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2009
Edition of the Twin Cities Region |
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What
is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)? What
does CSA membership involve? Although each CSA farm makes its own arrangements with its members and has its own expectations of them, being involved with a CSA operation always means sharing the rewards as well as the risks of farming. The rewards include: enjoying the freshest produce available, often harvested the same day you receive it; knowing where, how and by whom your food is being produced; having a direct connection with the people who produce your food; and supporting the kind of stewardship that is good for the land as well as its people. The risks include weather and pests. Though formidable for small, self-sustaining farmers, these risks are bearable when shared by a group of subscribers. By linking together through CSA operations, farmers and consumers alike can benefit from an agriculture that provides beautiful and bountiful food while preserving the ecological and social basis necessary for coming generations to be so blessed. Selecting
a CSA
*Ideas and wording used for this list taken from MACSAC, the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition. The
Farms in this Directory The farms listed in the 2009 Edition of the Twin Cities Region Community Supported Agriculture Farm Directory have paid a fee to the Land Stewardship Project to be included. The Land Stewardship Project is not a certification agency for Community Supported Agriculture farms and does not guarantee customer satisfaction. Please keep in mind that while membership in a CSA farm means sharing in the bounty of the season, it also means sharing in the risks. At times, raising food in the Upper Midwest can be made quite challenging by inclement weather, pest infestations and other factors beyond the farmers' control. We encourage you to contact the farms directly and ask questions to determine what best fits with your needs, lifestyle and schedule. We recommend reading the "Selecting a CSA" guide above before beginning your search for a CSA operation that fits you best. Good luck as you take
that first step into an exciting sector of our food system!
A Quick CSA Guide This is the 2009 listing of CSA farms. The 2010 listing To purchase a share of
fresh food for the season, Click
on a link for more information about that farm.
Locating
the Drop-Sites
The Farms Big
River Farms CSA Our 18-week season runs mid-June through mid-October. Your membership gets you a weekly box of the season's finest, delivered to neighborhood sites across the greater metro area. The veggies we pack into your box each week will vary with the rhythms of the growing season. This means that in the early boxes, you might see snap peas, broccoli, scallions and greens (among others). The heat of the summer will bring along garden favorites like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, potatoes, summer squash and more. As we wind into fall, look for different varieties of winter squash, lots of roots and greens. We also participate in a program called Harvest for the Hungry, which works with regional farms to get fresh produce into local food pantries. Donations are matched 100 percent, and the money is used to purchase food from our farmers-in-training for the food pantries. Donations to either MFA or Harvest for the Hungry can always be added onto share prices. Please call or visit the MFA website for more information on farm tours, CSA share details/sign-up, and MFA workshops/events. Big
Woods Farm A full share includes 17 weekly half-bushel distributions (8-25 pounds) of seasonal produce, available beginning in mid-June, at three locations: at the farm on Mondays, at Just Food Co-op in Northfield on Mondays or Thursdays, and in South Minneapolis near Lake Nokomis on Thursdays. Smaller households are encouraged to split a share with friends or neighbors of their choosing. Two festivals are held each season: a height-of-the-summer garlic and vegetable cookout, and a fall pumpkin and winter squash harvest potluck. At the latter, members help pick the squash and pumpkins, and take home a cache for the winter plus jack-o-lanterns for the doorstep. Members are welcome to visit the farm most anytime, to work up a sweat in the garden or to simply wander about, enjoying the countryside. The chance to pick-your-own flowers, cherry tomatoes, basil and green beans, available as the summer progresses, is included with your share. In addition to a vegetable share, members of Big Woods Farm may add on a maple syrup, free-range egg, free-range chicken, and/or Thanksgiving turkey share, produced by our friends at L & R Poultry and Produce in nearby Wanamingo Township. Blackberry
Community Farm A share of a 5/9 bushel box (average 16 pounds) of seasonal organic produce is delivered for 16 weeks (mid-June through September). We will deliver more than 40 different kinds of vegetables, fruits and herbs. The focus will be on the basics, but members will also receive strawberries, raspberries, apples, and two Jacob's Lip & Body Balms. Extra produce and honey may be available for sale. Tuesday pick-up sites will be Proechel's, 782 Holly Ave., St. Paul; Seward Co-op, 2823 East Franklin, Minneapolis; and Eastside Co-op, 2551 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis. Friday pick-up sites will be Menomonie Market Food Co-op, Wisconsin; Patagonia, 1648 Grand Ave., St. Paul; and Ecopolitan, 2409 Lyndale Ave., Minneapolis. Members are welcome to visit or volunteer. Volunteers are invited to share a meal with us. There will also be a summer and fall farm festival. This farm season we are looking forward to sharing God's beauty and abundance, as well as the love of our farm labor with you! •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
• Burning
River Farm We have 150+ memberships available for the 2009 season, which runs 18 weeks from early June until mid-October. Deliveries are made every Thursday to a drop-site or directly to your home or work. We have two box sizes. The 3/4 bushel family share is ideal for two veggie-loving adults or a family of four, and the 5/9 single share is ideal for one to three people. Each delivery also contains a farm newsletter with goings on, stories from the field, a rundown of the week's offering and recipes for the week's produce. Please contact the farm for a complete list of what will be growing and to see if you are within the delivery area. You can also find us every Saturday at the Mill City Farmers' Market. Everything is grown naturally without harmful chemicals, with your health in mind. We had a great season last year. Please join us for another! •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
•
Celestial Harvest grows cooperatively with Natura Farms where they have been growing for 26 seasons in the Marine on St. Croix valley. Celestial Harvest and Natura Farms share a commitment to grow exceptionally tasty and nutritious products; our commitment to ecological integrity and food quality is assured by our third-party eco-label certification by Food Alliance Midwest. You will receive a box each week—18 weeks of produce. Choose a half share (for two) or a full share (feeds four). Each box contains a variety of vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries, apples, melons and our weekly newsletter. We want this to be affordable, so we also offer payment plans. Your purchase of a "food share" assures you a share in our growing season—mid-June through mid-October. Over the course of the season, you will end up paying wholesale prices. Pick-up sites are in Minneapolis, Golden Valley and the farm. Limited delivery for 10 or more orders within the Twin Cities.
