CSA FAQs
WHAT IS COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA)?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.
This is an arrangement where individuals buy into the farm at the start of the growing season and in exchange receive a share of the farm’s harvest. Shares are distributed each week throughout the season.
WHY JOIN THE RED FIRE FARM CSA?
- Enjoy fresh locally grown vegetables. Our careful variety selection
and organic growing practices bring out the very best in flavor!
- Help us compete with environmentally detrimental industrial food producers
from distant regions.
- By supporting Red Fire Farm, you also benefit the local economy. Red
Fire Farm both provides jobs and also recycles money by purchasing
supplies from other local businesses.
- We don’t use chemicals, synthetic pesticides or herbicides on our
vegetable fields.
- You become involved in a community of farmers and eaters committed to healthy food and a cleaner environment!
WHAT SIZE IS A VEGETABLE SHARE?
Vegetable shares generally consist of about 10 lbs of assorted produce per week, although the share size does fluctuate depending on the time of the season and success of individual crop plantings.
In general, shares are lighter early in the season because most of the crops are still growing and sizing up.
By midsummer and fall, the shares are abundant and diverse with a wide spectrum of tasty produce.
The vegetables in the fall and winter portion of the Full Season Share (the portion also called Winter Share) are mostly root crops, onions, squashes and others that store well, although there are still plenty of greens later on too.
Each extended season share consists of 14-20 pounds of mixed produce.
HOW MANY SHARES DOES MY FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD NEED?
Usually, a family or household of 2 - 4 people can eat a share without much trouble.
Small households can freeze, dry or can extras.
Large households should seriously consider purchasing two shares.
CAN I SPLIT A SHARE OR DO YOU HAVE HALF SHARES?
We do not sell half shares, but it is fine if you’d like to split a share with a friend or co-worker.
Some people split the share after pick-up or you can go one week and your friend the next.
When you sign-up, please make sure to include the names and contact info of any one who will be coming to pick-up for the share, as well as all the e-mail addresses of folks who want to receive the newsletters and updates.
WHAT OPTIONS DO YOU HAVE IN THE CSA?
We offer vegetable shares, flower shares, and fruit shares.
Please visit the CSA Options page for an overview of what we have and to see the details on each option.
WHAT VEGETABLES DO YOU GROW?
You can visit our Recipes page to see the diversity of produce we grow and get ideas of how to cook it.
We also have a season chart that shows you the general availability of produce throughout the season.