CSA Information
What is a CSA?
Who should be involved in a CSA?
When is your CSA?
Where are the pick up points?
How much does it cost?
How much produce do we get in the boxes?
What kind of produce can we expect in the box?
How often are the deliveries?
How many people will a full share feed?
What happens if I can’t pick up my box at the scheduled time?
What is the box deposit all about?
What if I forget my box when I come for delivery?
Do I need to return my box clean?
What if I decide that the CSA doesn’t fit my lifestyle, and I’ve already paid?
What sets your CSA apart from others?
What kind of “support” do you give to your customers?
Tell me more about your a la carte CSA.
A – Community Supported Agriculture (or CSA) is an innovative concept that is reviving family farms across the country and around the world. In a CSA, the farmer enters into an agreement with a “community” of consumers to supply them with a regular “share” of fresh produce. The consumers pay for this service in advance, and the farmer then grows, harvests, and divides the produce among the “shareholders.”
This concept has proven very rewarding for both the farmer and the community of consumers. The shareholders gain the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting local, sustainable, family farming. They also feel a closer connection with the land and the farmer who grows their food. Then there’s the food! It’s fresh, organic, and delicious!
Q – Who should be involved in a CSA?
A – We recognize that CSAs are not for everyone. We are looking for customers who place a high value on fresh, local, organic produce. They should enjoy cooking from scratch and be committed to the time that this takes. They should also be adventurous folk who are willing to try new foods and broaden their “culinary horizons.”
If you are unsure of whether you fall into this category, we recommend “getting your feet wet” by joining our a la carte CSA.
A – We have both a winter and summer CSA listed below:
Summer:
We begin the first week in June and run weekly through September.
Winter:
We begin in mid October with produce and raspberries. November and December bring an abundance of cool weather crops from our outdoor fields. We take a two week break over Christmas and New Years, then resume in January with food out of our six hoophouses – supplemented with storage crops from our root cellar. By the end of February, we are beginning to replant things outside. March is transition month, and April brings abundant spring greens and root crops from both inside and outside the hoophouses. Our CSA ends mid April.
Q – Where are the pick up points?
A – Currently, we have seven options available rotating on a bi-weekly basis:
Week – 1
Farm – Tuesday (4pm – 6pm)
Columbia First Presbyterian Church – Tuesday (4:30pm – 5:00pm)
Nashville 1 – Elmington Park - Thursday (4:30pm – 5:30pm)
Nashville – Feast Together Kitchen *NEW! – Thursday (3pm – 4pm)
Week – 2
Brentwood Library – Tuesday (3pm – 4pm)
Franklin Whole Foods – Tuesday (4:30pm – 5:30pm)
Nashville 2 – Elmington Park – Thursday (3pm – 4pm)
Nashville – Farmer’s Market – Thursday (4:30pm – 5:30pm)
These options are subject to change according to the wishes and needs of our customers.
For more information please view our delivery schedule calendar here.
A – The price for the current winter CSA is:
A one time registration fee of $30 (this helps with seed money and season start-up expenses) plus:
Full Bushel Share: Full payment of $600 (due at registration) or four payments of $150 (first of each month starting in October)
Half Bushel Share: Full payment of $360 (due at registration) or four payments of $90 (first of each month starting in October)
Q – How much produce do we get in the boxes?
A – Summer:
We will be delivering in a 2/3 bushel tote. You will receive the equivalent of $30 worth of produce each week, plus usually a little more. 
Winter:
The full shares have a 1 bushel tote, and the partial shares have a 2/3 bushel tote (usually with slightly over half of what the full share receives). While we don’t promise to always have them packed full, it is not uncommon to have a hard time closing the lid on them. We do our best to be fair and even generous with our produce, but there is an understood risk involved in joining a CSA.
Due to the many variables associated with farming, we cannot guarantee the quantity or quality of the produce received. If, due to circumstances out of our control, we are not able to provide the quantity or quality of produce which we desire and you expect, you, the consumer, must understand that you are “sharing the risks” of farming. In effect, you are acting as “insurance” to make sure we will be farming here next year.
Having said this though, in spite of various “crop failures” every year, we have always had enough produce to keep at least the vast majority of customers “thrilled.” Our job is to anticipate challenges, plant extra, and have enough variety so that our customers want to keep coming back for more.
Q – What kind of produce can we expect in the box?