CSA food baskets are available in the form of CSA member shares, or if you cannot commit to the season but would like the freshest fruits and vegetables, you can come by to pick fresh from the farm (U Pick Farm). Call me for more details or come by for a visit. The pick-up site is at 668 Victoria St. S., Saint Paul, MN 55102. I’m looking forward to meeting you.
We grow and offer a bountiful supply and several varieties of fruits, vegetables, fresh eggs and cut flowers at area farmers' markets, as well as through our CSA program in and around the Twin Cities, Owatonna, Faribault and Mankato. Whether you select a large or small share, you will receive 18 weeks of the freshest in-season varieties, including (but not limited to) mixed spring greens and strawberries, summer melons and heirloom tomatoes, as well as fall root vegetables and winter squash. Additionally, we'll provide the staples, including many varieties of herbs, carrots, onions and potatoes, as they become available. We also like to include interesting new items that perhaps you've not had a chance to try before. Your CSA membership also includes a weekly newsletter describing your share contents and providing recipes and nutritional information, as well as an open invitation to visit the farm for special events or bulk quantities of produce for canning and preserving. Please visit our website for more detailed information, and we'd be honored to share with you our harvests, and to have you as a member of our growing farm family. Common Harvest Farm We grow 40+ different vegetables and herbs with an emphasis on the traditional favorites of green beans, potatoes, tomatoes and carrots. We typically deliver for a 19- to 20-week season, beginning the middle of June and ending in late October. In addition to our regular vegetable share, we offer honey and a fruit share. We have drop-sites in 13 Twin Cities locations, including seven sites in Minneapolis, four in St. Paul, one in Minnetonka, and St. Louis Park. We have a fall festival each year that includes folk dancing and a potluck. Our members are welcome to visit the farm at any time. Our members often tell us that the simple act of eating locally is something that gives them hope. Consider joining us in eating well from the goodness and bounty of the earth. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
•
Community
Homestead Incorporated Our season runs from the end of May to October. Boxes come in two sizes: "family" or "couple." Additional items can be purchased online weekly and added to your weekly standard vegetable box including: flower bouquets, fruits, jams, eggs, beef, pork, bread, cookies, dairy-free baked goods, cards and coffee. Deliveries are made to nine sites in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Maplewood, Shoreview, Stillwater, Somerset and Osceola. No work or driving required. Visitors, families, groups and classes are very welcome to our organic dairy farm, gardens and community! Several festive events are planned throughout the year. Established in 1995, Community Homestead is a lively, nonprofit community of about 40 people. In six extended households, families live together with adults with developmental challenges. Rhythm, reliability and self-esteem are stressed in all our activities. Everyone has a varied schedule to meet their needs and those of the community. Between homemaking, bakery, woodshop and crafts, the farm and garden, there is an important place for everyone. All members are volunteers, receiving room and board and sharing a healthy lifestyle. Seasonal or long-term volunteers accepted. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
• Cramer
Organics Our season starts early June and goes to mid-October. We offer two sizes of shares—standard and large—of over 70 varieties of vegetables and herbs. We also grow specialty cut flowers which are sold as a separate share. We include many heirloom varieties of both vegetables and flowers. Our pick-up sites are Tuesday afternoon at the farm, and Saturday morning in Hopkins (location to be decided). First-time members will receive the cookbook From Asparagus to Zucchini to help with using all your vegetables as well as providing storage tips and nutrient content. Additional recipes, farm updates, health tips, and a list of box contents will accompany your weekly share. We would like to encourage more membership participation by scheduling some work days, and also by inviting you and your families to come out and see your food growing in the field. We have an end-of-the-season potluck and are thinking about adding another event earlier in the season. We hope you'll join us! Crazy
Daisy We're looking forward to the new year with anticipation as we continue testing new varieties of veggies and new cultivation methods. Of course we'll bring back all of our old favorites, like those fantastic yellow cherry tomatoes and shallots which were new last year. Your share in the season's harvest will start in late June or early July and run through to after the first frost, usually in October. Last year we enjoyed a full 17 weeks of harvests! Full and Half Share sizes are available. A Half Share is the most popular option for couples and small families. Large families and heavy vegetable eaters will enjoy the Full Share option. Both share options come with access to free extras like herbs and our weekly e-newsletter with news from the farm and our favorite recipes. Typically there is an abundance of tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and sweet corn that will be available for canning, freezing and pickling at no extra cost. Be sure to let us know your preferences and we'll try to fill your needs. We're looking forward to meeting some new people and seeing our friends again! Give us a call to request a flier with pricing and detailed crop information for this season. Culinary
