By having the community put faith in the farm’s success by investing in a share of the harvest, the farmer is able to cover the large costs and do their best to produce good, ethical, sustainable food.

How much does the CSA cost?

In 2024, the small share costs $480 (5-7 vegetables per week), the full share costs $690 (7-9 vegetables per week) and the flex share costs $500. We offer installment payments for the main season CSA (excluding Flex) and we also offer full and partial scholarships each season via our Community Funded Farm Share program if you are unable to afford the cost of our produce.

Is your farm organic?

We use all organic growing practices on our farm! We are not currently certified because we believe organic standards have fallen short of where they should be and we instead elect to being transparent with our growing practices with our customers.

We never, ever use chemical pesticides or herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, or non-food grade materials on our farm. We go above and beyond the standards of organic certification in all of our practices on our farm. We use crop rotation, integrative pest management, diversification, pollinator habitat, intercropping, cover cropping, compost teas, solarization, and other organic methods to avoid ever having to use pesticides or herbicides. We use a plant positive and soil positive growing approach to make sure our crops are robust to ward off pests and disease. We test our soil for contaminants, including lead, heavy metals and PFAS via the University of Vermont and York Labs (read more about why comprehensive elective soil testing is important here.) We pride ourselves in extremely minimal use of plastic on our farm and in our growing practices, and have really strict standards on the potting soil we use and the compost we produce. These are just a few examples of the extent we go to to make sure the food we produce is not only delicious but safe. Not only are we feeding this community with the food we grow, but we eat this food ourselves, and we feed it to our own child, so we feel the burden of responsibility as growers in every decision we make! Read more about our practices.

When does the CSA typically start?

The summer share starts the fourth week of May and ends the fourth week of September. The Fall CSA share starts early October and ends late November. Fall CSA shares will go on sale late summer.

What comes in my box each week?

Each week we pack our CSA boxes with whatever is in peak season on our farm, so the content of the boxes change each and every week depending on the time of year. In the full size share, you can expect 7-9 different vegetable in your box, with amounts to feed yourself and your family depending on the size of share you choose. We try to give you a variety of items that will cover all your vegetable bases: veggies great for fresh snacks, salads, dinners, etc. We grow over 70 different kinds and over 200 varieties of vegetables, so you certainly won’t get bored. See sample CSA schedule below:

-Summer Share Begins-

Week 1: Arugula, spinach, scallions, butter lettuce, baby bok choy, french breakfast radish, herbs

Week 2: Carrots, salad turnips, swiss chard, kale, baby lettuce mix, herbs, mizuna

Week 3: Strawberries, salad mix, spinach, collard greens, romaine, baby kale, carrots

Weeks 4 - 18: Cucumbers, broccoli, garlic scapes, carrots, beets, tomatoes, zucchini, snap peas, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, Swiss chard, lettuce, basil, eggplants, peppers, cherry tomatoes, leeks, watermelon, celery, hot peppers, herbs, potatoes, salad greens & so much more

-One week break-

-Fall Share Begins (Fall share will go on sale mid-summer)

Week 1: Spinach, beets, winter radishes, bell peppers, kale, cauliflower, celery root, onions, broccoli, parsley

Week 2: Spinach, carrots, turnips, collards, cabbage, kohlrabi, leeks, arugula, potatoes, herbs

Weeks 3-7: Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, rutabaga, spinach, carrots, kale, onions, swiss chard, winter radishes, celery root, winter squash, parsley, potatoes

Which CSA share size is right for me?

Do you cook half of the week, eat veggies a few times a week and are the only one in your household or have a spouse? We’d recommend the small share size for you.

Do you you cook a lot, eat veggies most days and have one more people in your household? We’d recommend the full share size.

Do you have strong preferences on which vegetables you like and which you dislike? Do you travel a lot and aren’t ready to commit to the classic CSA share? Try looking into our Flex CSA Share.

When and where do I pick up my share?

CSA pickups are every Wednesday from 4 - 7pm or Saturday from 10am - 2pm starting in May and running to September. Pickups are located on our farm in South Troy, NY: 40 Springwood Manor, Troy, NY 12180.

Can I get my share delivered?

If you live within our delivery range in the city of Troy, we offer free home delivery on either Wednesday evenings or Saturday late morning.

What if I am on vacation?

Please arrange to have a family member or friend pickup your share in your place. We can also donate your share to the local food pantry. If plan on going on vacation often during the growing season, consider signing up for the Flex Share.

What if I can’t pick up my share on time?

We strongly urge members to pick up on your assigned pick up day, but if that is simply not possible one week you may pick up the following morning as long as you contact us ahead of time. The share will be the same that was prepared for you on your pick up day due to labor and time involved in packing CSA shares. If you are unable to pickup your share at all, we will donate your share to the food pantry after one full day has passed.

What happens if there is a complete or partial crop failure?

In the unlikely event that all of our crops gets wiped out by disease or weather, we will source from other local farms to make sure we fill out your boxes each week, not to worry! If only one of our crops fail, we will swap out that crop for a different one of similar value in your share.

The upfront cost of the CSA is too much for me, can I still participate?

Yes!! We really want you to be able to access good food despite any limitations you may have. Please apply for our Community Funded Farm Share to get part or all of your share cost covered. You can also opt to pay in three installments if that feels manageable for you.