Our Urban CSA

This fall we launched our neighborhood Community Supported Agriculture program. Since the idea of farm fresh produce is still gaining steam in this community, we knew that it would be really hard to tell people to give us money now, and we’ll promise to show up with veggies every week. City folks are much wiser than that. So we had to show them that we would come through on our promise. But then again, who can say no to veggies that look this good.

These shares went to the six families who signed up for our pilot program. The produce was delivered free of charge every two weeks for the months of October and November. Along with the veggies, we included descriptions of all the veggies, how they can be prepared and what the families could expect next week. Since the houses were so close to the farm, we delivered the shares on foot, by bike cart, and we even had the pleasure of using Nic’s new waste veggie oil powered truck.

At the end of the two months, we brought all of the neighbors to the Enterprise Center to take part in a focus group about the program. We asked a lot of questions such as if they were happy with the produce and if they’d be willing to pay for a share and we gained a lot of great feedback. But the best feedback came during the program. We remember going to the home of Mr. Jordan and when we got to his door, he gasped saying, “I can’t believe this.” When we asked what it was he couldn’t believe, he said that he remembered signing up, but he didn’t believe we were going to do it. Well, we came through with our promise. How could you not when people show their appreciation like this young girl.

Next season we hope to provide food for 10 families of mixed incomes so we can make enough money to support the growers of our Cooperative, while ensuring that any family that wants a share of fresh produce can have access. We really love this neighborhood CSA model and we hope it can be a successful model for how to provide food to under served areas while still supporting the farmers that grow it.

Nic and Erica