Delights Farm CSA creates a direct relationship between a member and our farm—a partnership. In essence, it is a mutually beneficial arrangement, where in exchange for a member's commitment to buy a share in our harvest, we commit to provide exceptionally high quality vegetables, herbs and fruits and deliver a bountiful portion of it every week of the season. The members of our CSA program every week receive a share of fresh, naturally grown, in-season produce delivered to a convenient location. We are located northwest of the Twin Cities with delivery points in Albertville, Anoka, Champlin, Elk River, Fridley, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, Maple Grove, Minneapolis, Monticello, Plymouth, Ramsey, St. Michael, and pick-up at the farm in Big Lake. Our season runs over 18 weeks starting in late June and ending in late October. Call or e-mail us for member information and a sign-up form.
Driftless
Organics Join us, from the beginning of June until the middle of October, for a CSA season you are sure to never forget. We shall set forth upon you those vegetable goodies that you just can't get enough of such as sweet corn, tomatoes, melons and broccoli (plus much, much more!). This year we are excited to offer organic sunflower oil shares, organic pastured beef packs and two vegetable storage boxes in time for the holiday season. All of this, plus a newsletter with recipes and stories from the farm and a fall harvest party to boot. Does it get any better than that? We offer every-week shares or every-other-week shares and we are excited to offer FIVE pick-up sites in the Twin Cities area: St. Paul (Hamline University Area-Thursday PM), Minnetonka (Ridgedale Mall Area-Thursday PM), Linden Hills neighborhood (Washburn Ave.-Thursday PM, the Seward neighborhood (35th Ave. S.-Thursday PM) and the Eastside Co-op (Friday all day). For more information and pricing, please check out our website.
Earth
Dance Farm For the 2009 season we offer 80 memberships in the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Rochester areas. Grapes, horseradish and artichoke will be a few of the new crops in the bushel boxes this year. A limited number of egg shares are also available. Our chickens are pastured and organically fed. Our season runs from mid-June through October with deliveries on Thursdays around midday. We offer some individual home deliveries and also have host family drop-sites. We encourage members to visit the farm: work in the fields, walk the woods, or relax by the stream. We gather in the fall to celebrate the harvest, our lives and our relationships. Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a visit. We are Norm Gross, Laurie Nelsen, Noah Nelsen-Gross (17), and Adriana Nelsen-Gross (13). We are excited about offering the freshest, tastiest and cleanest produce that we can. Although we are not certified, we would never consider using any methods that were not organic. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
•
Eener's Farm Each share will include at least 40 varieties of vegetables, Eener's free-range chicken eggs and some fresh flowers and herbs. Deliveries will begin the first week in June and continue for 22 weeks through the last week in October. Eener will deliver her boxes each week to River Market Community Co-op in downtown Stillwater and Hampden Park Co-op in St. Paul (928 Raymond Ave.). Please see Eener's website for share rates, a complete list of veggies and whacky farm antics. Shares are designed to feed a family of four with leftovers for canning, freezing or root cellaring. Eener grows all the classics like tomatoes, sweet corn, beans, peas, onions, pumpkins, etc., as well as some harder-to-find varieties like comfrey, luffa and horseradish. Everything grown on Eener's Farm is done so in a sustainable manner without the use of chemical herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. Eener will not require shareholders to work on her farm; however shareholders are invited to stop by for a cup of coffee and a tour! Featherstone Fruits &
Vegetables The season runs from June through October—distributing Grande and Chica shares of fruits and vegetables in pre-packed boxes. Drop-off days and times change from year-to-year; 2008 deliveries were on Wednesdays (Winona/Rochester) and on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (Twin Cities). Shareholders keep in touch with farm activities through weekly newsletters and through farm visits, including a spring Strawberry Social (u-pick) and Fall Harvest Party. We offer an amazing array of more than 40 types of vegetables; including leaf lettuce, salad mix, heirloom tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, onions, peppers, carrots, peas, beans, potatoes and sweet corn. We also provide strawberries, raspberries, cantaloupes and watermelons. In addition, we supply the boxes with a variety of herbs; including basil, cilantro, parsley and dill. In 2008, we introduced a Winter Share Program. One hundred and fifty families experienced the true abundance of our root vegetable harvests! These huge boxes were overflowing with not only a myriad of root vegetables, but also a variety of brassicas as well as some tasty greenhouse delicacies. Given the feedback to date, we will likely repeat this offering in 2009.
