What is a Share or CSA?

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It is a relationship between our farm and you as our customer. You will receive a portion of our farm’s harvest in a ‘share’ or box for 11 weeks from June to September.

When does the CSA start each season?

The start date will be in June. We determine the date in late May as the growing season gets into full swing. Once determined, we email all members declaring the official start date which will be in June. Several emails will be sent to alert members of the start date. Please be sure to check your spam, junk, and any other folder you may have email diverted into.

What is in my Share Box each week?

You will find a wide variety of vegetables, some herbs and a few fruits throughout the 11 weeks. We usually include 4-7 different veggies in each week’s box. Some veggies repeat or a different variety of a particular veggie may appear again throughout the season. The box contents vary due to what is in season or is ripe/mature that week. See the complete list of vegetables on the CSA page of the website.

Will recipes be included?

We send a weekly email starting a week or two before the program begins in June alerting you to the start date. Then weekly emails continue letting you know what is in the box each week and recipes or links to recipes for you to experiment with.

What if I am on vacation or away one week and miss the CSA box that week?

Please find an alternate person, friend, co-worker, family member, or neighbor who can pick up the box to use for themselves while you are away.

We do not credit for missed weeks. If you simply forget your box, it is donated to a food shelf or used/given to someone in need. Each location pickup site determines where they will donate forgotten shares to.

Where can I pick up my share?

On the CSA page there is a ‘Pickup Locations’ tab. Clicking that tab takes you to a page that lists all the pickup sites we deliver to each week. Please note, these locations are generously giving of their store space, or are providing a wonderful service to CSA members picking up there. With this said, please be respectful of the allotted times of pickup and the day of pickup. Alternate days or times will not be granted at a location. Forgotten boxes will be donated as that location sees fit.

Are you Organic?

We are very conscious of what we use on our crops. Many of our crops are never sprayed at all. We do use, if needed-(which is key), both commercial and organic products for fertilization, or in conditions of wet, humid weather a fungicide. While we are not organic, any product used is always done with safety in mind, used according to the labelled instructions and used only if necessary. We inspect our crop daily for any bug infestations and rarely have a need to use pesticides. Hand hoeing and tractor cultivating is our primary method of weed control. We have also implemented a plastic culture (planting through plastic) program. This mulch helps conserve water, cuts down on sprays used by protecting the plants from disease brought on by wet soil conditions and the mulch prevents weeds.

Are your crops GMO Free?

Yes!

Do you take precautions with food safety?

Costa Produce Farm has been USDA Food Safety Certified for 8 years and just this past year has been Primus Labs audited for Food Safety and passed with flying colors. These very stringent audits have been completed each year at our farm. We are inspected by auditors on our harvest techniques, post-harvest procedures, worker safety and hygiene, water quality, safety of equipment, storage standards, packing materials, vehicle inspections/cleanliness and much more. We take food safety very seriously!

Can I return the weekly CSA boxes to Costa Farm to reuse?

Unfortunately, due to our Food Safety procedures we do not and cannot reuse boxes that have left our farm. Just picture this-a box is taken home by a member and they refrigerate the vegetables, then the box is put in their garage. The garage door is left open and a neighbor’s dog comes over and relieves himself on the box or a mouse runs through the box. The box sits in the garage a few days and then it is returned to us. If we reused this box it would be contaminated and possibly lead to a food safety issue.

You may recycle the mini or half share size box in your recycling, the full share box has a light wax on it for durability and would need to be discarded.