What is a CSA?

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and operates on a subscription basis, fostering a cooperative relationship between farmer and member. The idea is a simple one: customers purchase annual or seasonal shares of the farm's produce rather than buying single items at retail prices.

CSA shares bring the freshest farm produce to you while ensuring that all our produce is sold, a win/ win marketing model. Customers pay in advance, providing Touch the Earth Farm with our budget and production goals. In return, we work hard year round to bring you wholesome, naturally grown herbs, fruits, vegetables and eggs at their peak of freshness and perfection.

How do I join?

You can download the Seasonal or the Annual Membership form in pdf format to fill out and mail in.

Current members will be given priority through the first week of December, those on our waiting list through the second week of December. If all membership openings are not filled at that point, we will open memberships until they are all filled.

What is a share?

Farm production varies naturally with the seasons, weather conditions, weed pressure and other variables, meaning we often enjoy bumper crops and suffer occasional crop failures. Because CSAs work as a community partnership, we all share the risks and reap the many benefits together. Thus, share quantity will vary from crop to crop and from season to season, being sparser in the cooler seasons and most bountiful in the late summer. Touch the Earth Farm plants a variety of different crops using succession planting to ensure that there will always be plenty of food on the table even when some varieties don't perform well.

Our pledge is that each week, you will receive a share bag (a reusable natural market bag) filled with a variety of fresh, delicious herbs, fruits, vegetables and eggs, depending upon seasonal availability and the share option you choose.

Membership numbers are limited to ensure quality and quantity for our CSA community.

Membership includes:

• weekly produce pick up: a market bag of choice, seasonal produce and free-range eggs (optional)
• one signature market bag
• three reusable evert-fresh bags, S, M, and L
• member potlucks and picnics
• u-pick opportunities for berries, tomatoes and cut flowers
• regular newsblog filled with information and inspiring recipes
• priority choice for meat orders, including free-range heritage turkeys for the holidays
• occasional bonus items like goat's milk soaps and baked goods as they become available

How big is a share?

For 2008, we're introducing two share sizes: large and small.

Large Share: our large share includes one dozen eggs for our egg option members and enough produce to feed a family of four or a vegetarian couple meals for the week—approximately 2 market bags or a 40-48 quart cooler, depending upon the season. Larger families may want to consider purchasing two shares.

Small Share: includes a half dozen eggs for our egg option members and enough produce for small family or a couple—featuring a variable selection of the same produce as the large share.

Touch the Earth Farm offered members more than 90 different varieties of produce in 2007, and 2008 promises an even larger selection. When determining the kinds of produce that go in member's market bags, we carefully consider categories, usability, and regularity in making our decisions. We understand that members rely on certain kinds of produce on a regular basis, like greens and tomatoes for instance, so we try to offer a consistent supply of such items in season. On the other hand, we try to vary less familiar or popular items so no one feels overwhelmed.

The Grab Bag: as part of our commitment to member preferences, we offer our grab bag table where members are free to take and leave extra produce and exchange share items for options that may be a better fit for their family's tastes and preferences.

Do I have to subscribe for the whole year?

Touch the Earth Farm offers different share options from annual to seasonal, from large to small, enabling our members to choose the option that best suits their families' needs. Membership opens in December and continues until all shares are filled for the next year.

Annual: year round subscription, which offers the best bargain. For our egg option/ on-farm pickup members only, this subscription includes weekly free-range eggs throughout the year along with extended season vegetables like kale, arugula, turnips and other greens as well as herbs and micro greens, new for the 2008 season.

Seasonal: 20 weeks of seasonal produce, from June through October.

Seasonal w/ Egg Option: seasonal with eggs, includes free-range eggs each week.

What kinds of produce can I expect?

Produce varies seasonally with growing conditions and with the age of established crops like asparagus and berries, which produce more vigorously with each subsequent growing season.

Spring:

• variety of greens
• strawberries (early spring)
• fresh herbs
• radishes
• carrots
• broccoli
• spinach
• peas
• raspberries (late spring)

• variety of tomatoes
• string beans
• variety of fresh herbs
• carrots
• variety of squash and eggplant
• variety of peppers
• sweet corn
• potatoes
• grapes (early summer)
• blackberries (late summer)

• variety of onions
• garlic
• radishes
• carrots
• turnips
• beets
• variety of herbs
• variety of greens
• spinach
• peas
• broccoli
• pumpkins

Winter:

• free-range eggs
• select winter-hardy herbs
• micro greens
• kale, swiss chard, Asian greens
• spinach and winter lettuces
• leeks, green onions
• beets, turnips, parsnips
• brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi

How often do I make payments?

We will begin accepting subscriptions in December and continue until all shares are filled. While full payment at time of subscription is preferred, as it gives us our operating budget for the year, we understand that families are often operating under their own budget constraints. Therefore, we also offer a payment plan option, which requires half the subscription cost down as a deposit, and the remaining half is scheduled in two more payments due at the beginning of March and April.

Can I trade work for shares?

Absolutely. CSAs are based on cooperative effort between members and farmers. Touch the Earth Farm is happy to work out reduced-cost work options.

Do you deliver?

Touch the Earth Farm offers limited drop-off options at NIST campus in Gaithersburg for employees only. Call or email to determine whether delivery is a possibility for you.

Can I schedule share pick up time?

There will be two pick-up times available to choose, one mid-day and one evening. Pick ups must be made during those hours, no exceptions.

Can I visit Touch the Earth Farm?

Of course! Touch the Earth Farm is open to all its CSA members, and we will keep you updated on member potlucks and events. Visit the Contact Us page for our open house hours and directions.