Footjoy
Farm Our shares run about 20 weeks, starting in June. In the first weeks you will see a lighter mix of salad greens, lettuce, green garlic, peas, radishes, rhubarb and broccoli. As we get into the summer you will see an abundance of beans, zucchini, beets, carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, red peppers, onions, garlic, shallots, melons, herbs, potatoes, turnips and heirloom tomatoes. We produce many other specialty crops for the restaurants; at times they find their way into the CSA shares and make for wonderful surprises. You won't be disappointed with the quality nor quantity of the produce in our shares. When the season allows for abundance, we provide it, giving away boxes of heirloom tomatoes and other extras to our members. We have several drop-sites around the cities but are looking for new members to host drop sites in the Uptown and Downtown areas. Please call for more details. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
• Foxtail Farm
Foxtail Farm is located in the St. Croix River Valley south of Osceola, Wis., about 50 minutes northeast of the Twin Cities. For the 2009 growing season we have 300 memberships available. Weekly shares include seven to 12 different vegetables and weigh 15-30 pounds depending on the season. We are heavy on the basics like Genovese basil, Super Sweet corn, Yukon Gold potatoes, tomatoes and salad greens. In addition, we include a little of the unusual. A weekly newsletter with recipes and farm news is also included. We also host a kids' day and an annual fall harvest festival. Boxes are delivered on Thursday afternoons directly to your home or workplace in the northeast metro area, including much of St. Paul, Minneapolis and the St. Croix River Valley towns of Taylors Falls, Osceola, Marine on St. Croix and Stillwater. A reduced price is charged if multiple boxes are dropped at a single location or if the shares are picked up at the farm. Our season runs from mid-June through mid-October and has averaged 19 weeks. Half shares are not available. We do not require our members to work but you are always welcome on the farm. A limited number of partial work-share memberships will be available. Payment plans can be arranged. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
• Fresh Earth Farms Unlike a traditional CSA, we provide a flexible approach that allows for families of all sizes—as well as small restaurants—to become members. We accomplish this by selling shares by household size. Single households buy one share. Couples buy two. A family of four gets four shares. Our produce selection each year is both traditional and unusual. On the one hand we provide food that is familiar and comfortable for most families. On the other hand, we also experiment with the unusual; we grow varieties that aren't generally available in local stores or that are not typically grown here in Minnesota. At Fresh Earth Farms you will find more than 20 varieties of tomatoes, seven varieties of potatoes and 10 varieties of garlic. Typically we grow over 150 different fruits, vegetables and herbs. Be adventurous and try something new! In addition to our delicious vegetables, we also provide certified organic fruit; Fair Trade, certified organic coffee; grass-fed beef, pork and chicken. Join Fresh Earth Farms today! Homegrown freshness, without getting dirty! Gale Woods Farm The CSA operation at Gale Woods is unique because it involves teenage youth from the nearby suburbs and the cities in growing produce for the shares. In addition to learning about sustainable agriculture, they are given leadership training opportunities and are inspired to create positive change in their home communities. Produce is also provided to needy families through the Mound West-Tonka foodshelf. Shareholders are encouraged to get involved with the farm for events such as maple syruping, lambing and calving in the spring, and assisting the youth farmers on workdays. The produce season runs from mid-June to early October. There are also egg and meat shares available. Shares are picked up at the farm. Gardenroad Cooking School & CSA Please call to enroll by the first week of June 2009 to ensure a full season’s share. We accept Visa, Master Card and Discover, in addition to personal checks. How We’re Different: The selection of plants grown for the Gardenroad CSA reflects our commitment to quality, diversity and usability. Since our gardens also provide the same produce for the Gardenroad Cooking School, we have purposely chosen varieties that are out of the ordinary, yet integrate well into everyday cooking. To keep things interesting, we will periodically include treats like fresh duck eggs, dried herbal teas and other goodies from our kitchen.