A – Summer produce will include the following:
Beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, amaranth, purslane, lamb’s quarters, melons, okra, onions, peppers, potatoes, summer squash and zucchini, sweet potatoes, winter squash, tomatoes, watermelons, blueberries, raspberries, basil, dill, and possibly more.
During the winter we aim to have at least eight and preferably ten or more different items in each box. After a number of years of polling customers about their likes and dislikes, we have come up with a list of what we consider to be “winter staples.” Other crops will be sprinkled in to give variety and fill out the box.
“Staple” Produce:
Carrots, lettuce (heads and/or baby), spinach, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, & cooking greens (mainly kale, collards, & Swiss chard)
Others produce included in lesser amounts:
Brassicas – Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, etc.
Alliums – scallions, bulb onions, leeks, garlic
Root crops – beets, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, radishes
“European” greens – arugula, escarole, endive, radicchio, fennel, sorrel, mache, claytonia, minutina, etc.
“Asian” greens – bok choi, tatsoi, mizuna, Chinese cabbage, komatsuna
Herbs – parsley, sage, cilantro, dill, rosemary, oregano, etc.
Plus some that don’t fit into categories – like celery and celeriac, etc.
Q – How often are the deliveries?
A – The summer CSA will be delivered on a weekly schedule. View our delivery schedule calendar here
During the winter, since most of the produce is less perishable, we deliver every two weeks – with a two week Christmas/New Year’s break. We will begin in mid October and end mid April (12 deliveries total).
Q – How many people will a full share feed?
A – Good question! It all depends on your eating habits. We have single people who have no problem using a whole share, and we have families who split a partial share. If you eat at home most of the time and eat a largely plant-based diet, you will have no problem using a whole share. If you eat out a lot, and/or have picky eaters in your family, you may be satisfied with a partial share.
Q – What happens if I can’t pick up my box at the scheduled time?
A – We try to be flexible and understanding. One option is to arrange for a friend or family member to pick up your box (We don’t need to know about this). If you notify us at least one day in advance, we can work with you to reschedule your pickup. Or, we can credit your online farmer’s market account ($50 for full shares, $30 for partial shares) and you can use that credit to order produce at your convenience. This is a great, new option not available in most CSA’s!
If you miss a pickup without previous arrangements, we will hold your box for 24 hours. If you contact us within that time period, we will do our best to work with you. If we do not hear from you, your box will be donated to a needy family in our area who we feel can use and appreciate your box. Making arrangements for missed boxes is your responsibility! We also do not give cash refunds for missed boxes.
A – We have a $50 lost box fee and any lost boxes will be charged to the account of the box holder. (Each person/family will have two boxes with their name on them. You will return your empty box when we bring you your full one.)
Q – What if I forget my box when I come for delivery?
A – We will transfer your produce into bags so we can keep one box at all times.
Q – Do I need to return my box clean?
A – Yes, Please! It would take us a long time to clean each box between deliveries! Please return your box to us in the shape that you want it returned to you.
Q – What if I decide that the CSA doesn’t fit my lifestyle, and I’ve already paid?
A – We do not, as a general rule, give refunds. So, if you are unsure about the “fit” of our CSA, we would encourage you not to pay for the season in full. You can then pull out after your initial payment has expired. If you have to quit because of circumstances out of your control (job loss, moving, etc.), we will do our best to work with you.
Q – What sets your CSA apart from others?
A – We can only go by what our customers say, since we’ve never been a part of another one! Three things we hear often are quality, variety, and cleanliness. Because we are blessed with lots of water, we are able to take the extra time and effort to give you a product that not only tastes good, but looks good straight out of the box.
Of course, the fact that we have a Winter CSA also sets us apart. To our knowledge, we were the first in middle Tennessee. There are now a handful of others, but it is still very much a niche. Although we make no claims to being “experts,” having eight seasons behind us does put us a little ways along the “learning curve.”
Q – What kind of “support” do you give to your customers?
A – One reason we have no desire to get big is because we want to know all our customers by name! We are only a phone call or e-mail away! This year we are also adding a weekly blog and a picture of the week to help you feel connected to the farm. We plan to do better with communication this year, and are going to let the next generation lead out in this. Please give us your suggestions! We don’t want to fill your inbox with unwanted information, but do want to help you feel connected to your farm and farmers.
Q – Tell me more about your a la carte CSA.
A – The a-la-carte market is simply an online store where customers can order our vegetables at their convenience. We will receive your order, harvest the produce in the morning, and deliver it fresh to you at a specified delivery location and time. Plus it is free to sign up, so give it a try! You can find more information on the market here.
