Please be sure to read carefully through this page, the application (posted below) and these links:
list of CSA crops | CSA FAQ | see our blog for more info on actual harvests for past years.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is about sharing--sharing the food we produce, the risks we take, and the community we all create. CSA is a unique option for people seeking fresh, local and seasonal produce for their table. By investing in a CSA you are also investing in the sustainability of farming, food, the local community, and our program here at Red Wiggler.
We have run a successful CSA here in Montgomery County MD since 1996. Our CSA has grown gradually from 12 "shares" to 80 "shares" in 2008. Many members return year after year while some find that CSA is not for them at this time. Our happiest customers live nearby (within 15 miles) or join up with neighbors and rotate who picks up. Our average CSA member lived 11 miles from the farm in 2006. In general, if you enjoy cooking and being challenged in the kitchen to try new vegetables you will have a good experience. We encourage CSA members to treat their season like they would a continuing education experience. Try new things in the kitchen, ask the growers how we prepare kohlrabi or hakurei turnips. CSA members utilizing the "pick your own" flower and herb garden on a regular basis also get the most out of the experience.
Our CSA is the backbone of our mission and core values. We create meaningful employment for adults with developmental disabilities. This is why we were formed and it is at the core of everything we do. The jobs created by the CSA enable our activities at Red Wiggler to thrive. Please take a moment to look over our entire web site. Our vision is to create fertile ground to nourish a healthy and inclusive community. At this time we are actively seeking to ensure that low-income adults with developmental disabilities are included in our CSA program. Local food security is one of our core values. The CSA is integral to our mission and our core values are imbedded in our CSA program. more
2008 CSA INFORMATION - Updated January 22 2008 (12:20pm)
OUR CSA IS NOW SOLD OUT FOR 2008 (updated 01/22/08 12:20 pm)
We will be offering new shares the day after Martin Luther King Day 2009.
We sold out today in 3 hours! We are grateful for the increadible interest in our Community Farm and in particular our CSA. THANK YOU. We plan to slowly grow our CSA in an attempt to meet the rising demand in local produce. In the meantime we suggest you visit the local farmers markets and orchards. |
Below is the 2008 information for people intersted in the 2009 season.
Here are some details about the 2008 season: (changes will be made for 2009 in an effort to expand the CSA to beter meet demand)
This year we are instituting a new “Membership Fee” of $50.00 and this fee is a fully tax-deductible contribution to Red Wiggler Community Farm.
Your Membership Fee will be utilized to:
1) Provide reduced priced CSA shares to area Group Homes serving people with developmental disabilities.
2) Maintain meaningful on the job training opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.
3) Ensure “Service Learning” activities on the farm for youth and adults both with and without disabilities.
4) Sustain our efforts to act as stewards of the land by utilizing the best practices of organic agriculture while actively creating habitat for wildlife. In particular we are focused on developing habitat for the Monarch and Baltimore Checkerspot Butterflies and Eastern Blue Birds.
Members will pick up their share at the Farm (Ovid Hazen Wells Park, 23400 Ridge Road). driving directions
on either Wednesdays (2pm-5pm) or Saturdays (9am-12pm)
The REGULAR SEASON spans 20 weeks with 18 weeks of delivery. Membership Fee: $50 CSA Participation for 2008 $450 = $500
There are no harvests the week of the Annual Farm Tour in late July. And no harvests the week of our Annual Supper and Silent Auction in early September. For your “Regular Season Share” price we commit to harvest and offer:
1) 18 weeks of fresh, chemical free, seasonal vegetables that you pick up on the farm
(Note: you’ll choose Wednesdays from 2-5pm or Saturdays from 9 to noon)
2) An expanding “Pick Your Own” flower and herb garden
3) Hard Copy Newsletters with seasonally appropriate recipes and farm news each week for 18 weeks
4
) A blog (click here for a link to the blog)
5) The opportunity to meet the people who grow your food each week. You are always encouraged to ask questions about how your food is grown, how to use the vegetables etc..
We also offer an optional 5 weeks of an "EXTENDED SEASON ". These fall shares are picked up on Wednesdays (2pm-5pm) The cost of an extended season share is $125 and are only available to existing members. Space in this option is limited to 25 shares
In 2008 We will be offering an ALTERNATE WEEK share. This option has been developed in an effort to make more shares available to the many people who seek to participate in CSA. $50 tax-deductable membership fee + $250 CSA Alternate Week Share = $300
For an “Alternate Week Share” participants will:
1) Choose to come to the farm to pick up a weekly share every other Wednesday from 2-5pm.
OR
2) Choose to come to the farm to pick up a weekly share every other Saturday from 9am to noon.
Alternate week participants will:
Be sure to look over our CSA FrequentlyAskedQuestions (FAQ) page for more details.
We receive a tremendous amount of interest in our CSA program- we apologize for not being able to assist each interested potential CSA member individually. We hope that this newly updated page will help answer some of the questions you may have regarding the 2008 CSA season. Additionally we are looking into new software that may help us manage the interest in joining our CSA. Until then- if you are interested in joining our CSA in 2008 please send us an email with "CSA 2008" in the subject line. Please include your snail mailing address in the email.
info@redwiggler.org