Our meat CSA is a four-month supply of flavorful beef and pork packaged in quantities easy for a family to use. Each month, one insulated box containing 15-18 lbs of our best-selling grass-fed beef and pork cuts, along with recipes and farm news, will be shipped directly to your door. A typical box: (6) 1-lb pkgs. ground beef, (2) 1-lb pkgs. hardwood-smoked bacon, (2) 1-lb pkgs. bratwurst, (2) 1-lb pkgs. pork breakfast sausage, (1) 2.5-lb beef chuck roast, and (4) 8-oz top sirloin steaks. Shares are available April 1 (and may begin any month thereafter). Call or e-mail us to subscribe! •
Apprenticeship/Employment Opportunities •
Harmony
Valley Farm, LLC Every delivery includes a newsletter with reports from the farm plus recipes and tips from our farm chef. We offer several payment options and 12 Twin Cities delivery sites including: Bloomington, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Linden Hills/Fulton, Lyn-Lake/Kingfield, Powderhorn/Corcoran, NE Minneapolis/Windom Park, Como Park, Whittier, Eden Prairie, St. Paul and Rosemount. Members are welcome to join us for lunch and a day at the farm anytime during the season. Our meadow is always available for overnight camping and we have several member events each season including a strawberry picking day, a summer barn dance, and our fall harvest party potluck.
Hay
River Farm We also offer a "Gourmet Half-Share" that lasts approximately 14 weeks from July to October. Weighing a little less than half a full share, this box is perfect for the two-person "foodie" household. The Gourmet Half-Share is a product still under development, and it will contain more varieties of heirloom and baby vegetables, as well as fresh herbs. Hog's
Back Farm We also offer out popular winter shares so you can extend the good eating later into the year. The winter share consists of four deliveries every-other-week from October through Thanksgiving. The winter share overflows with cold-hardy crops like spinach, broccoli, cabbage and kale, as well as storage crops like carrots, potatoes, beets, squash, onions and garlic. We deliver shares on Thursdays to pick-up sites in Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Louis Park and Hudson, Wis. Please visit our website for a sign-up form, to read the past year's newsletters, or to contact us if you'd like to receive a brochure by mail. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
• Honey
Creek Farm Currently we offer CSA shares in two different size boxes. A full share consists of a 3/4-bushel box containing 7-12 varieties of vegetables and weighing 10-25 lbs, depending on what is in season. Due to popular demand, we also offer a limited number of "half-share" 5/9-bushel boxes containing 5-9 varieties of vegetables and weighing 8-20 lbs. You can choose from two delivery options: home delivery or a drop-site. Home delivery means we bring your box right to your doorstep. A drop-site means you pick up your produce at a convenient location. Price breaks will be given for boxes dropped at multiple box drop-sites. Deliveries will be made on Thursdays beginning in early June and continue for 19 weeks until October. A weekly newsletter will accompany each box and will include farm news, pictures, veggie information and recipes. There will also be several dates set aside for member potlucks and farm visits. We encourage our members to come out and visit the farm and we offer a limited number of "work shares" where members can work off part of the cost of their membership at the farm. We look forward to bringing our work to your table. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
•
La
Finca In addition to our Summer Share, we offer Fall, Winter and Chicken Shares. The Fall Share (October-November) contains the best of the fall crops with plenty of veggies that can be stored throughout the early winter. Our new Winter Share contains many of the favorite summer and fall vegetables as well as prepared foods such as soups and tomato sauces. Vegetables for the Winter Share are harvested and processed at their peak of freshness and frozen for delivery in December and January. All of our shares are delivered to the pick-up sites mentioned above. Bring more organic vegetables and fruit to your table in 2009 by joining La Finca CSA!
Little
Footprint Farm Currently two acres are set aside for produce (grown without pesticides, sprays or petroleum-based fertilizers using natural compost). A wide variety of seasonal vegetables are harvested and made available to co-ops, farmers’ markets, and CSA members. During the 2009/10 season, Little Footprint Farm is offering CSA shares for Summer/Fall as well as Fall/Winter. CSA operations provide more than food; they offer unique ways for eaters to become involved in the ecological and human community that supports the farm. Being involved with a CSA is sharing in the rewards of farming; knowing the where, how and by whom your food is being produced; having a direct connection with the people who produce your food; and supporting the kind of stewardship that is good for the land as well as its people. Join us in our partnership with the land.
