CSA is coming back!
It’s been about 6 years since I first offered a CSA. This was back when I first set out for produce to be our farm’s focus and hadn’t even dived into raising pork, chicken, or offering beef. I had a few years of growing for ourselves and our small local farmers’ market under my belt, and with the isolation restrictions brought on by COVID at the time, I decided to try growing for CSA for the first time. It was just me at the time doing all the labor, so I kept it small, and though I did enjoy it for the couple of years I offered it, it was incredibly stressful for a solo person, especially when we started raising meat birds and offering grass-finished beef. As I tend to do, I overextended myself by also offering cut flowers and baked goods, and that was a hard lesson I learned through burnout.
As the farm grew and the business started to shift towards pastured meats, I stopped offering the CSA. I still grew some produce for market, but keeping the CSA was not realistic while Jeremiah was still working his full-time off-farm job. Several years passed by, the farm continued to grow, and we started participating in larger farmers’ markets in the area, expanding our customer base beyond our small community in Berry and Cynthiana. Jeremiah eventually left his job to farm with me full-time, which allowed us to grow the way we have in the past 3 years.
Recently, though, I began to reflect on how the farm has progressed over the years, the many customers we’ve connected with and become friends with through farmers’ markets, and though we absolutely love participating in our farmers’ markets, I realized we kind of lost a bit of connection with our immediate local community.
CSA share from early June
Jeremiah and I had mentioned it before, about bringing the CSA back, and with Kentucky Proud promoting CSAs this week, we decided to do it! We’re hoping that this CSA will be a way to reconnect with our local community here in Berry & Cynthiana. However, if you’re interested in participating and not in the immediate area, we’ll gladly accept anyone beyond to participate in our CSA program (we have market pickups and delivery options, as well).
Our CSA will extend for 20 weeks, from about Mid-May to the end of September. Each week, you’ll receive a bag of seasonal produce, and you can add beef, chicken, or pork for an extra charge. You can pick up at the farm, at one of our farmers’ markets, or choose from delivery options, as well.
If you haven’t participated in a CSA before and you’re not familiar with it, it’s a great way to support local agriculture and learn to eat seasonally. I’ll include some recipes in your bags on how to use items you may not be too familiar with. Here’s a quick blurb I’ve included on some of our social media posts:
So what exactly is a CSA?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. When you join a CSA, you purchase a “share” of the farm’s harvest in advance. In return, you receive regular distributions of fresh, seasonal products directly from our farm.
Why it’s great for us:
• Upfront support at the start of the season
• More predictable planning and reduced waste
• A stronger connection with the families we feed
It’s truly a partnership between farmer and community
Why it’s great for you:
• Ultra-fresh, clean, local food, organically raised
• Seasonal variety
• Connection to where your food comes from
• Often a better overall value
If you’re interested and want to learn more, check out our CSA Share page - all the details and pricing information can be found there.
