What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is the collaboration of a farm and its extended neighbors in the growing and distribution of seasonal, fresh produce. Farmers provide experience, knowledge, and lots of labor throughout the growing season to provide weekly distributions of crops for members. Members provide money at the start of the season, when farmers need to purchase seeds and supplies, and a willingness to share in the experience (and maybe the work) of the farm. Together, they share the risk and rewards of the growing season. In a bad year (hail, drought, floods), the members may not get back produce worth the money they put in. Most years, however, allow the farmer to provide an abundance of crops over the member cost and a wide array of fruits and vegetables.
How does CSA work at Fox and Fawn Farm?
Our season runs for 18 weeks. We expect our first delivery on June 14th and 16th, but this may be pushed a week ahead or back, depending on the weather we have this spring. The last delivery is in mid-October, shortly after our year-end Harvest Festival at the farm. Each week of the deliveries, we provide a box of whatever produce is in season. The first boxes are heavy on salad mixes and green things, with radishes and rhubarb providing the only real non-green color. As summer moves on, the boxes become much more diverse, colorful, and heavy.
What crops will we receive this year?
This year we’re planning the following for our garden: Arugula, Asian Greens, Basil, Beets, Bok choy, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chard, Chinese Cabbage, Cucumber, Eggplant, Endive, Fennel, Garlic, Gourds, Green Beans, Husk Cherries, Jack-o-lanterns, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leeks, Lettuce, Onion, Parsley, Peas, Pie Pumpkins, Potatoes, Radish, Rhubarb, Salad Mix, Scallions, Spinach, Summer Squash, Sweet Pepper, Tatsoi, Tomatillo, Tomato, Turnip, and Winter Squash.
In our extended orchard, we also have extensive plantings of gooseberries, aronia berries and red currants we hope to provide this year.
We have also planted apples, apricots, beach plums, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, cornelian cherries, honeyberries, mulberries, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, and seaberries. These crops have not yet reached bearing age but we hope to include them in our CSA in a few more years.
What if we're away for a week?
1–You can put a hold on your weekly delivery and receive extra veggies when you come back.
2–You can have a friend or family member pick up your box while you’re away.
3–You can skip the box and we will distribute the veggies among the other CSA members.
We are also flexible if you want to pick up at the farm on your way out of town or change delivery sites throughout the year.
What opportunities are there to visit the farm?
We encourage visitors from our CSA members throughout the growing season. We will have farm day open houses (ideally with volunteering opportunities) on Saturdays in July and August. We also host a year-end harvest celebration with a potluck and games on a Sunday in late September. If those days don’t work for your family, please contact us and we’d be happy to set up a time to show you around. We are dog- and kid-friendly!
Are you organic?
We follow all of the guidelines for organic certification but we have not sought certification simply due to the cost involved. All of our compost and fertilizer are organically approved, our garden and cover crop seeds are organic when available, and we follow a 8-year rotation in our garden to break up pest and disease cycles. We do not use any chemical sprays in our garden and rely on netting to keep insect pests off of our crops.
While this approach might take more time and physical labor, we are committed to farming naturally and in harmony with the earth. For our family’s sake and for the goodness of the food we grow, we are dedicated to farming by all organic standards.
Where can we pick up?
Our delivery sites are listed below. Each week of the season, you will find a box of goodness at your chosen site. I will send more detailed instructions on each pick-up site to our members as we get closer to our first delivery.
Tuesday sites:
- Hopkins (Vine Shop / 762 Mainstreet) (after 1:20pm)
- St. Louis Park at Honey & Rye Bakehouse / 4501 Excelsior Blvd (after 2:00pm)
- Minneapolis (Tangletown) / residence 110 W 49th Street (after 2:20pm)
- Richfield at Lakewinds Food Co-op / 6420 Lyndale (after 2:40pm)
- Chanhassen at Lakewinds Food Co-op / 435 Pond Promenade (after 3:00pm)
Thursday delivery sites:
- Excelsior (Guest House B&B / 371 Water Street) (after 1:30pm)
- Eden Prairie at Peoples Organic Cafe / 990 Prairie Center Drive (after 2:00pm)
- Chaska / residence 208 W 2nd Street (after 2:20pm)
- Victoria at Hartman Garden Center / Hwy 5 at Bavaria (after 2:40pm)
- Waconia / residence 1745 Clearwater Lane (after 3:00pm)
What size share is right for me?
We offer both full shares (for families of 4-5) and half shares (for couples and small families). Both types of share are delivered weekly throughout the growing season. Feel free to split a box with neighbors or friends!
How much does it cost?
Our CSA program costs $640 for a full share and $360 for a half share for the season. While this might seem like a lot to pay now, it is approximately $35/week for a full share and $20/week for a half share. If you pay this much food for your weekly produce budget (or wish you did!), this is a deal for you.
This may be paid in total up front, half now and half by August 1, or according to other arrangements made with the farm. We realize this up-front payment doesn’t work for all families. If you would like a different arrangement, please contact us.
How do I sign up?
Fill out the form on the “Join our CSA” heading, above.
Thanks so much for your interest in our farm's CSA program.
If you have any other questions for me, please submit the form below.
Fox and Fawn Farm
Tim and Nina Kirkman
17250 County Road 122
New Germany, MN 55367
foxandfawnfarm@gmail.com
Fox & Fawn Farm 