We offer full and 1/2 share sizes. One full share is 18 weeks of boxes containing 10-15 different vegetable crops that should be enough for a family of four, or a voracious veggie eatin' couple. A 1/2 share is a full box every other week and is great for beginners and dabblers (nine weeks of boxes). CSA pick-ups are at our farm a few miles west of Hutchinson, at our booth at the Mill City Farmers' Market on Saturdays (very limited spots available for 2009), and in the West Metro (Chanhassen/Chaska area). More information is available at our website: www.loonorganics.com. Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm We are intentional about our chemical-free and sustainable farming practices, including maximizing soil health through green and animal manures, compost, mulch, cover crops and crop rotations. We also use pesticide-free pest management to naturally monitor, prevent and control insects and other pests and maintain animal health and well-being through the use of loose housing and pasture rotations. We are also intentional about creating community and personal well-being through our connections with the land and its abundance and we invite you to share in that with us. Three farm festivals provide opportunities for visiting the farm to meet the farmers, learn about chemical-free farming, good land stewardship and sustainable living. Other farm activities include workshops in processing and spinning wool, knitting, canning, acoustic stringed instrument lessons and jam sessions. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities •
North
Creek Community Farm Have a farm you can call your "own!" Philadelphia Community
Farm Located one hour northeast of the Twin Cities on the St. Croix River, we have pick-up sites in Minneapolis and the St. Croix Valley. Festivals are held in June and September. Spring Share (seven weeks) features watercress, salad greens, spring onions and radishes. Summer Share (18 weeks) includes over 40 types of vegetables and herbs as they come into season. Extra vegetables for preserving are included when available. Fall Share (five deliveries over 10 weeks) includes winter squash, root crops, cabbage and fall greens. Full Season Share (all 35 weeks for a reduced price). The Year-Round Share (52 weeks) is sold out. A new solar/geothermal greenhouse extends our season. We donate surplus to food shelves. Members bring veggies to the city June to October. Benefits: visiting the animals, exploring the 300+ acres of preserved forest, prairie, streams and waterfall. Canoes and a retreat house rental possible. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
& Workshop Opportunities
• Piney
Hill Farm This year we will offer 50 shares (weekly or bi-weekly). Beginning in mid-June, you pick up your share at a pre-arranged drop point. We have drop-sites in St. Paul near Hamline, Northeast (off of Stinson) Uptown (28th and Lyndale), Shoreview, South Minneapolis (near Xerxes and 50th), and Edina (off of Tracy Ave). Weekly shares begin with salad greens, radishes, green onions and early root vegetables and max-out in late summer with the heavy additions of potatoes, melons and sweet corn. We deliver in grocery-sized reusable bags with an eye towards nice presentation. Some weeks there are cut flowers and other extras. There will be a planting day in early June and a harvest and cider pressing party in mid-September. We believe in organic farming practices and use no chemical pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides...because vegetables are supposed to be good for you! Available as a separate add-on to your share is our maple syrup. Meat shares are offered to members on occasion and a one-time storage share may be offered near Thanksgiving...we will announce this mid-summer. A 2008 member commented, "Best money I've ever spent!" Please e-mail or call for a brochure and a full list of produce we grow. Ploughshare
Farm Weekly deliveries to our CSA members include an array of garden staples, gourmet and specialty crops. As a family of six ourselves (4 young boys under the age of 12) we keep in mind what families want to eat. In order to assist families with the basics of eating "in-season" vegetables, we offer weekly newsletters telling about the goings-on at the farm and including recipes. We have cooking classes yearly, a farm festival in the fall, and all our members are welcome to visit the farm throughout the season. The name "Ploughshare" symbolizes how our work for justice is connected with our family's passion for growing premium produce and being good stewards of the land. We deliver weekly over a period from mid-June to mid-October. We have drop-sites at central locations in Minneapolis, Minnetonka, New Hope, Rogers, St. Paul, St. Cloud, Fergus Falls and Alexandria. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
• Reimann
Family Farm Depending on the weather, deliveries generally start the second week of June and run through at least the end of September. We harvest and deliver on Mondays, and offer three pick-up sites: at the farm, in downtown Anoka, and in the Powderhorn neighborhood of Minneapolis. Our boxes are 5/9 bushel size, and offer a variety of vegetables and herbs throughout the season (a detailed list is available on the website). Most of our seeds are organic and/or heirloom varieties, many from Seed Savers Farm in Iowa. Most years maple syrup and honey are also available for purchase. Our produce is sustainably-grown without chemicals. We enhance our soil with compost, mulch, cover crops and careful rotation. We provide habitat for wild critters by protecting our forests, wetlands and riverbanks. We also attract beneficial insects and pollinators with host plants like dill, parsley and native prairie plants. If you have any questions, we are happy to talk with you about our growing practices or offer a tour during the growing season. Members are welcome to volunteer in the garden and are invited to a harvest potluck in September. We also try to organize at least one pickling party or other community-building event earlier in the season. More details (plus pictures of each week's box from last season) are available at our website: www.ReimannFamilyFarm.com. Riverbend
