Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is based on the idea that where food comes from should be just as important as the food itself. CSA connects you to the land your food is grown on and to those who grow your food. It means:
-Keeping your food dollars in the local economy
-Supporting sustainable farming
-Eating seasonally grown foods
IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY!
When you join CSA you are part of a community that supports a small, local farm.
The benefits of Community Supported Agriculture are plenty. Joining a CSA creates the opportunity to learn about and appreciate local, seasonally grown foods. It provides the non farmer member with an awareness of the many challenges and numerous rewards of farming. This includes the risks and uncertainties of farming as well as sharing in a bountiful harvest.
CSA is a relationship of mutual support and commitment between local farmers and community members who pay the farmer an annual membership fee to cover the production costs of the farm. In turn, members receive a weekly share of the harvest during the local growing season. The arrangement allows the farmer to purchase seed, hire labor and guarantees
the farmer financial support.
It all depends upon how much fresh produce your household consumes; note that when it is fresh and organically grown, most folks tend to eat more than they did before. Our CSA Members can switch to a different share size at any point in the season, if they find that it is too much or too little for their weekly needs.
$475
Our full share is a good choice for couples or families that eat at home often and love cooking and trying new recipes. Members will receive a box of produce every week for 16 weeks (maybe more!). Members will also receive a gift card and invite to our Friends and Family Plant Sale., as well as recipe ideas for all your veggies! If you will be going on vacation at some point please let us know so we can make other arrangements for you!
$325
The half share option is well-suited for for individuals or couples, or folks that dine out more often or want a break from cooking, but still want to support local, sustainable agriculture. With a half share you’ll get the same amount of food as a full share, but you’ll pick up every other week. We’ll let you know when your start date is, and whether you will be picking up on Week A or Week B. Half share members will also receive a gift card to our Friends and Family Plant Sale in May, as well as recipe ideas for all your veggies!
PICK-UP LOCATIONS
Farm pick-ups are always welcome, Currently we are dropping
at the following locations:
-Whole Foods (Saint Paul)
-Valley Natural Food co-op (Burnsville)
-Cobblestone Market (Bloomington)
-Midtown Farmers Market (Minneapolis)
If any of these don't work for you please give us a call so we can plan a pick-up location that works for you!
What to Expect
What to look for in your box!
Beets, Broccoli, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers,
Eggplants, Greens, Lettuce, Melons, Onions, Peas, Peppers,
Potatoes, Tomatoes, Summer Squashes, Winter Squashes, and More!
10 Reasons to Eat FRESH from
Green Earth Growers
1. Locally grown food tastes better. Food grown at Green Earth Growers is usually
harvested for you the day you pick it up. It's crisp, sweet and loaded with flavor.
Produce from California, Florida, Chile, or Mexico must travel on trucks or planes
and then it is stored in warehouses. Several studies have shown that the average
distance food travels from farm to plate is 1,500 miles.
2. Local produce is better for you. The shorter to the time between the farm and your
table, the less likely it is that nutrients will be lost from fresh food. Most fresh
produce loses much of its nutritional value within 48 hours of harvesting. Locally
grown food, collected at our CSA pick-up soon after harvest, retains its nutrients.
3. Local food preserves genetic diversity. In the modern industrial agricultural system,
varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen simultaneously and withstand
harvesting equipment; for a tough skin that can survive packing and shipping; and for
an ability to have a long shelf life in the store. In contrast, at Green Earth Growers, we
grow a huge number of varieties to provide a long season of harvest, an array of
eye-catching colors, and the best flavors.
4. Local food is safer. With all the issues related to food safety and homeland
security, there’s an assurance that comes from looking a farmer in the eye or walking
in the fields where your food comes from. At Green Earth, you get to know “your
farmer” and know that we take our responsibility to our members seriously.
5. Local food supports local farm families. In Minnesota and across the country, farmers
are a vanishing breed. And no wonder - commodity prices are at historic lows, often
below the cost of production. Local farmers who sell direct to consumers cut out the
middleman and get full retail price for their food - which means farm families can
afford to stay on the farm, and keep it active.
6. Local food builds community. When you buy direct from Green Earth Growers, you are
engaging in a time-honored connection between eater and grower, and you are supporting a
local business. Getting to know folks who grow your food helps you know more about
the place and community in which you live. And at our CSA, it gives you access to a
farm where you, your children and grandchildren can learn about nature and
agriculture.
7. Local food preserves open space. Our agricultural landscape will survive only as long
as farms are financially viable. When you buy locally grown food, you are doing
something proactive about preserving the agricultural landscape.
8. Local food keeps taxes down. According to several studies, farms contribute more in taxes
than they require in services, whereas most residential development contributes less in taxes
than the cost of required services.
9. Local food benefits the environment and wildlife. Our organic farm is a place where
the resources of fertile soil and clean water are valued. We grow cover crops to prevent erosion
and replace nutrients used by our crops. Additionally, the habitat of our farm provides a home
for wildlife.
10. Local food is an investment in our future. By supporting local farmers today, you can
help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow, and that future generations will
have access to nourishing, flavorful, and abundant food. Buy local food. Sustain local farms.
Adapted from Massachusetts Grown and Fresh, Growing for Market and Well Spring Farm CSA, Marshfield, Vermont
Check out some Farm pics!
OUR 2013 CSA IS FULL...PLEASE EMAIL US IF YOUR INTERESTED IN BEING ON THE WAITING LIST..THANKS!