Farm All of our produce is certified organic and sustainably grown through cover crop and crop rotation systems, composting and the use of green manures. We are active in the Local Fair Trade Network as well. You can be sure that your CSA share will support your health as well as the health of our community. Our 18-week delivery season will provide you with a diverse array of delicious, fresh-from-the-fields, seasonal produce. We also grow many heirloom varieties to ensure that your meal-plan will never lack in color, flavor or an abundance of choices. In additional, we offer extra produce (at an additional cost) for families interested in canning, freezing, etc., to ensure that their diet is as local as possible year-round. Shares are available for pick-up at the farm Tuesday evenings and local area co-ops on Wednesdays. Contact us or visit our website at www.rbfcsa.com for more information. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
• Rock
Spring Farm Our summer vegetable share contains eight to 14 items in meal-sized quantities. Many of our CSA members have found themselves eating more vegetables—with less fuss from the children—because of the freshness and flavor of our produce. And because we take pride in the cleanliness of our vegetables, it is simple to go from the box to the table. In addition to the standard CSA share, we offer an early spring share, a winter share (storage crops and salad greens from our greenhouses), and a fruit share. Our Friday afternoon delivery sites include Grand Avenue in St. Paul; 50th and France in Minneapolis; Seward Food Co-op and Linden Hills Food Co-op in Minneapolis; both Mississippi Markets in St. Paul; Lakewinds Natural Foods in Chanhassen; and Rochester. A weekly newsletter with farm news, information about the produce, and original recipes from our kitchen accompanies every box. Our produce is certified organic by the Midwest Organic Services Association. Certification is your guarantee that we not only act organic, we follow all of the rules that make "organic" a meaningful label. Spring
Hill Community Farm We grow over 35 different vegetables and herbs and round out our vegetable production with a few beehives and a sugar bush for maple syrup. Our Standard Share typically includes 18-20 weeks of vegetables with an emphasis on the basics—carrots, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, onions and lettuce. We also offer an Every Other Week Share and a one-time Winter Delivery. Joining Spring Hill includes a work requirement. Each household comes to the farm at least once during the season to harvest and wash vegetables, visit with the farmers and other members and deliver packed bags of fresh veggies to the Twin Cities. Members are also welcome to participate in workdays and seasonal celebrations. We invite you to join us in our 18th season. You'll experience the richness of this community, knowing the land on which your food is grown, and eating incredibly fresh, tasty vegetables. Sylvan
Hills Farm Thorn Crest Farm We have been growing chemical-free produce at our farm for 22 years, and will enter our third season of offering CSA shares in 2010. We are committed to caring for our land and providing our members with a wide variety of fresh, nutritious, chemical-free produce and a membership experience they will want to return to. Growing produce is our passion! Membership includes a weekly box of produce (enough to typically feed an average family of four; two adults and two children, depending on individual vegetable consumption), for about 18 to 20 weeks, depending on the season's growing conditions. Members can pick up their produce shares at the farm or at a drop-site located at Just Foods co-op in nearby Northfield. (We hope to add additional drop-sites as we increase memberships.) Pick-your-own opportunities are available at the farm at different times throughout the season for those who wish to preserve food. Members are invited and encouraged (at no additional charge) to take advantage of this and come and pick bulk amounts of produce, including peas, green beans, basil, strawberries, raspberries and tomatoes. Cut-your-own flowers are also available as the season progresses. E-mail updates on what's going on at the farm are sent out at various times throughout the season. Members are encouraged to stroll around the farm and enjoy the beautiful countryside. We hope you'll join us for the next growing season; we'd love to be your farmer! Treasured Haven Farm We offer a variety of CSA share choices for you, your family, and friends. We have a Weekly (Family) Full Share, Weekly (Couples) Half Share, and an Every-Other-Week Large Share. We run a 16-18 week delivery season with multiple drop sites on either Mondays, or Thursdays, throughout the northern to central portions of the Metro Area. We are a quick trip to the farm where you can help in the gardens, walk the wooded trails, see the goats, or just enjoy the open countryside on our 400 acres. Our members are welcome to come pitch a tent or bring their camper, although we have no designated camping facilities. You can also see the process of building a log home with a large gathering room for our farm events that will include future cooking classes and farm stays. Our family farm also raises champion quality grass-fed goats, and a few dairy beef that are available for our members. Check our website for more details. Thanks for reading about us at Treasured Haven Farm! Turnip Rock CSA Our season will go from June to December, or a shorter summer share from June to September. We will be growing only the staple vegetables and plan for a good diversity of 6-10 different types each week in quantities suited for a meal each night of the week. Shares would feed a family of four, or could be split between two couples. In addition we also offer a value-added share from other local farmers, including duck eggs, goat's milk soap, heirloom beans, kraut, and various other items delivered to your drop-site if you choose. You can also reserve grass-fed lamb and pastured pork raised on our farm. Our deliveries will be in the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities, and within Saint Paul and Minneapolis. We are looking for people interested in hosting drop-sites and willing to get the community involved. Discounts are available for hosting. Please visit our website for more information and a sign-up form. Victorian Meadows Our shares consist of a generous variety of organic heirloom produce, fruits, pasture-raised eggs and goat's milk products that include our original goat's milk laundry soap (using 1 tbs. per load), goat's milk shampoo and body soaps. We also include garlic and chive, horseradish and natural flavor goat cheese that is made in our small state-certified milk parlor here on the farm. We deliver once a week at designated areas around the metro. The shares begin in May and run through October for 32 weeks. To find out more about our farm and the products we carry with and without shares, please visit our website. Will Heal Farm We offer wide varieties of vegetables throughout the growing season, starting June 1 and ending October 1. SALAD GREENS, SNOW PEAS, WILD EDIBLES, CARROTS, HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, ZUCCHINI, WINTER SQUASH AND GARLIC are just a few vegetables that we offer. A variety of MEDICINAL HERBS are now available for those interested in wild crafting small quantities. We harvest shares on Tuesdays and Fridays. Choose which day is best for you to pick up at the farm. A limited number of shares are available for pick-up at Lakewinds Natural food co-op in Anoka on Tuesday afternoons. Would you like to help at the farm? Willing workers get a discounted share for helping to bring in the harvest. Many of the past volunteers have really enjoyed the one to two hours a week they spend learning where their food comes from and how it grows. Kids are welcome. Check out our website for more information on the CSA system and available produce, as well as pictures of years past, recipes, upcoming events at the farm (composting/soil building workshops) and products available for sale, like composting red worms, medicinal herbs and plants. Willow Creek Ranch We sell our products direct to consumers via our website or by phone and are offering CSA deliveries to the Twin Cities area. Call Rod at 608-451-2861 for details on drop-site locations. We have a small retail location on the farm, and our hamburger and hotdogs are available in the Coon Valley retail store as well as a number of farmers' markets. For those who are looking for the complete farm experience, come and stay in our modern cabin complete with AC, high speed internet, kitchenette, toilette and walk in shower. Enjoy counting the stars in the brilliant country night sky, roasting marshmallows over a campfire, or fishing in our state acclaimed trout stream. We have wooded trails for hiking and winding roads for biking; or you can simply help with farm chores. Winding Road Farm Our season at Winding Road Farm runs from mid-June through late October. You will receive a 3/4 bushel reusable box of fresh, delicious produce delivered once a week for approximately 18 to 20 weeks. Each box will contain roughly enough veggies for a family of four. Every week's box will also contain our exciting and educational farm newsletter with tips for storing and preserving that week's items, as well as recipes and farm updates. Women's Environmental
Institute CSA
Farm & Orchard WEI provides a weekly bushel box delivery of organically certified produce to our members for 19 weeks. Each box contains an array of seasonal vegetables, herbs, fruit, recipe ideas and a farm newsletter. We also operate an organic apple orchard and will be adding a variety of delicious organic apples to the box come fall. Our delivery days will be Thursdays and possibly Fridays in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area as well as in Taylors Falls, Cambridge and North Branch. Home deliveries are only available if the drop includes six boxes. This year CSA members will also enjoy the opportunity to add more value-added products to their box through a new WEI Farm E-commerce section on our website. More information on pricing and delivery sites will be posted as it becomes available at www.w-e-i.org (under Farm Program) or call 651-583-0705. •
Apprenticeship/Employment
Opportunities
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CSA Resources The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program has compiled a nationwide listing of CSA farms. Go to www.sare.org/csa/index.htm to access the list. You can search for farms by state. You can also receive the free listing by writing to: CSA/CSREES, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Stop 2207, Washington, DC 20250-2207 (when writing, please specify whether you want the entire directory or just a list for your state). The Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association has a national listing of CSA farms; phone: 1-888-516-7797; website: www.biodynamics.com/csa.html. From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh, Seasonal Produce, 3rd Edition is a low-cost resource for anyone interested in using seasonal produce. This book contains more than 370 recipes and features 46 different vegetable and herb sections. To order this 200-page book, call 608-226-0300, or log onto www.macsac.org. Harvest for the Hungry is a program of the Emergency Foodshelf Network (EFN) that provides fresh, locally-grown produce to households facing hunger in our community. Harvest for the Hungry relies on donors and CSA members to help purchase produce from Minnesota and western Wisconsin farmers at wholesale prices. Your contribution will be evenly distributed among Harvest for the Hungry's local farm partners, or you may designate your entire donation to a specific farm. For more information, visit www.emergencyfoodshelf.org or call 763-450-3860.
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Land Stewardship & You The Land Stewardship Project, founded in 1982, believes that all people—farmers and non-farmers alike—have a fundamental responsibility to care for the land that sustains us. That’s why our work is based in grassroots organizing and constant dialogue with the people who share a vision of a sustainable future on the land. The Land Stewardship Project relies on the power of the people to make positive change—whether it be in organizing against factory farming, developing sustainable farming systems, or coming up with visions of what a community-based food system should look like. The Land Stewardship Project is a membership organization that is making this vision a reality by instituting programs that are rooted in the deep, fertile soil of communities like yours. Our members include people on farms, in the city and in suburbs. We are working with farmers, consumers, policy makers, businesses, academics, environmentalists and people concerned with justice in our society. The Community Supported Agriculture farms listed in this directory paid a fee to be included. This free publication is also made possible by the members of the Land Stewardship Project. We need your support to continue building and promoting a sustainable way of producing and consuming food. Join Land Stewardship Project today! For
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